Safe & Healthy Weight Management During Pregnancy: A Guide

Question
Hello I am 26 yo and currently 26 weeks pregnant with my first.  Before I
became pregnant I was extremely overweight approx. 245-250 lbs. at 5'6. At
my first prenatel visit, about 10 weeks i weighed 256. Since then every visit I
have stayed the same weight or lost 1-2 lbs. My questions is, is this normal
or even safe for my baby? I had severe morning sickness during the first 3
months, and still do from time to time.

Answer
It is currently recommended that very overweight women not gain any weight during pregnancy. Being very overweight place you at increased rick for developing gestational diabetes and other pregnancy complications.

So in fact, your lack of weight gain is both healthier for you and your baby.

Pregnancy is a time when many women experience a strong motivation to adopt healthier lifestyle choices. Everything you do to improve your health, even the smallest changes, will help your baby grow stronger and healthier, and have a better start in life. Can you identify areas in your lifestyle that you can change for the better?

Since you are currently very overweight, perhaps your OBGYN can give you a referral to a nutritionist who can help you develop a healthy eating plan, one that has lots of nutritional value and that has the right amount of calories. It's important that you eat the right amount, not too much and not too little.

Studies have clearly shown the numerous benefits of walking during pregnancy, especially for women like you who are at increased risk for gestational diabetes.

Ideally, you want to work up to being able to walk at a moderate pace (no huffing and puffing) for 30 minutes. Start with what you can handle, even if it's just 5 minutes. Walk on most days of the week, slowly adding a minute or two every three or four sessions.

Aerobic exercise during pregnancy has been shown to strengthen your baby's cardiovascular system before birth, builds more neural connections in your baby's developing brain, and strengthens your immune system, which you then pass on to your baby through breast feeding.

Since you are past 20 weeks, it is important that you stay in a lower aerobic zone. Do not exert yourself harder than what you feel is "somewhat difficult" when you walk.