There are a lot of opinions and conflicting views these days about weight gain during pregnancy.  With so much media attention on the expanding and deflating bellies of women in the media, it leaves people to wonder how much weight is normal to gain during pregnancy, and how much is perhaps too much.  Gaining weight during pregnancy is a biological imperative.  Your fetus needs the mother to gain excess weight and eat a higher amount of calories in order to grow.  That’s where the popular term “eating for two” comes into play.

Not only is gaining weight a healthy necessity during pregnancy, but a steady increase of weight within normal boundaries helps the mother to escape some of the possible negative symptoms of pregnancy, such as stretch marks, varicose veins, back and muscle ache, fatigue, hemorrhoids, indigestion and other problems.
 
Not only does the extra weight that a woman gains during pregnancy go to nourish the child, it is also accumulated to prepare the future mother for breastfeeding after delivery.
 
Most women report losing the majority of the excess pregnancy weight either immediately or shortly after giving birth. The reason for this is clear when you look at where all this extra weight is going.  Naturally, 7 to 8 pounds is going to be the baby itself, with about 1 or 2 pounds of placenta, 2 pounds of amniotic fluid, 2 pounds of uterus,  2 extra pounds of breast tissue, 8 pounds of other fluids, and in a healthy pregnancy, only about 7 pounds of extra fat on the mother’s body.

A woman at a healthy weight before pregnancy can expect to gain roughly 25-37 pounds by the end of pregnancy.  Contrary to popular myth, underweight woman will put on more than this amount, and an overweight woman will put on less.

The average healthy woman tends to increase by 3-5 pounds within the first trimester, followed by 1 to 2 pounds each week during the second and third trimesters.  But again, this depends upon whether or not the mother is under or overweight before pregnancy.

It’s smart to monitor your weight while pregnant to make sure the increase happens consistently in small increments.  Your weight gain during pregnancy will fluctuate from week to week, but you must contact your doctor is there is a sudden, dramatic gain or loss in weight.  This is especially important in your 3rd trimester of pregnancy, as it could be a sign of preeclampsia.

Knowing all of this, it is important for a pregnant mother to monitor and enrich her daily nutrition.  Breakfast is absolutely essential, as is quality sources of protein throughout the day.  Just because you’re eating for two doesn’t mean you should forget all the rules of healthy eating and succumb to cravings for unhealthy and fattening foods.  In fact, eating nutritiously is more vital during this time, without the restriction of calories or any vital nutrient.  Consume a good balance of all the major macronutrients, including carbohydrates, fats, and proteins.  Proper diet and nutrition during and after pregnancy will ensure that you stay within weight gain guidelines during your pregnancy.