Healthy weight gain during pregnancy

Weight gain can be a sensitive issue during pregnancy. Are you gaining enough weight? Too much? Some weight gain is necessary for a healthy pregnancy and baby, but your ideal weight will vary depending on your pre-pregnancy weight.

Your weight gain is significant and is one reason your doctor will weigh you at every prenatal visit. It can shed light on possible health conditions and provide insight into how your body is receiving your baby and how well he or she is growing. If you’re pregnant, you may be curious about typical weight gain during pregnancy, how quickly you should gain it, and where the weight is going.

The course of weight gain during pregnancy is different for every woman. You may start gaining weight early in the first trimester, or the weight gain may occur later on. It depends on your base weight, appetite, activity level, etc. Hormones, how many fetuses and more. During the first 12 weeks of pregnancy, you may not gain any weight at all or may gain between 0.5 and 2.5 kg total.¹

Proper nutrition and Hydration during pregnancy are essential. However, this can be difficult to achieve, especially if you are suffer from morning sickness. Sometimes it’s the most important thing you can do early pregnancy Eat what you can tolerate whenever you can. Focus on the food whole, nutrient-dense foods whenever possible, and make sure you take a quality one prenatal vitamin to fill any gaps in your diet.

The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists recommends not consuming additional calories beyond baseline during the first 12 weeks of pregnancy.² For a sedentary woman at a healthy pre-pregnancy weight, this means she should consume about 1,800 calories per day during the first trimester.³

As your pregnancy progresses, your calorie intake will need to increase to support healthy weight gain for both pregnancy and baby. The American Pregnancy Association recommends consuming 2,200 calories daily during the second trimester. In the third trimester, that number increases to 2,400 calories per day.³ ACOG recommends an additional 340 calories per day in the second trimester and about 450 additional calories per day in the third trimester.¹

The total amount of weight you should gain during pregnancy and the rate at which you gain it vary greatly from person to person.

The recommended total weight gain during pregnancy is between 11 pounds and 40 pounds or more, depending on your starting weight, your body mass index, and the number of babies you are carrying.^3.4

While weight gain in the first trimester should be minimal, weekly weight gain is recommended in the second and third trimesters. Weekly weight gain from 12 to 40 weeks of pregnancy should be between half a pound and a pound and a half, depending on your starting weight and how much you gained in the first trimester.¹

Although weight gain can be averaged over pounds per week, weight gain may not be completely linear. You may not gain any weight one week and gain several pounds the next week. Just like children, babies also have growth spurts in the womb.⁵

If your weight increases drastically within a week, especially in the third trimester, it may be a sign pre-eclampsia. Aim for weight gain of 3 to 5 or more pounds per week.⁶ Although it is normal to experience ups and downs, close monitoring and regular weight checks are essential.

The recommended weight gain during pregnancy is based on your pre-pregnancy body mass index, or BMI. Body mass index is determined by dividing your weight in kilograms by your height in meters squared (kg/m2).

Below are recommended pregnancy weight gain charts with information about the rate of weight gain and total weight gain. Keep in mind that these numbers assume a total weight gain of 1 to 5 pounds in the first trimester.¹

Underweight (less than 18.5): 1-1.3
Normal weight (18.5-24.9): 0.8-1
Overweight (25-29.9): 0.5-0.7
Obese (30+): 0.4-0.6

Underweight (less than 18.5): 28-40/unknown
Normal weight (18.5-24.9): 25-35/37-54
Overweight (25-29.9): 15-25/31-50
Obese (30+): 11-20/25-42

The location of weight gain during pregnancy is obvious – your baby has weight. However, there are also many other factors that are responsible for weight gain during pregnancy.

The uterus grows into a huge muscle and the placenta has significant weight by the end of pregnancy. Also, during pregnancy, a mother produces extra blood to supply nutrients and oxygen to the uterus and placenta, resulting in extra weight. It also stores additional fluid due to hormonal reasons. Finally, it stores extra fat to support milk production during breastfeeding after birth.⁷

Here is an example breakdown of pregnancy weight distribution:³

Baby: 7-8 pounds
Placenta: 1-2 pounds
Amniotic fluid: 2 pounds
Larger uterus: 2 pounds
Increased blood volume: 3-4 pounds
Increased fluid volume: 2-3 pounds
Fat storage: 6-8 pounds
Larger breasts: 1-3 pounds

These are averages and ranges that take women with a normal pre-pregnancy BMI into account, but can vary widely.

Healthy and adequate weight gain during pregnancy is essential. If you do not gain weight during pregnancy, your baby may be at risk of being small for gestational age or Early delivery.^8th

If you’re still in your first trimester and haven’t gained or lost a few pounds yet, it’s usually nothing to worry about. Babies at this early stage of development are not as reliant on their mother’s increased calories.^8th

If you are in your second or third trimester and are not gaining weight, make sure you are consuming enough calories to nourish your body and your baby. Many pregnant women’s appetite increases to meet increased energy needs. Remember that if your pre-pregnancy weight is higher, the weight gain during pregnancy will be less. Pregnancy is not the right time to lose weight. Therefore, make sure that you do not restrict your calorie intake. At the same time, excessive weight gain can also lead to increased health risks for you and your baby.^8th

If you are sure you are consuming enough calories and are still not gaining enough weight, contact your doctor. You can have an ultrasound scan to check your baby’s growth and do any necessary tests if you have any concerns.

Weight gain during pregnancy is just one data point that indicates a healthy baby. Your weight is crucial, but not the only important factor. How you feel physically and mentally affects your pregnancy. So try not to focus on the numbers. As always, speak to your supervisor if you have any concerns. This can reassure you or assess the health of you and your baby.