Weight Gain During Pregnancy

Gaining weight is an important part of pregnancy. Weight gain comes from growing a baby, placenta, increased blood volume, changes in body fat and amniotic fluid. This handout contains some general principles that might help you determine what is right for you during your pregnancy, though you should remember that there is a wide range of ‘normal’. Your health care provider will individualize weight gain recommendations based on your pre-pregnancy weight, the growth of the baby, other medical factors, and whether you are having one baby or multiples (i.e., twins/triplets/etc).

We pay attention to weight gain in pregnancy because gaining too much or too little can impact the health of both you and your baby (i.e., your risk of having gestational diabetes, a large or small baby, and preterm birth). Most weight gain is within normal and people gain more or less weight at various times in pregnancy.

Recommendations

Click here to calculate your BMI. Use your measurements from before you got pregnant: https://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/calculate-your-bmi

Body Image

If you are struggling with your body image, know that you are not alone. Your body changes during pregnancy and it may be hard to get used to these changes. It is important to seek support if you are feeling insecure about your body. Support may come from loved ones or from a health care professional.

Helpful Tips

• It is important to continue exercising while pregnant if your provider has cleared you to do so. Our handout “Physical Acitivity & Exercise” has more information.
• Maintaining good sleep hygiene and planning meals and snacks can help you maintain healthy food habits. Don’t eat for two – eat nutrients for two. You can see our handout “Nutrition” for more information.