What if you are a woman with a weight problem? Suppose your Body Mass Index indicates you to be moderately obese or worse. What course of action should you take? You would like to drop some weight both for you and the baby but aren't sure how dieting will affect your pregnancy.
First off see a doctor. Any action you take to lose weight should be discussed with a physician, either your own, if you have one or call the local hospital to inquire about a doctor or a nearby free clinic where you could talk to a health professional for free. If you have no doctor and the hospital can't assign you to one or you can't afford one, ask for the Director of Social Work at the hospital whose job it is to point out alternative services.
Don't be surprised if the doctor you talk to recommends you gain weight. It is a function of pregnancy and shouldn't be short-circuited by an unreasonable diet. Eat as well as you can. Use healthy foods to fill you up. It isn't uncommon for overweight women to drop some weight in the first trimester due to morning sickness. But as with all pregnancies, the mother will gain weight just from the fetal development. It is common for women to drop more weight right after birth than they accumulated during pregnancy.
As far as exercise goes, swimming and walking are excellent for both mother and baby. Each can be done at your own pace and both of them encourage healthy circulation and can be done by anyone.
If you have no insurance, then see Medicaid. They can't deny you service because pregnancy is specifically covered under Medicaid. One advantage that you will get with Medicaid is that once you are on it, they extend it to the baby for its first year of life.
Two of the things you must stay away from as a expectant mother are alcohol and caffeine. Eat lots of protein, calcium and high-nutrient food such as whole grains. Drink lots of water and eat lots of small meals, up to 5 or 6 a day. Remember you are eating for two however you must eat smart. Eliminate non-natural processed food as much as possible. It is critical that as an expectant mother you make the right food choices. Being pregnant changes your metabolism. Sometimes expectant mothers will actually lose weight because their metabolism changes so much.
Two things you should consider as an expectant mother is taking pre natal vitamins and eating lots of green food. Green foods such as spinach, lettuce or broccoli are excellent sources of folic acid.
Being overweight and pregnant can be tough but the thing is that whether overweight or not, an expectant mother should gain weight. It isn't a good idea to try to lose weight during pregnancy.
Eat good foods, get some exercise and your body will do the rest. Just don't get caught up in the whole I am eating for two so I can eat whatever I want.
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