Firstly, it’s important to remember that you are meant to gain weight while pregnant. Your body is doing this to keep your baby healthy and give baby the best start in life possible, so don’t worry about it too much.
Weight gain will vary from woman to woman. It will depend on how much you weighed before you conceived and your height. If you are at a healthy weight before pregnancy then you should gain between 1 and 5 pounds in the 1st trimester and then about 1 pound per week for the rest of your pregnancy. This is ideal for the optimal growth of your baby.
If you were underweight before your pregnancy you should aim to gain between 28 and 40 pounds while pregnant. If you are overweight before you fall pregnant you should only gain 15 to 25 pounds and if you are obese you should gain between 11 and 20 pounds
If you are having twins then this changes again. If you start at a healthy weight then you should gain 37 to 54 pounds. If you are overweight it should be between 31 to 50 pounds, and 25 to 42 pounds if you were obese.
It important to maintain a healthy diet while pregnant, so make sure to ask your doctor for advice on what and how much you should eat. Eating for two does not mean eating twice as much. You actually only require an extra 300 calories each day while pregnant and even fewer in your first trimester.
Women who gain too much weight during pregnancy find it much more difficult to loose the baby weight once they have given birth. They are also more likely to need a caesarean. Women who are overweight before pregnancy find it difficult to keep up breast feeding and women who gain too much weight during pregnancy are more likely to have complications during birth.
Women who are underweight before pregnancy or do not gain enough weight during their pregnancy are more likely to have a premature baby. This of course is very dangerous for the baby and can cause help problems or may even be fatal. If you are underweight while pregnant it is important to speak with your doctor on how best to gain the necessary weight to keep baby healthy.
Some mums-to-be find it difficult to come to terms with the weight gain during pregnancy. Don’t forget that you are meant to gain weight and that it is best for your baby. A lot of this weight will fall off after you’ve had your baby so try not to stress out too much over it.
