Accidents Happen: A Guide to Children's Emergencies

Are you trying to get pregnant or did you recently become pregnant? Are you worried about gaining too much weight during your pregnancy? It's a valid concern. You'll likely have urges to eat considerably more food than you normally do. You also may not feel like exercising on a regular basis. Keep in mind that gaining weight is normal and actually necessary for the health of the baby. However, if you gain too much weight, you could be at risk for dangerous pregnancy conditions like preeclampsia and gestational diabetes. Here are three tips to keep your weight under control:

Discuss it with your OBGYN. Your obstetrics and gynecology doctor is a great place to start if you're concerned about weight gain. He or she can discuss the appropriate levels of weight gain and give you some benchmarks to shoot for at certain points in your pregnancy. He or she may also set you up with a nutritionist, who can recommend the optimal calorie intake levels and the best foods for you to eat.

Even if you're not pregnant yet, it still helps to have this conversation. One of the best ways to manage pregnancy weight gain is to be at a healthy weight to begin with. If you're struggling to get pregnant or worried about how your weight will impact your pregnancy, schedule a meeting with your doctor to discuss your concerns.

Eat healthy snacks between meals. Many pregnant women don't want to feel like they're eating all the time, so they wait for traditional meal times to eat. The problem is that they then overindulge during those meals and eat way too much. You can avoid this by eating more frequently, but eating less at each meal. Mix in small, healthy snacks throughout the day. Look for snacks that are high in protein, fiber, and healthy fats, such as, such as granola, Greek yogurt, and fruits like grapefruit and oranges.

Walk a lot. You may not feel like going to the gym and putting in a full workout while you're pregnant. In fact, depending on your normal exercise routine, it may not even be healthy for you to do so. However, you can walk regularly to get some exercise activity and to keep your blood flow pumping throughout your body. Make it a habit to take a walk everyday. If you don't have much stamina, start small and then try to add a little more time to your walk every week. A daily walk is a great way to burn calories and stay healthy.

For more information, contact an obstetrics and gynecology doctor such as Patricia A. Giuffre, MD. They can give you guidance to help you stay healthy through your pregnancy.