Pregnancy Weight Gain: How Much and Where Does it Go?

December, 2007 Newsletter

Written by Carol Peterson, ICCE, CD(DONA)

You’re growing a baby, and this takes weight gain.  But, what is the proper amount, and where does it all go?

Weight gain is necessary to support the development of the baby, support increased blood production in mom-to-be, and prepare maternal stores for use during breastfeeding.  The amount of weight gain usually depends on pre-pregnancy weight.  Many years ago women were encouraged to gain less than 15 pounds, and were put on diuretics and told to restrict calories, but we now know these recommendations were based on poor science.  The American College of Gynecologists and Obstetricians (ACOG) publishes the following weight guidelines, which apply to most women:

If you are uncertain of how much you should be gaining, or are concerned that you are gaining too slowly or too quickly, then talk with your OB or midwife.  Remember that when pregnant, you will need an extra 300 calories a day, which is a tall glass of milk and a large banana. 

Where does all this extra weight go?  Many women are surprised to find that they don’t come home from the hospital at their pre-pregnancy weight.  This is because weight gain is distributed over many categories, and some of these categories, such as extra blood, maternal stores for nursing, and retained water, will carry weight for some time after baby arrives.  ACOG shows the average breakdown for a woman gaining 30 pounds as:

Pregnancy is not the time for crash diets or restricting calories because the scale is going up.  Eating vegetables and fruits, whole grains, low fat dairy products, and lean proteins will help you to stay on track, and will help you to lose extra weight after the baby comes. 

Remember, your baby is counting on you to nurture him while he is still developing, just as you will after he is born.