Weight Gain During Pregnancy Week by Week

Pregnant women are always worried about the health of their baby. They ask several questions to their health care provider. Prenatal care is essential for the health of the baby and the mother too. During pregnancy, women can gather important information during their visits to medical care centers. The question "how much weight should I gain during pregnancy" is difficult to answer. Normal weight gain during pregnancy week by week depends upon the age, weight and overall health of the mother. The following chart will clear the concept.

Pregnancy Weight Gain and Body Mass Index

Weight gain during pregnancy depends on whether you were underweight, overweight or at normal weight when pregnancy began. To find out this, you need to calculate your body mass index (BMI) by dividing your weight in kilograms by your height in meters square. Then you may refer to the following table.

Pre-pregnancy Weight	BMI	Weight Gain
Normal	18.5 to 24.9	25 to 35 pounds
Underweight	Below 18.5	28 to 40 pounds
Overweight	25 to 29.9	15 to 25 pounds
Obese	More than 30	11 to 20 pounds

It is clear from the chart that underweight women need to gain more weight during pregnancy. For women who were at normal weight (BMI) when pregnancy began,

• Normal weight gain during pregnancy: single baby = about 25 - 35 pounds.
• The average weight gain during pregnancy week by week: twins = about 45 pounds.

Extra Weight During Pregnancy: Distribution

Here we take a look at how the weight gain of 25 - 35 pounds is distributed in the mother's body. Out of these 25 - 35 pounds, 5 - 8 pounds will be kept aside by your body in the form of fat which will be used for delivery and breast feeding. The amount of fluid in your body, including amniotic fluid will increase significantly and it might amount to 3 - 5 pounds. Similarly, increased volume of blood may add up to 3 - 4 pounds. The growing uterus and increasing volume of the breast tissue may add up to 4 - 8 pounds. Placenta which plays an important role in nourishing your baby can weigh about 2 - 3 pounds. And your baby may weigh between 7 - 8 pounds, which leads to a major increase in your body weight. Now, take a look at the following weight gain chart, which gives you an overview of the weight gain in normal, underweight and overweight women across the 3 trimesters of pregnancy:

Category	First Trimester	Second Trimester	Third Trimester
Normal Weight Women	3 - 5 pounds	1 - 2 pounds per week	1 - 2 pounds per week
Underweight Women	5 - 6 pounds or more	1 - 2 pounds per week	1 - 2 pounds per week
Overweight Women	1 - 2 pounds	1 pound per week	1 pound per week

The following chart provides information on the average weight gain during pregnancy week by week. Kg (kilogram) is the unit of weight in the chart.

Average Weight Gain During Pregnancy Week by Week

Weeks	Minimum Weight Gain	Maximum Weight Gain	Normal Weight Gain
0	0	0	0
2	0.13	0.18	0.15
4	0.13	0.18	0.15
6	0.13	0.18	0.15
8	0.13	0.18	0.15
10	0.13	0.18	0.15
12	0.64	0.90	0.77
14	0.64	0.90	0.77
16	0.64	0.90	0.77
18	0.64	0.90	0.77
20	0.85	1.20	1.03
22	0.85	1.20	1.03
24	0.85	1.20	1.03
26	0.85	1.20	1.03
28	0.85	1.20	1.03
30	0.64	0.90	0.77
32	0.64	0.90	0.77
34	0.64	0.90	0.77
36	0.64	0.90	0.77
38	0.64	0.90	0.77
40	0.64	0.90	0.77

Pregnancy weight gain by week also depends upon your diet and eating habits. A balanced diet for pregnant women ensures a healthy baby. It also helps maintain the health of the mother. Regularly performed pregnancy exercises ensure safe delivery. A pregnant woman generally experiences digestive system problems like heartburn or constipation. Performing exercises and eating healthy foods help avoid these problems. Healthy weight gain is necessary for hassle free pregnancy and childbirth.

Instead of worrying about weight gain during pregnancy week by week, pregnant women should focus on being healthy and eating healthy. As long as you're eating healthy and nutrient-rich foods, you don't have to worry about average or normal weight gain during pregnancy. You'll definitely gain required amount of weight for you and your baby. In fact, if you are gaining enough, how you gain the weight is more crucial than how much you gain.