Understanding Weight Loss During Pregnancy

Gaining weight when you’re pregnant is normal, but what about losing it? The following article will dive into how weight loss is possible during pregnancy.

Addressing Common Knowledge

It’s true that expecting moms are told to gain weight by their doctors. All you have to do is go to the Institute of Medicine or the IOM to see what’s recommended for expecting moms.

Women who are average weight are told to gain 25 to 35 pounds while they’re pregnant, but the same isn’t told to underweight women. They are told to gain between 28 to 40 pounds. If a woman happens to be a little overweight, they may be told to gain between 15 to 25 pounds.

The exact amount you’re supposed to gain varies from person to person, so it’s best to talk to your doctor to find out. Still, doctors seem to agree that women who are pregnant should be gaining weight, a significant amount for that matter. This is where things get weird because you could potentially see some weight loss.

Why Would You Experience Weight Loss?

As just mentioned, weight loss is possible, and the following are some reasons it might happen:

Morning Sickness

During the first trimester, some women lose weight. This sometimes happens because a woman is experiencing morning sickness and is throwing up often.

This is not something you should be concerned about unless the weight loss is dramatic. Sometimes, the nausea expecting mothers feel makes them lose their appetite, which could contribute to this change in weight.

To fight this, be sure to take your prenatal vitamins at night and drink plenty of water. Stick to smaller meals throughout the day and pay attention to your nausea triggers so that you know to avoid them.

Have your obstetrician monitor you to make sure you’re okay. Nausea and vomiting should pass, and you should begin to gain weight like everyone else.

Dietary Changes

A pregnant woman worries about the food she eats, and that’s normal. This could mean women start to rethink their diets, and if that’s what you’re doing, then that could explain your weight change. Maybe you eat healthier foods and skip processed foods or fried foods.

Maybe you don’t want your child to eat fast food and avoid these restaurants during your pregnancy. These types of changes are good for you and your baby, but they can also change your weight. Most of these foods are fattening, so choosing to let them go could start making you lose some weight.

To battle this type of weight loss, you should talk to your obstetrician. You’ll want to increase healthy fats like avocado, nuts and salmon, just to name a few. It might also be a good idea to add healthy carbs to your diet, like sprouted bread or pastas. You should also consume some starchy foods, like sweet potatoes.

Lifestyle Changes

Expecting moms don’t just change their diets. Sometimes, they decide to start exercising. Some people might do this on their own; others may do this because their doctor told them to. Yes, exercise is recommended during pregnancy, though nothing too strenuous.

The reason this is recommended is because it could help during delivery, and expecting moms want a great, easy delivery.

Exercise also seems to help in many ways, like it can help reduce backaches and constipation and much more. If you’ve never exercised before and started now, then this could affect your weight, so have your obstetrician keep an eye on your weight to make sure you aren’t overdoing it.

To battle weight loss, reduce the intensity of your workouts. Stick to low energy exercises like yoga or taichi.

Complication

This one is pretty rare, but a complication could be the reason a pregnant woman loses weight. The complication is called hyperemesis gravidarum. There are signs to look for with this, such as throwing up more than five times in one day.

You might feel an unbearable pain in your stomach, which is definitely not a good thing. You might also experience dehydration. You’ll urinate but not often, and when you do, your urine will appear dark. Women who are having this complication will feel dizzy often or fatigued.

If you’re going through anything like this, then you need to talk to your obstetrician as soon as possible. This is the only and safest way to battle this type of weight loss.

These are some reasons why a pregnant woman might lose weight. As an expecting mother, it’s okay to worry, and it’s okay to ask questions, so don’t hesitate to talk to your doctor.