Let’s start this by saying the goal here isn’t to fat shame/body shame anyone. Now that that’s out of the way and the claws are retracted, it does need to be said that there is such a thing as overdoing it when you’re pregnant and taking in extra calories. We all know that saying “eating for two,” but what happens when a pregnant mama goes WAY beyond that?
Did you know when pregnant, the maximum amount of extra calories you ever need to take in is about 450? That is only in the third trimester! In the first trimester, a mama with a healthy weight needs ZERO extra calories, and only 340 extra a day in the second trimester. Good to know, right?!
In a society where everything seems to be in extremes, it can be confusing to know what is healthy and what is going too far. Some women attempt to diet and work out vigorously while with child, and some completely go wild and do whatever they want. To make sure you avoid unnecessary health risks to yourself and the baby, here are 15 Signs Mom Is Beyond The Saying “Eating For Two.”
15 Absolutely Nothing Fits
These days, clothing comes in a pretty wide range of sizes. Whether you are teeny and petite or curvaceous and bodacious, there is probably something out there that will fit you. When pregnant, you might need to start buying or wearing clothing a few sizes bigger, and that’s to be expected.
The problems start to come when there is so much extra weight very early on that clothing even a few sizes bigger doesn’t fit or it seems impossible to find anything flattering and comfortable. Remember, there will be a whole 9 months of growing, so it’s important to spread out the gains so the body isn’t under too much strain and you don’t reach the end of the pregnancy having gone way overboard.
Your OBGYN or midwife will tell you how much is appropriate to gain for your size and circumstances at the beginning of the pregnancy, and that should be the end goal.
14 Ultrasounds Are Impossible
One of the most important parts of good prenatal care is monitoring the baby and making sure growth is normal and there are no abnormalities visible from the ultrasound. If mom is severely overweight, it can be hard to see through all the layers of fatty tissue, and getting a good visual might be tough. Of course, not everyone gets frequent ultrasounds but having at least a few is usually a good idea.
If it’s hard to see the baby, it will be hard to tell if the fetal size is appropriate, if there are issues with the placenta, or if there are genetic problems/deformities. Also, forget about finding out the gender, because that can be the toughest thing to tell even in an average-sized mama.
13 Blood Pressure Skyrockets
High blood pressure is one of the biggest concerns of having a high BMI during pregnancy. It can take an otherwise low-risk pregnancy and turn it into a big concern quick. Not only should mom try to maintain a healthy weight and follow the doctor’s guidelines while pregnant, but if she’s already over where she should be, light exercise and healthy eating need to be started. And if mom-to-be does not fall within the "ideal" range for her BMI, she does not need to be intaking as many calories as another pregnant woman who does fall within a healthier range.
Too often, you hear about preggers who are scared to do anything other than sit on the couch and rest, giving in to every single craving that strikes. As tempting as this is, unless the doc says you’re on bed rest, things will only get worse with that attitude.
12 Sugar Is Off The Charts
The last thing any mom wants is to develop gestational diabetes. That is why it is so important to limit your sugar and make sure you eat right while the baby is baking in that oven. Diabetes comes with many risks, and some of them will affect the baby, possibly making them very large or triggering health issues in them.
Instead of reaching for that pint of ice cream, have a small amount of fruit or make your own healthy ice cream using a frozen banana. There are many alternatives to the high fat, high sugar options we all know and love. Get creative and have fun. Being healthy doesn’t have to be a punishment. With the number of fitness and food pages online now, there’s literally no excuse.
11 There's No Movement
When you’ve gained way too much, it can worsen things like pain and swelling in the body, especially during pregnancy. It might hurt to walk even short distances, and that might make for a good excuse to lay up in the bed and watch the new episodes of Will And Grace. The truth of the matter is that you should find a pool or a way to do moderate exercise that takes the weight off- like a recumbent bike.
Laying around and avoiding burning calories/moving your body isn’t good for anyone, let alone someone who has already entered dangerous territory. When I was pregnant, I walked outside twice a day, in the dead heat of Florida summer, and always felt better afterwards (even when I didn’t want to go). The body needs this!
10 The Baby Is GINORMOUS
Like we talked about before, a big mama can make for a really big baby. And while some people will have a big baby strictly because of their genetics and the size of their frame, you don’t want gestational diabetes to be the reason why you’re forced into a C-section and all kinds of testing on the baby.
These days, you see babies being born that are 9, 10… even 15 lbs. I don’t know about you, but while I’m pregnant, the health of that baby ALWAYS comes first, and I also don’t want to miss out on putting her in some adorable newborn clothing. I mean, all the cutest baby clothes are for the little ones, that’s a silly but real reason to keep it healthy, right?
9 Weekly Gains Out Of Control
During pregnancy, there is NEVER technically a week where anyone should be gaining more than 3 lbs, unless they were underweight prior to becoming preggers. Sometimes, you will see women who don’t gain at all in the beginning, but then it creeps up on them finally, and that isn’t what we are talking about.
The problems come when mama gains like, 3 to 5 lbs a week, all through pregnancy. I’ve had friends who started off weighing 100 lbs and end up gaining 50-60. Sometimes, the body needs a ton of extra nutrients or retains a lot of fluid, but in most women, that is WAY OVERDOING IT. Sorry, not sorry. Again, the goal is usually around 25-30 lbs, depending on the woman.
