It took me an unusually long amount of time to start writing this article. So I had to ask myself why. Why did I suddenly have writer’s block? Why didn’t I want to write this article? I believe it’s because weight is not an easy or straightforward topic in our culture. There are a lot of women with body image issues and a lot of existing hate for women who don’t conform to typical thin standards. I myself have struggled with weight gain, eating disorders, and now losing weight after my pregnancies. So how can I sit here and tell another woman what’s right for her body while staying authentic and true to myself?
The truth is, I can’t. I can’t tell you how much weight is perfect for you, or how much you should gain, or if your pregnancy is currently healthy. But I do know that I was so caught up in worrying about gaining weight with my second pregnancy that I actively tried to minimize how much weight I gained. So now, over 2 years later, I still wonder if Rainbow Sprinkle could have grown better if I had eaten more.
So here it is. I’m going to give you cold, statistical facts. These aren’t going to apply to everyone, and it may not be good advice for you. But having a range can be healthy. We don’t want to overeat and become obese, but we also don’t want to under eat. There is a healthy range, and what brings these numbers to life is you. You are the one carrying this baby. Don’t deprive yourself of nutrition because you don’t want to gain weight. Don’t eat tubs of ice cream because now you are ‘eating for two’.
Starting Weight
First Trimester
Believe it or not, this is the trimester in which you aren’t going to gain a lot of weight. The worst part about this is that it is also often the trimester in which you start becoming super hungry (unless you have terrible morning sickness, then it’s easy to maintain). Indeed, for your whole first trimester, you are really only gaining 1-5 pounds.
Second Trimester
Now your body is really starting to grow and you might finally get to see a little baby bump. You want to aim to gain 1-2 pounds per week during this trimester. That’s around 13-26 pounds for your 2nd trimester. Now obviously, if you start in the overweight or obese category, you are going to aim for less weight gain than this.
Third Trimester
This trimester is all about growing baby bigger. Expect to gain 1-2 pounds per week in this trimester as well. Again, that’s 13-26 pounds for the trimester. But Karina, how is that possible? You might be asking. If you gain 26 pounds in 2/3 trimesters, you are definitely going to gain more than you are supposed to. This is why it is a range. Don’t aim for the upper end of that scale every week otherwise you are going to put on a lot more than you need to. And putting on too much weight can lead to a lot of complications, including gestational diabetes.
Total Weight Gain
With all three trimesters combined, you are looking at the following weight gain total:
- Underweight 28-40 pounds
- Normal weight 25-35 pounds
- Overweight 15-25 pounds
- Obese 11-20 pounds
Now as I have mentioned before, as much as some women struggle with gaining too much weight, many of us also worry about gaining and thus don’t gain enough. This is especially true for moms carrying multiples. You need to almost double your weight gain if you are carrying twins because you are growing more babies. This is really had for a lot of women, but it is my experience that women who gain more weight when carrying multiples are able to birth bigger, healthier babies later in term.
After Birth
Many women quickly ask about losing weight as soon as their baby is born. I just want to remind you that it took you 9 months to grow a human, so expect it to take 9 months to get your body back. And that doesn’t take into consideration if you were active during your pregnancy, how you are feeling with a new child, the fourth trimester experience, or working through your body image feelings. But if you are looking for a fun workout and want to include your little one, check out my blog on The Baby Workout.
Now don’t go all crazy about counting calories and eating food. Do note that what you eat is just as important, if not more so, than how much you eat. Everything you take in, your baby is taking in. So yes, eat, but eat well. Gain weight in baby, not in fat or sugar.
Ultimately, I believe most women know what is right for their bodies. These numbers are offered in ranges because not every body is the same. I answered this question because it is one my readers often have, but I believe ultimately you will know how much weight is right for you.
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