How to Avoid Gaining too Much Baby Weight

Gaining weight during your pregnancy is important because it provides the nourishment for your baby to grow and develop properly. Baby weight can be hard to lose if you gain too much weight thoug, and the weight gain can linger even longer with each additional pregnancy. Mothers who gain an excessive amount of weight during this time run the risk of premature birth, or having a large baby or developing problems or diseases during the pregnancy and postpartum time such as varicose veins, diabetes or hypertension. Gaining the proper amount of weight during pregnancy is easy if you follow a few simple guidelines.

Things You'll Need

• Prenatal vitamins
• Folic acid, iron or calcium supplements

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Instructions

• 1

  Note your weight before your pregnancy. Those who are at a healthy weight beforehand only need to gain 25 to 37 pounds during the nine months according to the americanpregnancy.org website. If you were underweight prior to getting pregnant, you may need to gain 28 to 40 pounds and if you were overweight, your weight gain should not exceed 15 to 25 pounds.

• 2

  Count your caloric intake Typically, a woman who had an ideal weight before pregnancy only needs an extra 300 calories daily during the pregnancy. Ask your doctor or a nutritionist what amount of calories is right for you during the pregnancy.

• 3

  Avoid sugary or high fat snacks such as doughnuts and carbonated beverages. These contain little to no nutritive value and cause you to gain unwanted weight over time. Every bite you put in your mouth should be nutritious to ensure a healthy pregnancy.

• 4

  Follow a healthy diet plan. Try eating smaller meals spaced throughout the day. Breaking your meals up into four to six tiny meals will help with any common heartburn or reflux problems a lot of pregnant women experience. Eat nutritious snacks such as cheese, yogurt and nibble on vegetables and fruits.

• 5

  Talk to your doctor about a prenatal vitamin, he may also advise iron, folic acid or calcium supplements if you do not care for foods containing these important nutrients.

• 6

  Drink six to eight glasses of a healthy beverage every day, such as juice, milk or water. This is vital not only for your good health but also for the health of your baby.