8 Everyone Asks "Is It Twins?!"
The other day, I had to bite my tongue at the grocery store when I saw a woman who was thin but SO PREGNANT it absolutely had to be multiples. Though she was a pretty thin woman, I knew it was totally unacceptable to ask a stranger if she was carrying twins, because what if she wasn’t?!
The point here is that, if you’re only in the first or second trimester, and your belly is already as big as a house, you might be overdoing it. Again, fluid retention or multiple pregnancies can play a part, but we are talking about excessive gains being an issue. It’s about the health of the baby, not body-shaming (just to remind you!)
Of course every pregnancy is different, and every body is different, so mom-to-be can just be carrying all the extra weight in her mid-region.
7 Snoring Like An Ogre
It seems like TV is constantly running commercials for people with sleep apnea and other sleep issues. What they don’t tell you is that excessive gains can trigger these problems, by putting pressure on the windpipe and the body. Hubby might think the snoring is cute (at first!) but it could be a warning sign that you’re working harder to breathe.
If you or the baby isn’t getting enough oxygen, all kinds of issues can arise. Not only will there be total exhaustion on top of the normal pregnancy exhaustion, but let’s just say… bad things can happen. Staying healthy can ward off these worries.
It's also really important to remember how vital oxygen is to the placenta - with a strain on oxygen intake, the placenta becomes very vulnerable and it can lead to miscarriage or stillbirth.
6 Everything Hurts
With the swelling and extra weight comes achy joints and tender muscles. You have to stay fit and active if you want to easy that achiness, especially when it comes to decreasing back pain. I know because I have personally experienced this. The more you stretch and work your body (even just moderately), the better you will usually feel.
The bad thing about being pregnant is it’s not a great idea to take medications to help ease pain, even OTC meds. You also are not supposed to take hot baths or get in a sauna or Jacuzzi, because of the risk of overheating or causing birth defects in baby. Do yourself a favor and just take daily walks or do some prenatal yoga!
5 Precarious Pre-Eclampsia
Here is another crappy consequence of being larger during pregnancy. While it can happen out of the blue, that usually isn’t the case. Pre-eclampsia is where the mama has high blood pressure, swelling, and a high amount of protein in the urine. It beings usually after 20 weeks into pregnancy and can sometimes cause red blood cells to break down, low blood platelet counts, liver and kidney dysfunction, swelling, shortness of breath due to fluid in the lungs, or trouble seeing.
We are seeing more and more cases of pre-eclampsia and high-risk pregnancies because more people over-indulge, especially during pregnancy, and lose sight of their health and the safety of the baby. It is heartbreaking when people make no effort to be healthier even when told the child’s life is at risk.
4 Very Awful Varicose Veins
Some unlucky women get varicose veins regardless of what they do and how healthy they are. However, the more weight and pressure you have on your body, the more you’re at risk of having this happen. These unsightly veins have no cure, and the procedures and creams said to help are not guaranteed nor cheap.
Age is another factor in whether you’ll get varicose veins. Not only will they make you look older, but they probably won’t make you feel too great about yourself. I know I have some darker veins in the backs of my knees, and though no one can even notice these except me, it’s a woman thing to pick on the little flaws we think we have.
If the varicose veins happen to get particularly noticeable, there are treatments available to help remove them, or at least make them less visible.
3 Insane Heartburn
Bad heartburn strikes up to 10 percent of women during pregnancy… but I believe it’s probably way more! What makes heartburn worse is rich, high-fat, or spicy dishes, alcohol or coffee. Obviously, caffeine should be limited and alcohol avoided, but maybe that nighttime slice of chocolate cake with a giant glass of totally-awful-for-you dairy milk should also be skipped?
Eating small, healthy meals and drinking plenty of water can help decrease heartburn. Also, noticing when the discomfort strikes can help you learn when the best times to eat are and how your body responds to different things. Sometimes, there is no cure but you can at least try to listen to your body’s cues and take notes!
On the bright side, they say the stronger your heartburn, the more hair your baby will be born with!
2 Swollen From Head To Toe
You know those women who maintain their gorgeous looks through pregnancy and have only a cute little bump to show for it? Most women aren’t like that. Most will get some gains in the extremities, the booty, the girls and probably a puffy face.
This gives me the chance to go on a little rant. Why do some celebrities (I’m looking at you, Kelly Clarkson!), with every resource and financial asset in the world, completely let themselves go during pregnancy? I mean, I can understand gaining a lot of weight because you’re finally “allowed” to, but when you can literally higher a personal chef, trainer, and life coach to keep you and baby healthy… why wouldn’t you take advantage of that? I find it selfish and sick, and I’m sure I will get slack for saying that. Oh well!
1 Baby Arrives Super Early
Being very underweight or very overweight can certainly cause the body to eject the baby earlier than is ideal. That is one of the contributing factors to premature birth and also the delivery being an emergency C-section. The reason behind this is pretty simple… if the body isn’t in a healthy or ideal state, the baby may not be getting everything they need to thrive, and it is nature’s way of ensuring “survival of the fittest.”
It’s a darn good thing we have the technology to take care of babies born even very prematurely, but that doesn’t mean it’s something to strive for. Being born early can carry the risk of underdeveloped lungs, a weak immune system, feeding issues and physical/mental stress. The goal should ALWAYS be to be healthy and balanced while pregnant, whatever it takes.
Sources: Mayoclinic, WebMD