How much weight gain is average during pg?

Hi Ladies,

Sorry if this has already been posted somewhere else. I'm sure it must have come up before.

Does anyone know what the average weight gain should be in pregnancy?

Regards,

Mel

Everything I read said you should be aiming for around 14k.

Personally, I think the 'average' weight gain should be around 16-17k which seems more realistic (from everyone I have spoken to) BUT it really depends on your size/body type.

It all varies so much. You need to take into consideration what weighs what. I am sure it is posted on here somewhere- one of the Mods should know.

But it can all depend on if you had m/s and gained little or no weight at the start of pg (or like me ate constantly), fluid retention, placenta and babies weight, amniotic fluid, bb's weight/size change, the size of bubs, your body structure and metabolism, etc.....

I wouldn't be too concerned with weight gain as long as bubs is growing well and you are healthy.

I read somewhere that all the baby bits (placenta, fluids, increase in blood volume, and baby etc) usually add up to about 13kg. Anything more than that is more than likely your own weight gain. But I think it's meant to be healthy to gain a bit of weight yourself, as we store up reserves for breastfeeding etc (I think!!)

My weight gain has actually stopped. I started at 62, went down to 59 in the first tri.. now I'm 69, and it hasn't moved from 69 for ages! But Im assuming I'll still put on a kg or 2 as baby grows in these last weeks.

But my OB isn't even weighing me, and isn't interested at all in my weight. So unless it looks like an obvious problem, I don't think weight gain is anything to be concerned about during pg.

My geuss would be that the amount of weight that you are meant to put on is between 5kg and 50kg :lol: . There are so many variables - the build and height of the woman, whether she is underweight or overweight at the beginning of the pregnancy, fluid retention, quitting smoking (you put on more weight but its so much healthier) etc etc. I think that to say there is an ideal amount of wieght is just putting an extra little stress on women at a time that we really don't need it. What is more important is wether we are eating well and getting the right amount of excercise. If you are worried you could discuss it with your care provider and they should be able to tell you without the aid of scales if your weight gain is healthy. AFAIK most women lose thier baby fat relativley easily.

Thanks guys for your input ... it gives me some idea. Ivana, it sounds like we started off at a similar point so I imagine my gain will be similar to yours.

The only thing that prompted me to ask was that I noticed that I seem to have really stacked it on around the bum and upper back in the last few weeks. Just hope my mat clothes continue to fit me for the duration!

Melbo I put on 18k with #1 and 16k with #2.

I put on 18kg with my first pregnancy.

As Dach has said it depends on a number of factors as to how much weight you`d put on but generally someone underweight like myself will put on more weight then someone overweight.

I was wondering the same thing this morning so i looked it up and it said that between 25 and35 lbs was normal, but you cant go off what that says because all women grow differently. some may gain more and some less.

Tessa

i read this in my pregnancy book and thought it might help you.....
Although we are all different and different factors will make up each of our own final figue...these are just average amounts and what the final figure is made up of...

Blood Volume = 1.3kg
Breasts = 0.4kg
womb = 1kg
baby = 3.4kg average baby weight 7 pounds 8 ounces.....
Placenta = 0.7kg
amniotis fluid = 0.8kg
fat = 3.5kg
retained water = 1.5kg this can get up to as much as 4.5kg

total 12.6kg or 27 pound 13 ounces

In my first pg i put on 11 kg and had a 6 pound 4 ounces baby.... second one i put on 9kg and had an 8 pound 2 ounces baby...this time so far ive only put on 4kg?????

What Leah has mentioned above is pretty much what my baby book says too ~ but it is a guide only.

I started all my pg's pretty overweight & in my first pg put on 7kg to 32wks when my son was born (he weighed 1.738kgs), my second pg ended in a late loss at 18w5d and I had put on 4.5kgs to that stage (bubs weighed 250gms) & so far in this pg I haven't put on any weight.

The goal for me while pg is to try & maintain my weight & not put on too much because I am overweight before falling pg & once pg my BP tends to play up a bit.

OK, I put on...wait for it...35kgs with Milo. :shock:

I am tall, and had lost a lot of weight prior to becoming preg.
I only put on 2kg in the first 12 weeks, then it started piling on, and I really was eating really carefully.

Yup, and the doctor and midwife kept saying, oh, not you haven't you don't look like you have etc...well I sure do feel like it now, and I've lost 18kg already.

18 to go!

I think I'll see a dietician through the next pg, this is sooo not happening again.

So glad I am not alone in 'freaksville' RayRay. I put on 22k (& started really small like you) & EVERYONE spat out thier food when I said it out loud..... :shock:

Mind you I am now only 4 kilo's away from my original weight so not doing too bad. Our body is truly amazing!

i have put on 4kg so far, and was wondering if that was enough... everyone tells me that it differs for each person!

I also put on about 18kilos per pregnancy but a lot of this was water retention (I retain very easily). I peed soooo much after the births and lost the extra weight fast without really dieting. Breastfeeding (for me) simply sloughs off the extra weight. I'm usually lighter after 9 months of breastfeeding than I was at conception. Carrying a baby in a sling also helps I think (to lose weight).

I started off my pg quite underweight, and quit smoking whilst pg, which I think helped contribute to my 40kg gain whilst pg.... 8-[
I will never be back to my pre-preg weight, because it was unhealthy for my height, but I am only a couple of kilo's away from my goal weight now.

So far I have put on 14.3kgs. I agree with all the others,that it does depend on alot of factors as to how much you will/will not gain.

As long as you eat a healthy balanced diet, and do a little exercise, I wouldn't worry about how much you are putting on.

Bathsheba - yes I am very interested to see how much of the weight will disappear while breastfeeding. I'd say probably a lot. My mother always says "It helps to have something in reserve!"

Thanks everyone for your input. Since I've first posted, the gain has slowed and I think it's now just Willmartin who is gaining at a rapid rate. In any case, I only have two weeks of work left so who cares if the mat clothes don't fit after that!

I have put on 11.5 so far!! That seems like a lot for me.

It is really strange when you are not eating a whole lot of food. My tummy actually feels like it has shrunk!!

after just weighing myself... i have put on 7 kilos so far! 3 of those have been in the last week!

Rach

Through the haze of my pregnancy brain, I think I heard on the news this week (or was it last week???) that they are considering bringing back in the old weight in for pregnant ladies as so many are overweight and gain more unnecessarily by eating for two, three and four!!! I for one would love this as it would be another way of monitoring this wonderful experieince we are all going through. It can be hard sometimes to know what to eat but I think that as long as you eat healthy foods the majority of the time, especially whole foords like fruit and veg, whole grains, protein (the food pyramid thing), do a little bit of exercise like walking around the block and think positve, who cares. That does not include if your weight becomes a health issue for yourself and or bubs.

9 weeks today...I do beleive my uterus is the size of a grapefruit. Why can't it be a fruit I like...baby is a good 2cm long, I'm tired, have reach a new level of m/s and did I mention hungry all the time????

Have a good day lovely ladies.

I've put on 5 kilos by 20weeks - 3 of those in the last 3 weeks. I appear to be gaining at a slower rate this time than preg #1 but I was still carrying 5 kilos of first pregnancy weight prior to starting this time so......