During pregnancy, it’s important to stay healthy and maintain a healthy weight. Knowing your Body Mass Index (BMI) can help you understand how your weight affects your health during pregnancy. The National Health Service (NHS) has a handy calculator that allows you to quickly and easily calculate your BMI, as well as get tailored advice on diet and exercise during pregnancy. Let’s take a closer look at the NHS’s pregnancy BMI calculator and how it works.
What Is BMI and Why Is It Important?
Your BMI is an indicator of whether or not you are within a healthy weight range for someone of your height. The higher the number, the more likely it is that you are overweight or obese. Being overweight or obese during pregnancy increases your risk of developing pre-eclampsia, gestational diabetes, preterm birth, or having a baby with a higher-than-normal birth weight. It also increases the likelihood of needing an emergency cesarean delivery.
How Does the NHS Calculator Work?
The NHS calculator requires you to enter two pieces of information: your height and weight before getting pregnant (if this isn’t known then you can skip this step). The calculator will then give you an estimate of what your ideal weight gain should be during pregnancy based on your current BMI. It also provides tailored advice on diet and exercise depending on whether you are underweight, in the ideal range, or overweight.
For those who are underweight or in the ideal range, it recommends eating a balanced diet with plenty of fruit and vegetables, whole grains, protein-rich foods such as meat, fish, eggs, and pulses; dairy products like milk, cheese, and yogurt; healthier fats such as olive oil; drinking plenty of water; exercising regularly; getting enough sleep; avoiding smoking; limiting alcohol intake; taking supplements if necessary; planning ahead for meals; snacking sensibly; avoiding sugary drinks; avoiding processed meats like bacon and sausages, etc. For those who are overweight, it suggests reducing calorie intake by swapping high-calorie snacks for lower-calorie options like fruits and vegetables instead. It also recommends increasing physical activity levels through moderate-intensity exercises such as walking or swimming etc., as well as setting realistic goals for weight loss during pregnancy.
Conclusion:
Calculating your BMI is an important part of staying healthy during pregnancy. With the NHS calculator, you can quickly get an estimate of what your ideal weight gain should be based on your current BMI along with tailored advice on diet and exercise depending on whether you are underweight, in the ideal range, or overweight. This helps ensure that both mother-to-be and baby enjoy good health throughout the duration of the pregnancy!
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