Important Facts About Weight Gain During Pregnancy

When you are pregnant, you think that you can eat just anything you want. Your main excuse is that you are eating for two. Although that is true, you only really need 200 extra calories a day in the third trimester in order to support the growth and development of your baby. You need to be careful about how much weight you gain during pregnancy. Gaining too much or too little can be harmful to both you and your baby.

How much weight gain during pregnancy is acceptable?

Ask your healthcare provider how much weight you should gain. In general, you should gain approximately 2-4 pounds in the first trimester and 1 pound for each week after that. A woman of average weight should gain about 25 to 35 pounds during pregnancy. Underweight women should gain 28 to 40 pounds while overweight women need to gain only 15 to 25 pounds.

If you’re expecting twins, you should ideally gain 35 to 45 pounds during your pregnancy. Weight gain during pregnancy is especially important when you are expecting twins since your weight affects the weight of your babies. Twins are usually delivered early, so they benefit from some extra weight at birth. You may need to consume 3,000 to 3,500 calories a day.

What happens if you gain too little or too much weight?

Women who gain too much weight have a higher chance of a Caesarean delivery. They also tend to retain much of their weight after pregnancy and start with a higher weight in their following pregnancies. This can be a problem with women who are already overweight, as this increases their risk of complications, such as preeclampsia and gestational diabetes.

Children whose mothers were overweight during pregnancy are also more likely to become obese themselves. In addition, obesity may lead to problems with breastfeeding due to poor milk production and difficulty with positioning.

On the other hand, underweight women are at high risk of delivering a preterm infant or a low birth weight baby. This also causes health problems that may be harmful to the baby.

Weight gain during pregnancy should be slow and steady. Do not worry too much if you gain a little more or a little less than you should in a week – look at the big picture and overall weight gain.

This information is not intended to replace the advice of a trained medical doctor. Health & Parenting Ltd disclaims any liability for the decisions you make based on this information, which is provided to you on a general information basis only and not as a substitute for personalized medical advice. All contents copyright © Health & Parenting Ltd 2018. All rights reserved.

Why Has My Baby’s Weight Gain Slowed?

Your baby was growing by leaps and bounds – he’s a huge, plump breastfed baby. But now that he’s a little older, it seems like he’s not gaining weight as fast. And you’re worried that he’s not getting enough milk or that your milk supply is disappearing. So, what’s going on?

From birth to six months, breastfed babies average about 4-7 ounces (113-142 grams) of weight gain each week. But from six months to one year, that weight gain normally slows to about 2-4 ounces (50-80 grams) per week. Other resources suggest babies gain about one pound (1/2 kilogram) per month from six months to one year. Your baby should regain his birthweight by 10 to 14 days of age, double his birthweight by 4 months and triple his birthweight by one year.

If you are tracking baby’s weight gain on growth charts, be sure the ones you are using are the most currently WHO growth charts for your country, which are based on the average growth of breastfed babies. Tracking baby’s weight gain on older charts that were developed using formula fed babies can make it seem like baby isn’t gaining enough.

Some things that could impact your baby’s weight gain include:

  • Your baby’s genetic body type and metabolism: For example, long, lean babies tend to be above average for length but below average for weight on growth charts.
  • Your baby’s temperament: Calm, laid back babies may burn fewer calories so gain weight faster; while their more active counterparts use up more energy and seem to gain less weigh overall.
  • Your baby’s developmental stage: As your baby starts crawling and walking, more calories are being expended on movement and are no longer just being stored as fat.
  • Your baby’s breastfeeding pattern: Babies who are fed on cue (including throughout the night) tend to grow faster – and this growth is appropriate. Babies whose feedings are scheduled and who are trained to sleep through the night tend to have slower growth.

Sometimes a baby’s weight gain does slow due to a dip in mom’s milk supply. If you think this is the case for you, nurse or pump more often to boost supply, and consider these possible causes:

  • Have your periods recently returned? Hormonal changes may cause a dip in supply for some moms.
  • Have you started using hormonal birth control? Again, the change in hormones can lead to low milk supply.
  • Are you pregnant? The hormonal changes necessary to sustain pregnancy do cause a milk supply to diminish.
  • Are you taking any medications? Some medications can impact milk supply, especially antihistamines and pseudoephedrine.
  • Are you recovering from illness? Some moms see a decrease in supply if they have been sick, especially if they have been at all dehydrated.
  • Is your baby getting a bottle more than occasionally? Any decrease in breast stimulation will lead to a decrease in supply.
  • Has your baby just started sleeping through the night? Again, those missed nighttime feedings can cause milk supply problems.

If you suspect baby’s slowed weight gain is due to milk supply challenges, the help of a lactation consultant can be essential.

For most babies, though, slow weight gain in the second half of the first year of life is completely normal, especially if they stay on a similar growth percentile as plotted on a WHO growth chart.

Written by Michelle, childbirth instructor, lactation consultant, and mother to 4 busy kids

This information is not intended to replace the advice of a trained medical doctor. Health & Parenting Ltd disclaims any liability for the decisions you make based on this information, which is provided to you on a general information basis only and not as a substitute for personalized medical advice.  All contents copyright © Health & Parenting Ltd 2016. All rights reserved.

Is My Baby Overweight?

As a new parent, the list of things you worry about is endless. Is your baby happy? Is your baby bored? Does your baby love you? Even, is your baby overweight? Those adorable thigh rolls are probably the cutest thing you’ve ever seen, but could they be a sign that your baby is overeating?

Is my baby overweight?

If your baby is gaining weight quickly or seems to be jumping percentiles on the growth chart, you may be worried that your baby might be overweight. Firstly, there’s usually nothing to worry about. Immobile babies are often chubby, but the excess weight soon drops off as they start to move about. However, there is evidence to suggest that babies at the very top end of the BMI scale may have an increased risk of obesity in later life.

Babies need high-fat diets. Fat is important for brain development. It is not recommended to reduce the fat content of your baby’s diet. There are a few things you can do, however, to encourage your baby to enjoy a healthy diet:

  • Breastfeed – breastfeeding has been linked with lower levels of obesity in later life. Breast milk is packed full of nutrients that your baby needs. Do not limit your baby’s feeds, instead continue to offer the breast as you usually would.
  • Wean wisely – when it’s time to wean your child onto solid foods, think carefully about the types of foods you are offering. Ask yourself whether each food is nutritious and has something to offer your baby nutritionally. If not, it could simply be empty calories that will have little benefit to your baby. Start off by offering fruits and vegetables. Be wary of store bought baby foods which may contain high levels of salt and sugar, always check the nutritional information on the packaging.
  • Stick to milk and water – many parents fill their baby’s bottles and cups with fruit juice and cordial. These drinks are high in sugars. Not only are the sugars potentially bad for your baby’s teeth, but they’re full of empty calories that could be adding to your baby’s weight gain. Most babies are perfectly happy drinking milk or water with their meals. Remember, you shouldn’t offer any milk other than breast or formula until your baby’s first birthday.

If you’re worried that your baby may be overweight, you should speak with your healthcare provider for advice. You shouldn’t put your baby on a diet unless recommended to do so by your healthcare provider. Your healthcare provider will have regularly monitored your baby’s weight since birth and so is best placed to advise you on this matter.

Written by Fiona (@Fiona_Peacock), mother, writer and lover of all things baby related.

This information is not intended to replace the advice of a trained medical doctor. Health & Parenting Ltd disclaims any liability for the decisions you make based on this information, which is provided to you on a general information basis only and not as a substitute for personalized medical advice. All contents copyright © Health & Parenting Ltd 2016. All rights reserved.