Overweight or underweight in pregnancy: what to do?
Being overweight or underweight during pregnancy can cause a series of problems for the mother and the baby she is carrying.
If you’re in one of these situations too, you’ll need the help of your midwife, gynecologist and most likely your nutritionist, but in the meantime, here are some tips that can help you start changing things.
If you are overweight
If your BMI is between 25 and 30, you are one of the women who are defined as overweight. If the index is greater than 30, it falls among the so-called obese women.
This also means that the pregnancy is at risk of miscarriage or that you have a high chance of developing gestational diabetes, pre-eclampsia or thrombosis.
The baby may be bigger which makes delivery more difficult.
I know this list isn’t all that pleasant to read but emotional factors and bad habits are often a big part of being overweight and it’s important that you get the help you need to stay safe.
We are not advocates of pregnancy diets because they can be harmful to the growing and developing baby inside you.
Your doctor will probably have already recommended that you take an extra folic acid supplement in the first 12 weeks, if you haven’t already done so, talk to him to find out the exact amount needed for you.
Surely you will also have been advised by a nutritionist who will follow you during your pregnancy.
In the meantime, here are some helpful tips:
- Keep a journal where you can honestly record when and what you eat.
- Avoid eating packaged foods that may contain artificial ingredients and additives
- Limit portions, use smaller plates if it helps
- What drives you to eat especially between meals? Can you try to avoid situations 8 that aren’t simple hunger) that lead you to eat frantically?
- Organize yourself by scheduling meals so you aren’t tempted to snack
- Try to move (ask your doctor first how much you can move)
- Try to limit sugar
If you are underweight
If your BMI is below 20, you are underweight.
There are many women who are weight and fitness conscious and in early pregnancy may be terrified of gaining weight and no longer have absolute control over their body.
Women who follow low-fat diets increase the possibility of being malnourished because many nutrients essential for fertility are fat-soluble and therefore must be accompanied by dietary fat in order to be assimilated.
It also happens that many women who pay attention to their figure, even if they eat the right way during pregnancy, still try to counteract the natural increase in the abdomen and breasts by increasing physical exercise.
This behavior can increase the risk of miscarriages as well as contribute to impaired brain development of the fetus. There is also a risk of incurring pre-eclampsia or premature births with all the associated risks.
A baby who is born underweight faces more health risks. So if you are seriously underweight you need to urgently take action.
Surely the midwife or gynecologist will recommend you a nutritionist. You don’t have to think that you have to eat junk food to gain weight. Indeed, there are a lot of healthy foods that allow you to gain weight correctly and give your child all the nutrients he needs.
Foods to gain weight:
- Avocado
- Bananas
- Butter
- Cheeses
- Dried fruit
- Coconut milk (perhaps to add to fruit smoothies)
- Whole yogurt
- Peanuts
- Olive oil to season dishes
- Salmon, sardines, mackerel (without exceeding)
- Pesto sauce
- Sunflower and sesame seeds
Kathryn Barlow is an OB/GYN doctor, which is the medical specialty that deals with the care of women's reproductive health, including pregnancy and childbirth.
Obstetricians provide care to women during pregnancy, labor, and delivery, while gynecologists focus on the health of the female reproductive system, including the ovaries, uterus, vagina, and breasts. OB/GYN doctors are trained to provide medical and surgical care for a wide range of conditions related to women's reproductive health.