All expecting mothers want their babies to be safe and healthy throughout their pregnancy. However, it can be difficult for mothers to regulate cravings, food consumption, and other intake-related symptoms that pregnancy causes. The myth that weight gain during pregnancy doesn’t count can be harmful. Gaining too much weight can increase certain health risks for the mother, the baby, or both.

Guidelines For Healthy Pregnancy Weight Gain

Every woman has different guidelines for how much weight is healthy for them to gain while they are pregnant. These guidelines are based on a woman’s BMI and vary with the type of pregnancy that she has. The current guidelines as outlined by the CDC are: 

• Those with a BMI less than 18.5 should expect to gain 28-40 pounds.
• Those with a BMI from 18.5-24.9 should expect to gain 25-35 pounds. 
• Those with a BMI from 25.0-29.9 should expect to gain 15-25 pounds. 
• Those with a BMI higher than 30 should expect to gain 11-20 pounds. 

These figures are representative of mothers expecting one child. If the expectant mother is having twins, these figures will begin to change. The CDC outlines how much weight expectant mothers of twins should prepare to gain here. Additionally, those having multiples higher than two may want to consult their doctor when trying to figure out a healthy pregnancy weight gain. They will be better able to monitor your situation and advise you on the practices and food choices that are best for you and your children. 

Why It’s Important To Monitor Your Weight During Pregnancy

Monitoring your health during pregnancy is incredibly important for your health but also for the health of your baby. Some of the reasons why you should monitor and manage your weight during pregnancy include:

• It helps the baby properly develop- Ensuring that you gain the necessary weight and don’t overdo it, your baby is more likely to meet expected growth benchmarks before they were born which can be reassuring, especially for first-time parents. 
• It reduces your likelihood of developing pregnancy-induced diseases- Some diseases that pregnant women develop during pregnancy include preeclampsia and gestational diabetes. Though monitoring and managing your weight gain can’t completely assure you that you won’t develop these issues, it drastically reduces your likelihood. 
• It benefits the health of your baby- While your baby is in your uterus, it shares in the intake of food that you consume. Babies who receive too much food can become larger leading to a higher chance of C-section and having the baby be born much larger than intended.

There are many wonderful benefits of gaining a healthy amount of weight. It can drastically improve your pregnancy experience and allows you the reassurance that your baby is happy and healthy.  

Contact Us

If you need help monitoring your pregnancy weight gain or would like to know more information about healthy weight gain during pregnancy, contact The Greater Washington Maternal Fetal Medicine. Our goal is to provide you with helpful information and treatments that will benefit your growing family. If you are in Virginia, you can contact us at 571-730-4587 and if you are in Maryland you can contact us at 301-279-6060. We look forward to seeing how we can help you.