How Much Weight Should I Gain During Pregnancy?

As we women all know, weight gain during pregnancy is perfectly normal, healthy and to be expected. But how can we know whether we are gaining too much or even too little? After all, it can be a pretty emotional time to see yourself ballooning out and wondering if you’ll ever get back to your pre-pregnant weight and slip into your favourite outfits.

Seeing all those photos of celebrity moms talking about their weight gain, or non-weight gain, during pregnancy like Jessica Alba, Nicole Kidman, Angelina Jolie, and Jennifer Garner plastered all over the papers and TV can add to the confusion, and make it even more difficult to know how much weight you should gain during pregnancy.

How Much Weight Gain Is Normal During Pregnancy?

There is no real hard and fast rule to how much weight you should gain during pregnancy. We are all different and being pregnant is no exception to this rule. It will depend on many factors like your pre-pregnancy weight and body mass index (BMI). Your health and your baby’s health also play a role in determining how much weight you gain during pregnancy.

However, the following are some ballpark statistics that will give you an idea of how much weight gain during pregnancy is normal:

Pre-Pregnancy Weight – Recommended Amount Of Weight Gain During Pregnancy

Underweight – 28 – 40 Pounds

Normal Weight – 25 – 35 Pounds

Overweight – 15 – 25 Pounds

Obese – At least 15 Pounds

Carrying twins will result in more weight gain (somewhere around 35 – 45 pounds)

Weight gain during the first trimester of pregnancy is not normally that much. Most women need to gain only a few pounds in the first few months of pregnancy if you start out at a healthy weight.

Weight gain during the second and third trimesters of pregnancy will be more steady, often around 3 to 4 pounds a month until delivery.

By: Julia Strachan