How Much Should I Increase My Weight Every Week?

Weight gain during pregnancy is necessary for baby's health. But how much?

Eating for Two

Weight gain during pregnancy is essential for your baby's nutrition.

Gaining weight during pregnancy with a nutritional diet will pass along necessary vitamins, minerals and nutrients to your growing baby. How much weight to gain also depends on your weight to height ratio prior to pregnancy. If you started out underweight, you may need to gain more than the average woman. If you started out overweight, your weight gain may need to be below average.

Don't Double Your Servings

Gaining too much weight during pregnancy can instigate problems.

Excessive weight gain during pregnancy can cause problems such as pre-eclampsia, gestational diabetes, increased risk of having a C-section and retaining weight postpartum. The babies born to overweight women are more likely to be overweight themselves. The general recommendation for pregnant women is to increase their daily caloric intake with nutritious foods by about 300 calories, far from doubling the intake, despite the phrase "eating for two."

Bottom Line

Know how much weight is healthy for you to gain during your pregnancy.

The Institute of Medicine recommends that women of average weight, meaning their body mass index (BMI) is between 18.5 and 24.9, gain 25 to 35 pounds during pregnancy. Overweight women with BMI measuring 25 to 29.9 should gain 15 to 25 pounds. Women with BMI at 30 or higher should limit their weight gain to no more than 20 pounds. Underweight women should gain 28 to 40 pounds.

Experts also recommend that only about five pounds of total weight gained during pregnancy should be gained in the first trimester. Starting with the second trimester, the weight gain rate should fall around one pound per week. Your health care provider should monitor your weight throughout your pregnancy.

References

• Baby Center: Pregnancy Weight: What to Expect
• WebMD: Pregnancy and Weight Gain
• Institute of Medicine: Report Updates Guidelines on How Much Weight Women Should Gain During Pregnancy;Calls on Health Care Providers to Help Women Achieve a Healthy Weight Before and During Pregnancy

Resources

• What To Expect When You're Expecting: Pregnancy Weight Gain