Everyone wonders how much weight they should or shouldn’t gain during pregnancy. It really all depends on your weight before pregnancy, but the real goal is always to eat healthy and do what is best for baby. Many Moms will use pregnancy as an excuse to eat whatever they want, or to “eat for two” but be careful, gaining too much weight and not eating healthy can deprive your baby of the nutrients that he or she will need.
If your pre-pregnancy weight was in the healthy range you will typically gain about 25-35 pounds, gaining only 1-5 of those pounds in the first trimester.
If you were underweight, the numbers are closer to 28-40 lbs.
If you were overweight, most doctors will tell you that 15-25 pounds is what you should gain. Though if you were obese, 11-20 is more in line.
Multiples are a different story- you will gain 37-55 pounds if you were healthy, 31-50 if you were overweight, and 25-41 if you were obese. Because many twins are born before their due date, so a higher birth weight is important to their health.
Have you ever wondered where all of that extra weight goes? Here’s an example:
- Baby: 8 pounds
- Placenta: 2-3 pounds
- Amniotic fluid: 2-3 pounds
- Breast tissue: 2-3 pounds
- Blood supply: 4 pounds
- Stored fat for delivery and breastfeeding: 5-9 pounds
- Larger uterus: 2-5 pounds
- Total: 25-35 pounds
It may sound stressful, but if you focus on eating a healthy diet and setting up a moderate exercise program it will make things easier. And remember to always consult your physician for more details on weight gain or loss during pregnancy.
How did your pregnancy numbers compare to these recommended weight ranges?
