Weight and Pregnancy

It is important to remember that nature has called us as women to carry our children within us, protect them and nurture their growth during pregnancy. Although we all have our own standard of what our body should look like even before we become pregnant, it is imperative to keep in mind that this period in our lives is a true gift and we have the physical, emotional and spiritual strength to see it through. At some stage in pregnancy some women might feel as though they have put on too much weight, while others may feel that they are not showing off their bumps as much as others. The truth is, we do not have much control over our bodies while we are pregnant. Everyone gains weight differently and there are multiple factors that come into play while putting on weight during pregnancy, age, activity level, genetics and possible exercise restrictions due to complications of pregnancy. Every woman, pregnancy and personal situation is completely different. The point is to nurture your baby with nutritious food while they are forming inside of you, not to see how little weight you can gain or how robust your stomach can get. Every culture has different standards of beauty. As a pregnant woman in America I have heard statements like, you started showing pretty early, you look smaller than someone I know at the same stage of pregnancy, you look bigger than someone I know at the same stage of pregnancy, you are carrying well, you are all belly, you are going to have a big baby. While most of these comments are delivered with positive regard, the most essential aspect of your weight and your pregnancy is that you feel comfortable with the form your body has taken. It is crucial that you feel you are providing enough nutrition for your unborn baby while keeping your emotional wellbeing, spiritual self and physical health balanced.