Weight gain during pregnancy is absolutely normal. But it should still be closely monitored as excess weight gain can result in pregnancy-related complications such as hypertension, gestational diabetes, or even an increased risk of cesarean delivery. To ensure a smooth pregnancy and successful postpartum weight loss, you should maintain a healthy weight and follow a well-balanced diet.
Practicising appropriate physical exercises in each trimester can also help you reach your target weight. Before we get into the ways to manage your weight effectively, let’s look at how much weight is safe to gain during pregnancy.
How Much Weight Should You Gain During Pregnancy
The weight gain of an expectant mother depends on various factors such as her overall health, body mass index, or pre-pregnancy weight. Moreover, trimester-wise weight gain is different for one expectant mother to another. This means that women with less than normal pre-pregnancy weight need to gain more weight than obese or overweight women.
To be safe, it is advisable to consult your gynaecologist to determine the amount of weight you should gain to support a healthy and comfortable pregnancy. You can also consider viewing the general guidelines for pregnancy weight gain when expecting a single baby or twins, as provided by the CDC.
Weight Gain Recommendations For Pregnant Women Shared By Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)
| Pregnancy BMI | Weight Gain Recommendations For Women Expecting A Single Baby | Weight Gain Recommendations For Women Expecting Twins |
| Underweight (below 18.5) | 28 to 40 lb (about 13-18 kg) | 50 to 60 lb (22-27 kg) |
| Normal (18.5-24.9) | 25-35 lb (around 11-16 kg) | 37-54 lb (around 16-24 kg) |
| Overweight (25-29.9) | 15-25 lb (around 7-11 kg) | 31-50 lb ( around 14-22 kg) |
| Obese (Greater than or equal to 30) | 11-20 lb (around 5-9 kg) | 25-42 lb ( around 11-19 kg) |
What Happens If You Gain Excess Weight During Pregnancy
Carrying excess weight during pregnancy may expose you to several mild, moderate, or severe health risks. Some of them include:
- Heartburn
- Persistent backaches
- Gestational diabetes
- Increased blood pressure (hypertension)
- Increased chances of a cesarean delivery
- Prolonged labour
- Postpartum weight retention
- Excess bleeding after giving birth
Excess maternal weight also raises concerns for unborn babies. It may lead to higher than normal birth weight or other birth complications such as preterm birth.
How To Prevent Excess Weight Gain During Pregnancy
It is important for you to know that gaining and maintaining optimum weight during pregnancy isn’t difficult. You just have to know some basic rules and follow your doctor’s guidance. To make things easier, we’ve listed some effective ways with which you can avoid gaining too much weight during pregnancy.
Eat A Well-balanced Diet
A well-balanced diet will contain moderate amounts of healthy foods from each food group. Make your plate as colourful as you can and pack it with fresh veggies, fruits, lentils, low-fat dairy, and your choice of protein. If you want to understand your nutritional needs better, you can consider visiting a nutritionist. They will chart out a personalised diet plan that will represent how your meals should look, what foods you should avoid, and what foods you absolutely can’t miss.
Plan Your Calorie Intake
According to a study published by the American Academy of Dietetics, women with healthy pre-pregnancy weight require around 2,200-2,900 calories per day. Here’s a breakdown of how you should increase your calorie intake based on your trimester:
- You need not increase your calorie intake in the first trimester.
- From the second trimester, you need to consume an additional 340 calories per day.
- In the third trimester, your calorie intake has to increase by 450 calories per day.
However, if you gained weight quickly during pregnancy or were overweight before pregnancy, you shouldn’t try to lose weight by cutting calories. Just focus on consuming a well-balanced diet and engage in some physical exercise regularly.
Exercise Regularly And Mindfully
Engaging in moderate exercises regularly will help keep your weight within the desired target. Try to choose safe activities such as yoga, pilates, or even going on a walk.
If you are at the gym, do not pick up heavy weights and stick to lightweight ones. Be sure to consult your doctor before starting any exercise program and do not perform strenuous exercises. You do not have to work out every day of the week, but be consistent and exercise when you feel like it. If you feel fatigued, stop immediately and do not over-exert your body. Better yet, speak to your doctor about the best ways to stay fit and active.
Drink More Water
During pregnancy, it’s normal to crave sweetened beverages such as soda or energy drinks. However, since these drinks contain sugar and caffeine in excess amounts, you are recommended to avoid them. To curb your sweet tooth, you can drink more water instead. Water will keep you hydrated and also help in flushing out waste and toxins from your body.
Avoid Excess Salt And Sugar
Do you often find yourself reaching for cookies, ice cream pints, or craving spicy, high-sodium foods? While these delicacies are perfect to satisfy your pregnancy cravings, consuming them frequently can also lead to unwanted weight gain. Therefore, avoid high-fat processed foods such as cakes, pastries, and chips. Have them in moderate amounts and opt for healthier alternatives such as dried or fresh fruits and berries, low-fat yogurts, smoothies, and milkshakes.
Avoid Eating Extra Calories Than Recommended
We know that when you are pregnant, you are basically eating for two. But here, this adage should be in terms of quality and not quantity. Maintain your calorie intake within the recommended limit and focus on following a balanced diet. Make healthy dietary choices and add fruits, veggies, lentils, fatty fish, tofu, unsalted nuts, seeds, and low-fat dairy to your diet. Eat nutrient-rich and quality food to increase your energy levels and help your baby’s growth and development in the womb. Besides following these tips, you can also maintain a weight diary to record the changes. You can then share this record with your doctor and they can determine if your weight is on track.
Gaining and maintaining a healthy weight during pregnancy is vital to your baby’s growth. It also helps in effective weight loss during postpartum. Therefore, eat a balanced diet, exercise regularly, and keep yourself happy and safe.
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