Pregnancy And Baby Care Plus Size Pregnancy

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In a plus size pregnancy, you are above your ideal weight before your pregnancy. During the course of your pregnancy you are only going to put on more weight. This extra weight can be dangerous for both–you and your baby’s well being. It becomes very important that you manage your weight properly through your pregnancy, so as to ‘not’ put on too much additional weight. You should not gain more than 3-5 pounds every month of the pregnancy, mostly in the second and third trimester, which equals to about 25 pounds through the pregnancy. Managing your weight involves eating right and getting a moderate amount of exercise. Your healthcare staff should be able to guide you properly. It is also important that you find staff that is supportive and encouraging.

Eating healthy is an important part of managing your weight during your pregnancy if you are a plus-sized woman. A plus size pregnancy diet should focus on nutrition. The emphasis should be on eating right. Make sure you get a good breakfast with all food groups included. Get smaller snacks through the day rather than big meals. Include more fruits and vegetables in your diet. Keep the processed foods and refined products at bay. Increase your folic acid or folate intake. Drink natural drinks or juices without any sweeteners and sugared flavorings.

It is also important that in any pregnancy, especially a plus size one, you keep yourself hydrated. You need to drink a lot of water. Often we mistake thirst for hunger and eat instead of drink.

While it can get boring to continually drink water, you can add lemon slices or oranges slices to give some flavor and no additional calories to the water.  Water is important for the body even if you are not pregnant. Water helps keep the body clean by flushing out toxins and impurities from the body. It also discourages you from eating unnecessarily which is also a good way to manage your weight.

In a plus size pregnancy, exercises are extremely useful. Exercises during pregnancies can reduce many potential risks like those of preeclampsia. Doctors recommend about 30 minutes of moderate exercise including swimming, walking and Pilates. Research shows that when overweight women exercise during their pregnancy, they have a better chance of carrying through the pregnancy with fewer complications. Exercise is one of the few mandatory things for plus size pregnancies. It is also very important to have a doctor who is supportive of being a large woman. An accepting doctor makes a big difference to the health of the mother-to-be.

Plus-size pregnancy does not always mean bad news. Most plus size women who have babies carry their babies to term healthily. However, being big or overweight does carry some health risks in a plus size pregnancy. Women with a body mass index of over 25 often run the risk of gestational diabetes and gestational hypertension which can lead to a separate series of complications for the baby. There have been different research programs that show that a plus size pregnancy can lead to some congenital and chronic health problems in the babies. This is usually a result of genetic history rather than obesity.

It is also important to have comfortable plus size pregnancy clothes. Wear clothes that are easy to breathe in. Bright prints and elastic fabrics can provide good support. There are many exciting brands that cater to pregnant women.