Expected weight gain during pregnancy

Weight gain is something every pregnant woman has to deal with, despite the fact that they do not want to. It is simply inevitable during pregnancy, especially if you want to have a healthy baby. Your baby's growth and development depends on you gaining weight. However, you do not just want to gain weight nilly-willy, in fact, gaining the right amount of weight is just as important as gaining weight. So, how do you know what the right amount of weight to gain is? Well, there is no perfect number, the fact is that the right weight gain is going to vary from person to person. The following are some guidelines and information about weight gain during pregnancy, and most importantly, how much weight you can expect to gain during pregnancy.

The guidelines to weight gain during pregnancy:

Let's face it, just like every baby is going to be different, so is every pregnancy, and most importantly, every weight gain amount and process during pregnancy. Because pregnancy is so different for each person, there can be no one-size-fits-all approach to weight gain. So, what can you base your decision on? Well, the amount of weight you need to gain depends on various factors, including your pre-pregnancy weight and body mass index (BMI), your health, your fitness levels, and more. Your baby's health is also going to play a role in how much weight you gain. Your doctor can help you determine what amount of weight gain is right for you.

In general, your doctor will recommend that you gain the following amounts of weight during pregnancy:

If you were underweight your doctor should recommend you gain 28 to 40 pounds depending on how underweight you were.

If you were at a healthy normal weight when you conceived your doctor should recommend that you gain 25 to 35 pounds.

If you were already overweight when you were pregnant, you will only want to gain between 15 to 25 pounds.

Even if you were obese when you got pregnant you will want to gain a minimum of 15 pounds.

If you're carrying multiples the weight gain is going to be higher, for twins or triplets, you'll need to gain more weight usually 35 to 45 pounds for a normal pregnancy.

Because your pre-pregnancy weight plays a role in how much you should gain while pregnant, we are going to now look at what is healthy, and what you need to know about getting enough calories for healthy weight gain during pregnancy.

If you are overweight before you get pregnant, you will still want to gain some weight while you are pregnant. Your biggest concern is not going to be weight gain, instead it is going to be making sure you are not at risk for things like gestational diabetes and high blood pressure which is common for overweight women during pregnancy. Weight gain and loss should not be your concern, and it is very important that you recognize that pregnancy isn't the time to lose weight.

Some pregnant women who were previously overweight think that if they eat fewer calories, they will be able to get to a normal weight when pregnant. The fact is, when pregnant you need 300 more calories a day then you usually do. If you do not get enough calories, your body will break down its own fat stores to support the pregnancy, which you may feel great about. However, this process creates substances known as ketones, which can harm your developing baby, and cause birth defect. So, instead, focus on eating the right foods, and getting enough foods, but not too much. If you start to gain more than the recommended amount, chances are you need to eat less, or at least eat healthier.

In addition to how much weight you gain during pregnancy if you are overweight, it is important to note that you should be able to lose any weight you gain during your pregnancy in a matter of six months.

If you're underweight when you conceive it is going to be good to gain more than the average pregnant woman. You should especially worry about gaining weight during the second and third trimesters of your pregnancy. Putting on hundreds of pounds is not a good idea, but you should gain extra weight, without the extra weight, your baby may be born earlier or smaller than expected, and this is not healthy for your baby.

Once again, if you are at a normal weight when your pregnancy starts, it is a good idea to gain between 25 and 35 pounds, no more, rarely no less.

Many pregnant women are concerned they are gaining too much weight because chances are their baby will only be 7 or 8 pounds, so where are the rest of those 25-35 pounds going? Well, even though it is true that your baby will only be 7 or 8 pounds, there are other areas where you will gain weight, and it is all necessary. The following is a sample breakdown of normal weight gain during pregnancy:

Baby 7 to 8 pounds
Larger breasts 1 to 3 pounds
Larger uterus 2 pounds
Placenta 1 to 2 pounds
Amniotic fluid 2 pounds
Increased blood volume 3 to 4 pounds
Increased fluid volume 2 to 3 pounds
Fat stores 6 to 8 pounds
Total 24 to 32 pounds

According to this your expected weight gain during pregnancy should be no more than about 32 pounds. If you are underweight, the extra weight you are supposed to gain goes into fat stores.

So, now that you know how much you should gain, and what is expected, let's take a look at some of the things you can do during your pregnancy to ensure that you gain the right amount, nothing more, nothing less. Again, it is suggested that you add 300 calories to your diet, however, you do not want to do this with candy and chips, etc. instead you want to make sure that your diet is providing the right nutrients for your baby. So, in addition to not getting calories with poor nutrient foods, you should focus on making your existing diet healthier as well. Try the following:

• Trade white bread and pasta for the whole-grain variety.
• Switch from 2 percent milk or whole milk to skim.
• Eat sliced fruit and vegetables instead of sweets and treats.
• Top your salad with soy nuts or black beans for extra healthy calories, and do not eat the white bread rolls or breadsticks.
• Choose juices fortified with calcium and other nutrients so that you get more from what you are intaking.

If you need to gain extra weight, you again do not want to do that with candy bars, so instead do the following:

• First, eat more meals, but make sure they are smaller. You will want to probably focus on eating five to six small, frequent meals every day.
• Keep quick, easy snacks on hand, such as nuts, raisins, cheese and crackers, dried fruit, and ice cream/yogurt. These should be healthy snacks so you do not eat junk.
• Spread peanut butter or other nut butters with high caloric content on toast, crackers, apples, bananas, or celery. This gives you extra calories without too much bulk.
• Add nonfat powdered milk to foods such as mashed potatoes, scrambled eggs and hot cereal, again you get the extra calories without the extra bulk filling your stomach.
• Add condiments to your meal, such as butter or margarine, cream cheese, gravy, sour cream, and cheese. Just be careful to not eat too much grease and grime.

How should you gain weight during pregnancy?

Basically the weight gain is going to break down like this:

During the first trimester you do not need to gain much weight, you just need to eat really good for you foods. This is especially important if you are having trouble keeping food down. During the first few months of pregnancy you should gain only a few pounds. You gain this weight pretty naturally just by having an extra drink of juice, or serving at breakfast.

Then, during the second and third trimester you will need to have more steady weight gain. This should be about 2 to 4 pounds a month until delivery. You will likely find that during the last few weeks of your pregnancy you put on the pounds a little faster. For this, you will want to be more careful about getting extra calories as you will find you have less room in your tummy at meals, and thus need to eat more frequently.

If you have any concerns about weight gain during pregnancy, or are worried you are gaining too much or too little weight, you can speak to your health care professional. They will be able to tell you if you are on track, and give you some suggestions for keeping your weight where it should be.