How Much Weight Should I Gain?

What are you measuring?

The question you should be asking yourself is not necessarily how much weight am I gaining, but how am I gaining weight? There are two ways a woman gains weight when she is pregnant.

The first way is to eat anything she feels like because she is eating for two. This woman will make poor nutritional choices, eating junk foods and quick fix foods that have a very high calorie density (meaning there is a lot of calorie for very little nutrition). Then, because her body still needs the good food, she wants to eat more but continues to eat foods that have little value to her health. This woman will gain weight with pregnancy, she will feel tired and sick, and her health will suffer.

The second way is for a woman to eat when she is hungry, making sound nutritional choices (getting a baked potato rather than the french fries when she is eating out). This woman will also gain weight but it will be a healthy weight that her body needs to support the baby. She and her child will be in a good condition because they are well nourished whether she gains 25 lbs or 65 lbs.

The point is, you can be overweight and undernourished; or you can be overweight and very well nourished. Looking at weight gain alone is not an indicator of how healthy you are as a pregnant woman. You need to really evaluate the foods you have been eating to ensure they are good, quality, nutritionally sound choices. If you are eating well, and not overeating then ignore the weight gain. If you are eating well but overeating, stop overeating and the weight gain will decrease to a healthy level for you. If you are not eating well, let the weight gain be a catalyst for you to change your eating habits for the health of you and your baby.

Where does all that weight go?

Here is the breakdown of where that extra weight goes:

7.5 lbs, baby
1 lb, placenta
2 lbs, uterus
2 lbs, amniotic fluid
1 lb, breast tissue
2.5 lbs, increased blood volume
5 lbs, fat
6 lbs, tissue fluids
27 lbs, Total

What should the scale say?

Your midwife will be watching your weight to ensure that it is gained at a consistent rate. Lack of weight gain or a sudden burst of weight gain may concern her. However, the steady weight gain does not mean you gain the same amount of weight every week. Most mothers only gain 2-4 pounds in the first trimester, begin gaining weight in the second trimester and may gain half a pound a week towards the end of pregnancy.

In 1990, the Institute of Medicine set guidelines for "appropriate" weight gain during pregnancy based on pre-pregnancy BMI (Body Mass Index). The idea was that women who are overweight before becoming pregnant will need to gain less weight, and women who are underweight will need to gain more. According to these guidelines a woman who is underweight (BMI of 19.8 or less) should gain 28-40 pounds; a woman who is at a healthy weight (BMI of 19.8-26) should gain 25-35 pounds; a woman who is overweight (BMI of 26.1-29) should gain 15-25 pounds and a woman who is obese (BMI over 29) should gain 15 pounds.

If you could choose to gain only the necessary weight during pregnancy (only baby and tissues, not fat), you would still gain 21 pounds. This means the recommended weight gains for overweight women actually require you to lose weight. This may not be a healthy goal. "Inadequate prenatal weight gain is a significant risk factor for intrauterine growth retardation and low birth weight in infants. Inadequate maternal weight gain during the third trimester of pregnancy is associated with increased risk of spontaneous preterm delivery." (Wells & Murray, 2003). The Institute of Medicine is currently reviewing the research to reassess the appropriateness of the weight gain goals.

You May Also Be Interested In: Explore ways exercise in pregnancy can help you stay healthy. Finding out how to tell if labor has started. The Coach's Notebook helps you master comfort measures for labor. The Natural Childbirth Directory can help you find more information about pregnancy and locate childbirth professionals. Virtual Labor Game lets you practice your new labor skills.

© Copyright 2000-2008 Jennifer VanderLaan and Birthing Naturally

Home | Site Index | Disclaimer | Contact