How To Control Weight During Pregnancy

If you’re considered underweight before getting pregnant, gaining 28 to 40 lbs. during pregnancy is healthy, whereas if you’re overweight, you should gain between 15 and 25 lbs. Gaining the right amount of weight is not only healthier for your baby, it also lowers your risk of gestational diabetes, preeclampsia and cesarean delivery. Discuss how much weight you should expect to gain with your obstetrician or midwife.

Step 1

Don’t eat for two. While it’s true that your baby has an increasing need for extra nutrients, this only translates to an extra 150 to 200 daily calories during the first trimester and an extra 300 in the second and third trimesters. If you were underweight before you became pregnant, your health care provider may recommend a somewhat higher calorie increase.

Step 2

Eat quality calories to meet your baby’s and your nutritional needs. Make every calorie worth eating by eliminating processed or refined foods containing calories that are devoid of nutrients. Instead, eat fruits, vegetables, whole grains, low-fat dairy products and lean proteins.

Step 3

Start or continue an exercise program, as long as your health care provider approves. If you were sedentary prior to becoming pregnant, walking, gentle prenatal yoga and swimming or water aerobics are usually safe ways to get moving. If you worked out regularly pre-pregnancy, continue working out with a few modifications, if you’re healthy.

Step 4

Don’t miss your regular prenatal checkups. This will help you stay on track with your weight gain. If you’re gaining too much or too little, your obstetrician or midwife can discuss your eating habits with you and offer ways to tweak them to get you back on course.

Tips and Warnings

If you began your pregnancy at a healthy weight, you should gain 1 to 5 lbs. in your first trimester and 1 lb. per week in your second and third trimesters. To avoid overeating, get an idea of what an extra 150 to 300 calories looks like. For example, you may be able to get all the extra daily calories you need in your first trimester by adding a cup of yogurt or just slightly increasing your portion of brown rice at dinner. You can get an extra 300 calories by snacking on a piece of toasted whole-grain bread topped with almond or peanut butter, with a glass of skim milk.