Tracking your weight gain

I highly recommend that you track your weight gain for your entire pregnancy.  I am normally not a fan of weight tracking but rather being happy in your body.  Pregnancy is my exception.  The reason is that caregivers really know what they are talking about when they advise you about how much you should gain (some people are advised to lose weight).  The reason is that there is a magic number range*.  If you gain more than this amount then you are gaining more than the baby needs and it is pure weight that you will have to lose later.  If you gain the recommended amount (25-35 pounds for a single baby normal BMI) then you will have very little weight to loose after pregnancy.  PREGNANCY IS NOT A TIME TO EAT WHATEVER YOU WANT AND NOT WORRY ABOUT WEIGHT GAIN!  You need to eat nutrient dense foods that your body will use to nourish the baby and not store as extra fat.  At the same time, part of the recommended weight gain incorporates your body's need to add an extra layer to protect the baby.  So if you are gaining your recommended weight gain, eating healthy and exercising then you should see your body as beautifully building a home for your baby no matter what shape your body decides to look like in the mirror.  Women who struggle with this self image, should seek professional help so they do not accidentally put the health of their baby at risk or hurt their own mental wellbeing.

There are some online weight trackers but I was never fond of them.  I have always liked printing out a chart and putting it on the inside of my closet door.  Then every week at the same time of day on my weigh-in day (do NOT weigh yourself daily), I mark my weight on it.  This is the pre-made chart that I use.  These are the general weight recommendations. I would love to hear if anyone found a good App or website that produces the same chart while showing you your healthy weight gain range.

*Every woman's body is different and reacts uniquely to pregnancy.  Although most baby's require a general weight gain, there are of course exceptions.  Some women have such horrible morning sickness in the first trimester that they are not able to gain weight.  These women have to be especially careful with their nutritional intake because the baby could be stealing nutrients from their bodies, especially the bones and teeth. These babies are more at risk for having digestive and teeth issues later in life. There are ways to prevent this mineral loss through using the eating method from Cure Tooth Decay. This is a great book for anyone requiring any sort of dental work (even healing your own cavities!) as well as those who are worried about causing tooth issues during their pregnancy.