Weight Loss Pregnancy Symptom
Many women are worried about gaining too much weight during their pregnancy. During the first trimester, an expectant mother should only gain approximately 5 pounds total. However, many women are shocked to learn that they actually lose weight during the first trimester. Losing weight after the first trimester can be a serious problem and you should notify your health care provider if you are experiencing weight loss during the second or third trimesters, as this can damage and harm you and your baby.
Causes of Weight Loss
The biggest reason why women lose weight during the first trimester is due to other pregnancy symptoms like nausea and vomiting. Many women have severe episodes of vomiting, which eventually leads to weight loss. It’s important to remember that the baby is not the reason for your weight gain during the first trimester. Water retention and bloating are the causes of weight gain, as the baby is still too small to cause any drastic changes to your physical appearance.
According to experts, weight loss during the first trimester is not unusual, nor is it harmful to your baby. It happens more often than not, and is not considered a serious problem unless a pregnant woman is losing weight later in the pregnancy.
How Much Weight Should be Gained?
This will depend on your doctor’s recommendations. They usually base their judgment on the mother’s weight before pregnancy, or during the early, early weeks.
- Average women should only gain 25-35 total pounds during pregnancy
- Underweight women should only gain 28-40 total pounds during pregnancy
- Overweight women should only gain 15-25 total pounds during pregnancy
The pregnant mother should generally gain 2-4 pounds during the first three months of pregnancy, and one pound every week after that until the baby is born. If the expectant mother is carrying twins, she should gain a total of 35-40 pounds which equals out to 1 ½ pounds per week after the initial weight gain in the first three months.
Now, you’ll hear many people say “It’s never okay to lose weight at any point during pregnancy.” And to some extent this statement is certainly true. However, during the early stages of pregnancy, when a woman is battling nausea, it’s expected since she is constantly vomiting whatever she eats or drinks. A great way to decrease nausea and vomiting is by eating smaller portions, more often. Usually 5-6 small meals a day can prevent these other symptoms.
Never try and lose weight later in pregnancy if you feel you’ve gained too much. Talking with your health care provider about your concerns can help you establish a better diet and eating routine. Losing weight during your pregnancy, especially in your second and third trimesters can harm your baby, as well as make you feel worse while harming yourself. Getting the proper nutrients from the get-go is essential to having a happy, healthy pregnancy.
