Pregnancy and Weight Gain

When you found out you were expecting, your first thought was probably to the future and how much fun you'll have starting a family. Your second thought was probably "I am NOT going to gain a lot of weight during pregnancy!". Fortunately for your baby, you will!

If you were of average weight before pregnancy, and are pregnant with one child, you should gain 25 to 35 pounds during pregnancy. If you were considered underweight and are pregnant with one child, you should gain 28-40 pounds during pregnancy. If you were overweight and are pregnant with one child, you may need to gain only 15-25 pounds during pregnancy. If you are expecting twins, though, you should expect to gain 35 to 45 pounds during your pregnancy.

If you are like most women, you'll gain between two and 4 pounds during your first three months of pregnancy. Then, 1 pound each week for the remainder of your pregnancy if you are expecting one child, and 1.5 pounds each week if you are expecting twins.

But don't worry, not all of the added pounds will go straight to your hips:

Where the Weight Goes Singleton Pregnancy
7.5 - 8.5 lbs	Baby
2 - 3 lbs	Placenta
2 - 3 lbs	Amniotic Fluid
2 - 3 lbs	Breast Tissue
4 lbs	Blood Volume
5 - 9 lbs	Maternal Stores (for Delivery and Breastfeeding)
2 - 5 lbs	Uterine Muscle