How much WEIGHT should i gain?
Almost all moms worry about their diet and weight gain during pregnancy. Your focus should be on eating a well balanced diet so that baby grows well and maintaining weight gain in the recommended range. Putting on too much weight increases your risk of developing gestational diabetes, hypertension and may cause complications during child birth. Did you know that weight gain during pregnancy is the single biggest predictor of postpartum weight retention? Moms who do not lose the excess weight after childbirth are at risk of developing diabetes, high blood pressure and heart diseases later in life.
It is ideal to gain weight gradually: 0.5 to 2kgs in the first trimester then 1 to 2kgs per month in 2nd and 3rd trimester. Do not go on a weight loss diet or programme during pregnancy without seeking help from your doctor and or nutritionist as it can be harmful for you and baby.
So, how much should you gain? It depends on your Body Mass Index (BMI) and pre-pregnancy weight. If your BMI is in the healthy range, you should gain between 11 and 16kgs. Refer to the table below for guidelines on healthy weight gain range during pregnancy.
Source: Health Promotion Board
If you are under weight or over weight before pregnancy and need professional help with achieving healthy weight gain, do give us a call or email sylviak@motherslovenc.com.
