How much pregnancy weight should you put on?
How much weight you should gain during pregnancy is a subject that even the experts argue about between themselves, but generally you can work it out best from your height, weight and body frame. Your health care professional will probably take these measurements and tell you your Body Mass Index (BMI) which is a helpful guide.
It’s great to aim for a steady, gradual pregnancy weight gain but everyone has a different pattern so don’t worry if you gain more one week and a bit less the next – nobody is the same! 
Source: Institute of Medicine 1990
It’s recommended that if you’re under 20 years old, it’s good to aim for a pregnancy weight gain at the top end of the range for someone with your pre-pregnancy BMI.
Is it safe to try and lose weight during pregnancy?
In a word – no. It’s true that being overweight may increase your risk of complications, including high blood pressure, gestational diabetes and premature birth, but it’s not wise to consider dieting for weight loss as an option during pregnancy. You should just aim for a healthy balanced diet.
Sorting out your weight before you get pregnant is a good thing to do but strict dieting once you get pregnant could reduce your baby’s birth weight and put them at risk. If you miss vital nutrients, you could be denying them a healthy and happy start in life.
Being underweight during pregnancy
Being underweight can also cause problems during pregnancy so if you fall into this camp, you should also try and get up to a healthy weight before you conceive. Or, if you are already pregnant, speak to your health care professional about a healthy diet that will help you achieve a healthy pregnancy weight gain.
Special Diets
Discuss with your Health Care Professional if you require specific dietary needs as they may need to be watched throughout your pregnancy.
Vegetarian diets can be healthy for pregnancy however you must ensure both your energy and nutritional needs are met. You need to have enough iron and calcium rich foods and take B12 either from food products or supplements. Vegans may also require additional vitamins and calcium. |