Controlling your weight during pregnancy

It’s important to control your weight during pregnancy to ensure that both mum and baby remain healthy. You don’t need to go on a diet but you should be careful what you eat and do physical exercise so that you don’t gain more kilos than you need to.

Don’t pay any attention to old wives’ tales about pregnancy, such as the classic idea that you’re “eating for two”. Pregnancy also increases your appetite, but that doesn’t mean you need to eat twice as much as normal. In the first trimester, for example, you only need to have about 200-300 calories more than normal.

The final weight gained during pregnancy will depend on each woman’s physical constitution and Body Mass Index (BMI) –height/weight ratio-. Although most women gain 9-15 kilos, it’s important to take your BMI into account.

• BMI < 18.8 (underweight): recommended weight gain of 12-18 kilos.
• BMI 18.8-26 (normal weight): recommended weight gain of 11.5-16 kilos.
• BMI 26-29 (overweight): recommended weight gain of 7-11.5 kilos.
• BMI > 29 (obesity): recommended weight gain of up to 6 kilos.

Starting to control your weight before you even get pregnant helps reduce the probability of suffering from diabetes or hypertension during pregnancy. Excessive weight gain even increases your risk of preterm birth or caesarean delivery.

As for the baby, if the mother is overweight, the child also has as much as a 30% increased risk of being overweight. More than enough reasons to take care of yourself during these 9 months, don’t you think?

You should be careful what you eat and make sure you’re getting all the nutrients your baby needs to develop in the best possible conditions. Our Mediterranean diet is undoubtedly the healthiest option.

And of course, we mustn’t forget to do physical exercise. But, as always, we recommend that you talk to your doctor before starting any activity. Regular exercise will contribute to your physical and mental well-being, as well as helping to keep you as fit as possible for giving birth.

How are you taking care of yourself during pregnancy? Are you finding it hard to control your appetite? Tell us about your experience!