STAYING HEALTHY DURING PREGNANCY Discovering that you are pregnant is an exciting and joyous time, filled with planning and anticipation for your baby’s future. It can also be a time filled with questions and concerns — pregnancy leads to many changes in your body, as well as that of your growing fetus. With all of these changes, it’s important to stay healthy and work with your doctor to find what works best for your pregnancy. I will provide you with certain tips and general guidelines for staying healthy during pregnancy. HEALTHY WEIGHT Why is gaining a healthy amount of weight during pregnancy important? Gaining an appropriate amount of weight during pregnancy helps your baby grow to a healthy size. But gaining too much or too little weight may lead to serious health problems for you and your baby. Gaining too much weight during pregnancy raises your chances for developing gestational diabetes(diabetes during pregnancy) and high blood pressure during pregnancy. It also increases your risk for type 2 diabetes and high blood pressure later in life. If you’re overweight when you get pregnant, your chances for health problems may be even higher. You could also be more likely to have a cesarean section. HOW MUCH MORE WILL I GAIN DURING PREGNANCY On an average, most women weigh about 10kg and 12.5kg more by the end of their pregnancy. It’s natural and healthy to put on weight during pregnancy. Your body needs to change to help you grow your baby, and to give him the best start in life. However, the amount of weight gain in pregnancy varies from person to person, depending on a range of factors. By the time you reach your due date, just over a third of your extra weight will come from your baby, the placenta and amniotic fluid. Every mum and baby is different, but here are some averages: At birth, an average Indian baby weighs anywhere between 2500gms (2.5kgs) to 2900gms (2.9kgs) when born at full term. The placenta, which keeps your baby nourished, weighs 0.7kg. The amniotic fluid, which supports and cushions your baby, weighs 0.8kg. The other two-thirds of extra weight is due to the changes that happen to your body while you’re pregnant. On average: The muscle layer of your womb (uterus) grows dramatically, and weighs an extra 0.9kg. Your blood volume increases, and weighs an extra 1.2kg. You have extra fluid in your body, weighing about 1.2kg. Your breasts weigh an extra 0.4kg. You store fat, about 4kg, to give you energy for breastfeeding. There are lots of factors that determine how much weight you’ll actually gain during pregnancy. Your BMI( body mass index) and what you eat are just two of them. WHAT IS BMI Your body mass index (BMI) measures your weight in relation to your height. It’s an accurate way of telling whether or not your weight is in the healthy range. The amount of weight that you should put on in pregnancy depends on what your BMI was before you were pregnant. PROBLEMS WITH BEING OVERWEIGHT AND PREGNANT If you had a high BMI before you conceived, your doctor is likely to refer you to a dietitian or nutritionist. They will give you personalised advice on eating healthily and the best sort of exercise to take. This will help you to control how much weight you gain in pregnancy. Carrying a lot of extra weight at the start of pregnancy can increase your risk of complications during your pregnancy and labour, and make you more likely to have: High blood pressure . Gestational diabetes mellitus a big baby(macrosomia) a cesarean delivery a premature delivery AIM TO EAT HEALTHY AND BE ACTIVE Swap unhealthy foods for healthier alternatives. Instead of biscuits, cakes, deep-fried snacks, sweets and ice cream, which are high in saturated fat, salt and sugar, choose fresh fruita low-fat yoghurt, a handful of dried fruit and healthy snacks. Swap sugary fizzy drinks for healthy drinks or even better, water. Just simple changes like these will really make a difference. You could join a pregnancy exercise class, such as prenatal yoga. They’re a great way to meet other mums-to-be and keep up your motivation to exercise. Try to build extra movement into your day. For example, take the stairs instead of the lift, take short walks, instead of taking your car walk to the neighbourhood market. Ask your doctor for ideas about how to eat well and be more active. To eat healthily, have a variety of the following foods: Rice,  chapati, bread, pasta, potatoes, and cereals (carbohydrates). Choose complex carbohydrates – such as brown rice, quinoa, and wholegrain and multi-grain varieties. Wholewheat products are better than refined white flour (maida). These foods will keep your blood sugar steady and help you feel full for longer and make you less likely to give in to unhealthy cravings later in the day. You might think these foods are fattening, but they should make up to a third of what you eat daily. At least five portions of fruit and vegetable a day. These should make up another third of what you eat daily. Proteins, such as meat, fish, eggs and pulses. Dairy products, such as milk, cottage cheese (paneer), curd, yoghurt and cheese. Choose low-fat versions if you’re overweight. Try not to have large meals. You could use a smaller plate if that helps you to limit your portion sizes. Eating little and often could also help prevent aciditiy and heartburn. To continue------++