Weight Gain During Twin Pregnancy

Whilst pregnant, a woman’s body undergoes multiple changes, not the least being weight gain .the expectant mother’s body not only provides a secure environment for the fetus to grow to the stage where it is able to breathe on its own but also provides all the nutrients necessary to for the body to grow from the size of a rice grain to that of an infant. Weight gain in twin pregnancy is roughly 35 to 45 pounds.

What is the ideal weight gain during twin pregnancy?

Medical practitioners have not yet agreed on the ideal minimum weight gain during pregnancy. Most doctors agree that all women need to gain a minimum of 11 pounds over the 40 weeks of pregnancy. Medical practitioners agree that the weight each woman gains during pregnancy depends upon body type, nutrition, level of activity, and whether the pregnancy is a single or multiple pregnancies.

In a single pregnancy, women who are underweight need to gain over 30 pounds while women who are overweight need to gain around 20 pounds to ensure a healthy baby. In the case of twin pregnancy, the weight gain is likely to be 1.5 times the weight gain for a single pregnancy.

Diet and weight gain in twin pregnancy: Women who are pregnant with twins find themselves gaining around 8 pounds in the first trimester itself. Like in any other pregnant woman, advice from others about eating for two flows in.  In actual fact, the tip to ensure good nutrition is to add up to 300 calories each day to the normal diet in the first trimester. In any case, nausea and morning sickness makes it difficult for an expectant mother of twins to eat much.

In the second trimester, the weight gain can be as much as 25 pounds. Every effort should be made to have nutrient-dense food and healthy foods. Water retention, pre-eclampsia, and gestational diabetes often affect expectant mothers in this trimester, and salt and sugar intake should be regulated.

In the last trimester, weight gain for a pregnant mother carrying twins is likely to be in the region of 20 pounds. During the last trimester, you will be able to make up for the reduced nutrition suffered during the first trimester. This can be very exhausting due to the extra weight but it can be overcome by using a bump support tummy band as it takes off some of the pressure.

Caution:

While the weight gain may vary from woman to woman, care should be taken to ensure intake of 1000 mg of calcium, 120 grams of protein, 2 liters of water, and 6 servings of fresh fruits and vegetables every day. It is advisable for a pregnant woman to eat 6 small meals instead of 4 meals to keep up energy levels and to prevent heartburn.