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Pregnancy Topics..

 
You are here : home > Pregnancy > Weight Gain, Diet & Exercise > Ideal Weight Gain

Ideal Weight Gain

Ideal Weight Gain

I am worried about becoming fat

Weight gain in pregnancy is not the same thing as "getting fat". Gaining weight is a positive and healthy sign that you are giving your baby what it needs to develop. You need not put on any weight in the first trimester, but in order for you to have a healthy baby, it is necessary for you to gain the normal pregnancy weight a total of 25-35 pounds over the course of 9 months. Inadequate weight gain or dieting during pregnancy could have severe ramifications on the health of the baby.

How much weight should one gain during pregnancy

The amount of weight gained differs not only from woman to woman, but also from pregnancy to pregnancy. The welfare of both, the mother and the child is directly related to this. If a mother gains less than 20 pounds, then the baby is likely to be premature, small, and could suffer from growth retardation. There are risks involved in gaining too much weight as well. Excess weight overworks muscles and results in backache, leg pain, varicose veins and fatigue. Assessment and measurement of the foetus becomes more difficult and if the baby is too large, then vaginal delivery becomes close to impossible. Besides, all this excess weight will be hard to shed after delivery.

What is considered optimum weight gain

There are two reasons for the weight gain during pregnancy: to nourish the developing foetus and to store up reserves for breastfeeding. The optimum pregnancy weight gain for the average woman is between 25 and 35 pounds. The average woman's weight gain pattern should be as follows:

  • First trimester - 3 to 4 pounds
  • Second trimester - 12 to 14 pounds
  • Third trimester - 8 to 10 pounds

What is the ideal weight gain for a healthy pregnancy

A woman should gain anywhere between 25-35 pounds on average. In order that you have a healthy pregnancy and a healthy baby, you should aim for the following weight:

Weeks Weight gain (Pounds) Weight gain (kgs)
0-10 weeks No weight gain No weight gain
10-14 weeks 3-4 pounds 1.5 kg
14-20 weeks 4-6 pounds 2.5 kgs
20-30 weeks 10-12 pounds 4.5 kgs
30-36 weeks 6 pounds 2.7 kg
36-38 weeks 2 pounds 1.0 kg
38-40 weeks Almost no weight gain Almost no weight gain
Total 25-30 pounds* 12-14 kg

* You have a buffer of gaining 5 pounds either in the first few weeks or in the last few weeks.

How should the ideal weight be achieved

First trimester (0-14 weeks):

In early pregnancy, weight should remain constant (It could sometimes even fall due to lack of appetite and morning sickness). Real weight gain should begin only in the 10th week when the circulating blood volume begins to increase. Food intake will also increase as nausea and vomiting decrease by the 14th week. You must desist from eating wrong types of foods. Many doctors also recommend that you take supplements of vitamin B, iron, calcium and folic acid.

Second trimester (14-30 weeks):

Between the 20th and 30th weeks, you should be gaining approximately 4.5 kg ( or 1 pound a week). If you gain significantly more than 4.5 kgs in these 10, you could be heading for a condition called pre-eclamsia.

Third trimester (30-40 weeks):

Although you are still expected to gain less than 1 pound of weight a week, you may notice a dramatic increase in weight after the 30th week. This increase in weight is due to excessive fluid retention, one of the ills of pregnancy. Limited intake of fluids and salt, and keeping your bed elevated may help mitigate the fluid retention problem.

Weight gain decreases after the 35th week, and stops altogether after the 38th week. Many women even lose weight 7-10 days before labour due to a reduction in hormone levels.



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beauty
beauty.11 years ago
before pregnancy i was 55-56kgs..
presently i m 6months pregnant and i weigh 69 kgs...is this normal??
should i b concernd???
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Janna
Janna.13 years ago
When I was pregnant, my worry was about getting enough weight which was very impossible to do at first because of my morning sickness. thankfully, I found some effective morning sickness treatment, and I was able to catch up on the appropriate for my gestational age.
 
 
 
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beachsmurfrn
beachsmurfrn.13 years ago
this is one of the best websites i have found regarding weight gain during pregnancy. i think it will be a wonderful tool to help me maintain a healthy pregnancy. thank you!
 
 
 
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bala
bala.13 years ago
maintaineing weight is tough task in pregnancy.the weight should not be to much,or to low .this website is very usefull for weight gain during pregnancy.thankyou
 
 
 
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Pinki
Pinki.13 years ago
iam due next month and i have only gained 6 kg so far . my dr. doesnot seem to be concerned .any suggestions
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Priya
Priya.13 years ago
very useful website that i have ever come across. my weight before pregnancy was 48 kg. now i am 19 weeks and have gained 51 kg. doctor told me that i should not increase weight. any suggestions.
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Anonymous
Anonymous.13 years ago
here in this site it is stated as "limited intake of fluids and salt, and keeping your bed elevated may help mitigate the fluid retention problem". but i have read in many other sites that pregnant women should not limit intake of fluid ( more clearly, water)in the third trimester especially. limiting water intake can lead to preterm labour. babies usually store up water in their body during third trimester. so it is important to have 8 glasses of water daily. good luck.
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maria
maria.13 years ago
i am 5 weeks pregnant... i was on a very strict diet before i got pregnant and i am bloated, my breasts are huge, and i have gained like 3 or 4 pounds already!!!!! is this normal???? have i actually gained weight or is it just my breasts getting bigger and water retention?
 
 
 
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Zerina
Zerina.13 years ago
since i could remember i've always been weight conscious, but even more so now that i've become pregnant. now i'm just obsessed, which i hate, i feel like it controls me. i was thin and healthy prepregnancy and only wish i didnt have to gain so much weight although i obviously know it's for the best and it's a temporary thing, i know it's dumb but my biggest fear is becoming fat..lol..so far at 17 weeks i've gained 8 pounds which is a lot in my opinion considering i have 23 weeks to go. my doctor isn't at all concerned however. i think this site is very useful..it really breaks it down by the weeks and that's what i have been looking for. thanks!
 
 
 
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PB
PB.13 years ago
i'm 17 weeks pregnant and already gained 7 kgs.am thinking that i shud not put on more than 5 or 6 kgs thru out the pregancy .is that ok.any suggestions.
 
 
 
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