Maternity: Healthy weight gain and exercise are key Karen Croke, kcroke1@lohud.com 1:26 p.m. EDT April 16, 2015

Dr. Laura Kaye is an OB­GYN withMount Kisco Medical Group. Shedelivers at Putnam HospitalCenter. (Photo: Submitted photo)

Dr. Jackie Bavaro is an OB­GYNwith White Plains HospitalPhysician Associates. “Patientsshouldn’t obsess from one visit tothe next; it’s the overall picture,”Bavaro says of weight gain inpregnancy. (Photo: Submittedphoto)

For some, the long­held belief that an expectant mother is eating for two can set in motion unhealthy habits.

One of the biggest concerns of many moms­to­be is how much weight they should gain during their pregnancy.

For some, the long­held belief that an expectant mother is eating for two can set in motion unhealthy habits.Others, hoping to maintain ultra fit, pre­baby bodies, opt to eat too little.

A healthy balance lies somewhere in between.

"People gain weight at different rates," says Dr. Jacqueline Bavaro, an OB­GYN at White Plains Hospital. "Theymay feel horrible in the beginning and have difficulty eating and thus not gain much or even lose in firsttrimester. Others start gaining right away. The point is that patients shouldn't obsess from one visit to the next;

it's the overall picture."

Unlike images first­time­moms might see in the media of celebrities who barely register a bump a month from their due dates, or are rocking a bikiniweeks after giving birth, Dr. Laura Kaye, an OB­GYN affiliated with Mount Kisco Medical Group says it's important that moms­to­be not to obsess onweight. Rather, the focus should squarely be on eating healthy.

"I try to avoid discussing numbers when counseling my patients about their weight," says Kaye, who delivers atPutnam Hospital Center. "The emphasis of these discussions is always on eating a healthy diet, portion controland exercise."

Bavaro agrees. "A woman should always be cognizant of her weight gain during pregnancy, but we do not focusso much on the weight gain in first trimester because it can be very erratic. However, in the second and thirdtrimesters, the weight gain should average one pound per week —with allowances for fetal growth spurts ofcourse. Yes, fetuses have growth spurts just like kids do!"

Kaye says she finds that often it's the first­time moms who are less concerned about their weight gain than thosewho have already experienced pregnancy.

"New moms are often influenced by their partners and family members to 'eat for two,' which is an unfortunatemisconception," she says. "Moms who are having second and third babies very often are still carrying leftover'baby weight' and are more dedicated to keeping their weight gain in check."

Both Kaye and Bavaro say the nine months of a typical pregnancyshould not be an excuse to abandon good dietary and exercise habits,but the good news is today's first­time moms have not given up onfitness, whether it's following a regular routine, taking a yoga class orjust getting out for a walk.

"I do think that this generation is more fitness conscious than priorgenerations and people are beginning to realize that exercise duringpregnancy is actually very good," says Kaye.

Going for 'om'

When it comes to diet and exercise, it's important that mothers­to­bestay fit. "Exercise is great during pregnancy, says Dr. JacquelineBavaro of White Plains Hospital Center. "Women who exercise havebetter labors, leaner babies and better recoveries."

(Photo: Carucha L. Meuse/TheJournal News)

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A great option is prenatal yoga, which helps both before, during and after giving birth, says Dee Yergo, the co­owner of the Yoga House(http://theyogahousepiermont.com/)in Piermont and the director of Liv Yoga Wellness Studio (http://livyogawellness.com/) in Mamaroneck.

"There are definite physical benefits with prenatal yoga; it strengthens the hips, back and arms. In the later stages of pregnancy, many expectant mothersdevelop lower back pain and yoga can help with that."

Yergo says she had never tried yoga until she was pregnant with her first child, 16 years ago.

"My yoga journey began with prenatal yoga," she says. "Right away, I felt it was a really great way to connect with the baby as well as nurture myself andmy body."

The physical benefits of prenatal yoga also includes helping with flexibility and balance. "Pregnancy tends to throw off your sense of balance and gravityas the belly grows, so being in yoga cultivates a better sense of balance," Yergo says.

Dee Yergo shows how to relax in meditation pose. Yergo, who teaches prenatal yoga classes at Liv Yoga Wellness Studio in Mamaroneck and at the Yoga House inPiermont, says prenatal yoga is a great option for moms­to­be. (Photo: Carucha L. Meuse/The Journal News)

There are mental benefits, too. "One of the best benefits, for me, was developing an awareness of what my body needed, which was very useful whensome of the crazy symptoms kicked in. The breathing exercises teach you how to develop a sense of calm in pregnancy."

If you've never taken a yoga class, Yergo says you have nothing to fear unless you have specific conditions or issues that prevent you from taking aclass. Best to check with your OB­GYN first. In general, while exercising during pregnancy, Dr. Bavaro says your heart rate should not go higher than 140and to avoid exercise or positions where you lie flat on your back or those requiring balance as pregnant women have a different center of gravity and areprone to fall."

Yergo points out that the typical yoga studio is a very welcoming environment. "This is a warm space for you and your baby, especially in prenatal yoga,"she says. "Prenatal classes are really special; you're in a room with other moms­to­be and the teacher will help you connect with the baby and the wholeconcept of the life growing inside you."

Yergo says you can start yoga the first day you learn you're expecting and practice it right up through labor and delivery, if you're doctor is okay with it.

How to find a class:

Look for prenatal yoga at your local gym or yoga studio. To find Yergo, go to theyogahousepiermont.com (http://theyogahousepiermont.com/);livyogawellness.com (http://livyogawellness.com/).

How much should I gain?

Dr. Laura Kaye recommends this average weight gain in pregnancy for her patients:

•Normal weight woman: 25­35 pounds total (1 pound per week in the second and third trimester)

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•Underweight woman: 28­40 pounds total

•Overweight woman: 15­25 pounds total

•Obese woman: 11­20 pounds total

Where does pregnancy weight go?

Let's say your baby weighs in at 7 or 8 pounds. That accounts for some of your pregnancy weight gain. What about the rest? Here's a sample breakdownprovided by the Mayo Clinics:

•Baby: 7 to 8 pounds

•Larger breasts: 2 pounds

•Larger uterus: 2 pounds

•Placenta: 1 / pounds

•Amniotic fluid: 2 pounds

•Increased blood volume: 3 to 4 pounds

•Increased fluid volume: 3 to 4 pounds

•Fat stores: 6 to 8 pounds

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