The number one concern for many expectant mothers, besides the health of baby, is how much weight gain is normal in pregnancy, and just how easy it will be to lose it all afterwards.
It’s no wonder we can become anxious about how much weight we should be gaining while pregnant. At every midwife or doctors visit we are weighed in and checked for the entire duration of our pregnancy. Many of us also find that well-meaning mothers/non-mothers/great aunts offer an opinion on our increasing size and we find ourselves being compared with the latest pregnant Hollywood star. I remember sitting around with my ante-natal group comparing our bumps and discussing our individual pregnancy health plans (or lack of).
Weight gain in pregnancy is not something we should be anxious about, but certainly something we should give some attention to. We certainly want to have a healthy pregnancy, an easier labour, and a faster weight loss post-pregnancy.
One of the most important things to remember is that weight gain is a sign of a healthy pregnancy, as it is an indication that your baby is growing. Your midwife will measure your bump at your later visits, as this provides one way of estimating your baby’s size. The scales are another way of monitoring your baby’s size and your own weight gain. You should avoid jumping on the scales every day yourself and leave this to your midwife to monitor.
How much weight gain is ‘normal’?
Every mother’s weight gain will be different. I gained 10kg (22lbs) whereas my best friend gained a whooping 30kg (66lbs)! She also lost most of that weight within the first three months of her son’s birth.
Despite only gaining 10kg during my pregnancy, I gained 2kg in one fortnight and another 2kg the following fortnight! (My midwife kindly called the first one a ‘growth spurt’ – the second time she smiled and said ‘we’ should try and keep an eye on that).
As a general rule, what is considered ‘normal’ weight gain depends on how much you weigh pre-pregnancy. You may be underweight, overweight, or in a normal range. You may also drop in weight in the early weeks of your pregnancy if you are heavily affected by morning sickness (this was my experience all three times). Other expectant mothers have ravenous appetites and don’t seem to be able to curb those hunger pangs no matter how much they eat.
There is also the consideration that not all the weight you gain is body fat. Bear in mind the following estimate of weight for your pregnancy:
- baby (6-8 lbs)
- placenta (1.5 lbs)
- amniotic fluid (2 lbs)
- uterine enlargement (2 lbs)
- maternal blood volume (3-4 lbs)
- maternal breast tissue (1-2 lb)
- maternal body fluid (4 lbs)
If you are concerned about how much weight you are gaining, speak to your midwife. You should not attempt weight loss during pregnancy. The focus of this time is on maintenance, getting plenty of rest and eating as healthy as possible (do your best in those nausea-filled early days).
You CAN lose the weight afterwards, so don’t worry too much on how much you gain. Have the occasional indulgence but don’t use pregnancy as an excuse to hide those extra pounds from over-indulging! Remember that our bodies are designed for this and will come back to ‘normal’ eventually.
Some of this information is sourced from an online pregnancy guide. For those interested in reading a review of this publication visit: Pregnancy Book Review
