What is Healthy Weight Gain In Pregnancy?

Weight gain in pregnancy should be a slow and steady phenomenon, gaining too much weight and too little weight is not a good idea either. You may need to gain more or less depending on whether you are underweight or overweight when you get pregnant. Two general tips are: 

• A general guide that can be followed is that you gain 2-4 pound during the first 3 months and then from then on, one pound per week. 
• A woman of average weight should aim at gaining about 15 to 35 pounds during the entire pregnancy journey.

In the United States, the Institute of Medicine (IOM) provides guidelines for weight gain during pregnancy based on pre-pregnancy body mass index (BMI) categories:

• Underweight (BMI less than 18.5): Recommended weight gain is 28-40 pounds (12.5-18 kg). 
• Normal weight (BMI between 18.5 and 24.9): Recommended weight gain is 25-35 pounds (12.5-18 kg).
• Overweight (BMI between 25 and 29.9): Recommended weight gain is 15-25 pounds (7-11.5 kg).
• Obese (BMI greater than 30): Recommended weight gain is 11-20 pounds (5-9 kg).

Don't know how to calculate your BMI? Click here to use our BMI Calculator 

It must be remembered to consider your pre-pregnancy weight, overall health, and any specific circumstances to provide appropriate recommendations, and the best person for this is ultimately going to be your healthcare provider. These guidelines will obviously change when you are expecting more than one baby i.e twins. Remember that if you’re suffering from asthma, lung diseases, heart diseases or high blood pressure, strenuous activity can make it worse so consult with your doctor before you start an exercise plan. 

Exercise! Exercise! Exercise! On the other hand, issues such as backache, constipation, feeling lethargic, bloating and heartburn may all improve with exercise. Exercise also allows pregnant women to sleep better and helps regulate sleep cycles if exercise times are fixed for daily routine.