Average Gain

As you might expect, the average weight gain during pregnancy varies according to the woman's pre-pregnancy weight, health status, and the number of babies she is carrying. Obviously, with a multiple pregnancy, you’ll need to gain more weight to stay healthy and meet the needs of your changing body. In general, it’s safe to add about an additional 10 pounds per baby, above what you’d gain for a single baby.

Your health status must also be considered when it comes to gaining weight during pregnancy. If you’re a diabetic, for example, your weight will probably be closely controlled as a side-effect of your diabetes management, so you may gain less weight than average over the course of your pregnancy. If, on the other hand, you’re experiencing undernourishment, you’ll probably need to gain extra weight, regardless of your pre-pregnancy weight.

In general, an average woman will gain between 25 and 35 pounds during her pregnancy. About seven and one-half to eight pounds of that weight will be the baby itself. Add another two pounds for the added mass of the uterus, another two for the amniotic fluid, and about one and one-half pounds for the placenta. You’ll also gain about two pounds of weight in your breasts as they prepare for breastfeeding, along with about seven pounds of additional fat stores, which also help you prepare for breastfeeding. Finally, you’ll gain around another eight pounds due to increased blood and fluid volume.

As you might expect, a woman who begins pregnancy underweight will need to gain additional weight during pregnancy, perhaps up to 40 pounds total. On the other hand, a woman who is overweight when she begins her pregnancy will need to gain less, but will still need a minimum of 20 pounds to accommodate her growing baby.

However, it’s important to note that how the weight is gained is much more important than how much weight is gained. The weight should be gained slowly and gradually, much in the same way the baby is gaining. Although it’s tempting to indulge every craving you experience, putting on your pregnancy weight too quickly or through poor sources will be detrimental for you and your baby.

Instead, it’s important for the weight that’s gained to come from healthy, nutrient rich food. A pregnant woman should eat plenty of lean protein, a variety of fruits and vegetables, whole grains, low fat dairy and healthy fats. There are also some foods that are especially beneficial for pregnant women. Leafy green vegetables, for example, provide fiber in addition to nutrition. Vitamin C rich foods should also be included daily and whole grains help provide fiber and B vitamins. Healthy fats are essential for metabolizing fat soluble vitamins and for the baby's brain growth. Finally, foods rich in iron can help as mom's blood volume is increasing.

Whatever amount of weight you gain during pregnancy, you might be interested to note that weight will come off more easily if you breastfeed your baby afterwards. Breastfeeding draws directly on the fat stores that your body established during pregnancy to support breastfeeding. Not only will breastfeeding help you lose weight, but it’s the best nutrition possible for your baby and will even help protect you against breast cancer.