Pregnancy - BUT NOT ME!

Sorry, just wanted to make that abundantly clear. I am not pregnant. I repeat, not pregnant. The reason for this post is that I was listening to the most recent episode of the infamous InTransit Duo and they were talking about weight gain and pregnancy. These are the numbers I was given in Physical Therapy school a year and a half ago...

Most practitioners agree that a weight gain between 25 and 35 pounds is recommended during pregnancy. This is not the same for everyone of course and yes Cara, it is a touchy subject!

Your total weight gain in pregnancy is estimated as follows:

Fetus - 7.5 lbs
Placenta - 1.4 lbs
Amniotic fluid - 1.8 lbs
Increase in the size of the uterus - 2.1 lbs
Increase in maternal blood - 2.8 lbs
Increase in breast size - 0.9 lbs
Fluid in the skin & other tissues - 3.7 lbs
Maternal reserves - 7.4 lbs

Weight gain in pregnancy begins slowly only to pick up steadily later on. The timing of your total weight gain is about:

0-12 weeks - little or no weight gain
12-20 weeks - 25 percent of weight gain
20-30 weeks - 50 percent of weight gain
30-36 weeks - 25 percent of weight gain
36-40 weeks - little or no weight gain

These are just numbers that would estimate what current research says on the topic. As Cara and Elizabeth know, the research always has the potential to change as we learn more.

I think that women who have the possibility of becoming pregnant have the responsibility to take care of themselves. They need to eat as if they are pregnant now so that eating healthy, nutritious foods isn't a lifestyle change when so many other things are changing later.

As far as exercise goes, I had a friend tell me when she was pregnant that she worked out everyday she just couldn't push herself that much further to raise that heart rate into that overdrive range that we as endurance athletes love so much.

Here is to pregnancy... or not right now.