Nine Months : Common Concerns & Discomforts

Weight Gain

In pregnancy: The average weight gain from beginning to end of pregnancy is between 10-12.5kg (22-28 lbs) but it varies considerably from one individual to another. It depends on your pre-pregnancy weight as well. Midwives are not very concerned with individual weight gain now as long as it is not too less or too much. If your weight is too low, your baby will have low birth weight. Being overweight brings problems like backache, pre-eclampsia or varicose veins. Also, losing all the excess weight after birth will be a major challenge for you if all the weight gain has been due to junk food.

Weight distribution: The total weight gain in pregnancy is:

Placenta - 9%

Baby - 38%

Blood and extra fluids - 22%

Womb, breasts, bottoms, legs - 20%

Amniotic fluid - 11%

Work Hazards

If your work involves working with chemicals, lead, X-rays etc., it could be very dangerous for your unborn baby. Also, if your job requires you to lift heavy loads, you may be at risk again. Under these circumstances, you are entitled to a different job with your employer if your original job poses a threat to your baby's life.

If there is no alternative job available, the employer reserves the right to dismiss you. However, you will still be entitled to maternity benefits. It may be worth mentioning here again that working with computer terminals poses no threat to you or the baby's life.