A new survey commissioned by the Royal College of Midwives and the popular website Netmums has found that the majority of pregnant women do not get good advice on weight management during and after pregnancy.
More than 80% of women said that the advice they received from their midwives on weight management was poor. Many were unsure about what was a safe weight gain in pregnancy and worried in particular that their weight might affect their labour and birth.
Body image was also a concern. Many women felt “fat, ugly and big” after giving birth and 9 out of 10 women said that they did not have time to discuss these issues with a midwife and felt that a lack of care contributed to low self-esteem. This is of particular concern as it is well documented that low self-esteem can contribute to women developing post natal depression.
A BMI (Body Mass index) of between 20 and 25 is considered to be optimum for good health. Women who are obese (have a BMI of more than 30) are at greater risk of developing some conditions in pregnancy such as pre-eclampsia and gestational diabetes. It is therefore, advisable to attempt to achieve a good BMI prior to getting pregnant.
Most women will gain some weight during pregnancy but the days of “eating for two” are long gone! The most important thing is for women to eat a balanced healthy diet which includes protein, carbohydrates, dairy produce and at least five portions of fruit and vegetables each day. Pregnant women should also try to eat more iron rich foods such as red meat, green leafy vegetables, and dried apricots but should not eat liver as at contains high levels of vitamin A which can harm their baby.
Exercise can also help women reduce their weight gain and improve their body image. In general pregnant women can continue their pre-pregnancy fitness regime but should avoid contact sports and exercise which causes significant temperature rise. If you are not a regular exerciser pregnancy is a great time to start. Look for Antenatal Aqua fit, Pregnancy Yoga or simply try walking or swimming. If you take part in a formal class always make sure that the instructor is qualified to teach pregnant women.
For women who are very overweight at the start of pregnancy it could be advisable for them to try to loose weight during the pregnancy but they should seek advice from their midwife to ensure that the weight loss is at a rate which is safe for mum and baby.
Unfortunately it is a sad fact that many midwives are working under time pressures and don’t have sufficient time to answer all of women’s questions and concerns; cut backs in the current financial climate mean that the situation is likely to get worse. If you feel that you need more time with your midwife and greater professional support why not look at our care package.