Labour and Birthing

Weight gain is one of the factors that’s being looked into by your doctors on every prenatal check up from first to third trimester of pregnancy. Keeping an eye on your weight is also one way of ensuring that your baby inside the tummy is growing well and you, as the mother, is getting ready for a safe delivery that’s about to happen. So, how much weight should you gain through out your pregnancy? And what are the factors affecting your weight gain? These and all other related questions that’s important to know will be discussed in this article.

Gaining Weight

It is said that the number of how much weight you could put on from first to third trimester varies from one mommy to another. Some mommies won’t seem to gain much weight during first trimester (1-3 months). There are even mommies who would lose weight during this period because of severe morning sickness. Gaining weight will usually become much more regular and noticeable by the time you reach 2nd trimester. Some would gain most weight during their 3rd trimester already. Here’s how much weight you should put into all through out your pregnancy.

Underweight Woman – 25 to 40 lbs

Regular Body Type Woman – 25 to 35 lbs

Obese Woman – 15 to 25 lbs

Factors Contributing Weight Gain in Pregnancy

When you gain weight during pregnancy, it is no longer just your personal weight anymore but there are also contributing factors that causes the increase of your weight. These are:

•Amniotic fluids and placenta inside your belly

The placenta is what provides your baby’s oxygen and nutrients as he grows inside your tummy while the amniotic fluids is the fluid that surrounds your baby as he develops inside the uterus.

•Baby’s weight

The weight of the growing baby contributes to the total weight there is in you. The doctors set target weights to increase during pregnancy depending on your weight when you were still not pregnant. Once, my OB-Gyne told me it is better that your baby’s weight is not that much. That means your baby is not that big. So there is a greater possibility that you can successfully deliver him through natural viganal birth. The bigger the baby is, the more possibility of hardship that may lead to C-Section.

•Excess Fluid Produced in the Body

When you reach 2nd to 3rd trimester of pregnancy, you will experience swelling of feet, hands and sometimes face. This is called Edema. The purpose of this produced extra fluid is to soften your body to expand for the baby. During 3rd trimester, it becomes very noticeable and it contributes to your total weight.

Gaining weight during pregnancy is important to make sure that you and your baby is well and developing. However, make sure that you will just gain the needed weight and won’t exceed that much in order for you to avoid possible complications that may arise. Have a self control and exercise when possible. Stay healthy mommy!

During pregnancy, a lot of temporary changes could happen to a woman. These changes includes her body, preferences of foods, senses especially taste and smell, hormonal changes, occurance of pregnancy-specific boils and rashes, and swelling of hands and feet (sometimes face swell too when you get nearer and nearer to your due). This swelling is called Edema. In this article, let’s discuss further about these swelling, why it occurs, how soon they become noticeable, whet you can do with them and when to worry about it.

What Causes The Swelling?

When a woman is pregnant, her body produces more blood and fluids. This happens in order to cater the needs of the baby for healthy development. The fluids also enable the mother’s body to soften and expand as baby grows inside the tummy. To some mommies, it may be noticeable but there are also mommies whose body don’t swell that much.

When Does the Swelling Occur?

Usually, the production of more fluid and blood starts from the moment you get pregnant but the swelling becomes more noticesable by the time you reach the 2nd or 3rd trimester of pregnancy. The swelling may include your legs, ankle and face as you get closer to your delivery date. Elders would even say that when your nose gets visibly bigger, that’s a sign that anytime soon, you will give birth already.

How Can You Treat the Swelling?

Although there is no guarantee that the swelling will be completely gone, there are some factors that are affecting it. So what you can do is avoid these so the swelling won’t get worse.

•Avoid standing for a long period of time.

•Avoid going outside on a hot day.

•Avoid clothes that are tight on your wrist and ankle.

•Avoid having too much salt on your meals

•Avoid using high heels

Also:

•Use comfortable shoes and sandals

•Cold compress on the swollen part of your body

•Rest your feet while elevating them.

•Get a good swim in the pool

When to Get Worried?

Swelling is normal during pregnancy, but you also need to look for other symptoms and know when you should consult your doctor. If the swelling is accompanied by fever, pain, redness and hardness on the area where there is swelling, if the other feet is a lot swollen than the other, if you experience lightheadedness and headache, sudden and excessive swelling, if you experience too much discomfort or you have difficulty of breathing.

Being pregnant means you need to take care of yourself so you could take care of the baby inside you. Knowing what to expect and what to experience during pregnancy is a big help so you can have yourself ready for it. Avoid what should be avoided and do what you must do so that you can avoid complications and your baby will be delivered safe and healthy.

As a mother who have gone through giving birth more than once, it is true when they say that labour and birthing a child is not something you can get use to. Even if you have gone through it already, there is no guarantee that you will feel less scared, feel less anxiety, less worried on the next. All the more especially if you are a first time mom and still don’t have any idea on what to expect during labour and giving birth. But there had been ways to help yourself prepare for what’s to come. These tips had been effective and helpful for me.

Before Labour

Before your baby makes his grand entrance, prepare yourself through educating yourself on the process of giving birth. It could somehow ease your mind and give you confidence if you have the idea on what’s gonna happen.

To physically get yourself ready, practice deep breathing, inhale through your nose and exhale through your mouth. It somehow helps especially when you are on active labour already. Do some light exercise too that are safe for you like walking and squatting. Doing physical activities could make you feel good and in control.

Don’t give yourself something to worry about. Do not read scary, tragic, and sad birth stories. Avoid thinking negatively. Remember to inhale positivity and exhale negative ones.

During Labour

Now let’s get to the main part, staying calm and in control of yourself during labour. How to do that? Here are some tips:

•Remember the stages or process of giving birth you studied about. Assess yourself what phase you are in and think that you will get through it and give birth soon. Don’t dwell on the labour pain.

•Think of your main goal. Think of your baby. Think of holding him in your arms and positively go through this life-changing experience. Think that it will all be worth it.

•Proper and deep breathing. In to your nose, out to your mouth. Think that you are in control.

•Find courage and support from your loved once and from your midwife or doula. They are there to help you get through it, altogether.

•Tell yourself that you are doing a great job and you will get through it. Stay positive.

•Find the most comfortable position everytime the contraction hits hard on you. In my case, the midwife made me lie on my leftside to help me dilate faster.

At the end of the day, it is still you, Momma, who’s in control of youself. Just remember not to let fear get the best out of you. So prepare yourself for what’s to come and remind yourself that everything you are about to go through will change your life forever, so make the best out of it. Be strong and get that baby out and safe.