Healthy weight gain during pregnancy is important to help your baby grow and get your body ready to breastfeed. Your recommended weight gain depends on your BMI before pregnancy and is determined on an individual basis. A slow, steady weight gain is usually advised during pregnancy.
| BMI Before Pregnancy | BMI | Total Weight Gain | Rate of Weight Gain for 2nd and 3rd Trimesters |
| Underweight | <18.5 | 28 – 40 pounds | 1 – 1.3 pounds per week |
| Normal weight | 18.5 – 25 | 25 – 35 pounds | 0.8 – 1 pound per week |
| Overweight | 25 – 30 | 15 – 25 pounds | 0.5 – 0.7 pounds per week |
| Obese | >30 | 11 – 20 pounds | 0.4 – 0.6 pounds per week |
**If you are pregnant with more than one baby, your weight gain goals may be larger.
Source: www.nap.edu/cataglog.php?record_id=12584
Where does the weight go?
- Extra fluid 2-3 pounds
- Extra energy stored as fat 5-8 pounds
- Blood 4 pounds
- Breasts 2-3 pounds
- Placenta and Amniotic fluids 4-6 pounds
- Uterus 2-3 pounds
- Baby 6-8 pounds
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