Pregnancy Weight Gain

Your health care practitioner will give you a weight gain target based on your pre-pregnancy weight. [http://www.phac-aspc.gc.ca/hp-gs/faq/nutrition_e.html ]

If your BMI was below 20, your recommended weight gain will be between 12.5 and 18 kg (28 and 40 lbs.)

If your BMI was between 20 and 27, your recommended weight gain will be between 11 and 15.5 kg (25 and 35 lbs.)

If your BMI was over 27, your recommended weight gain will be between 6.5 and 11 kg (15 and 25 lbs.)

If you are expecting multiples (twins, triplets, or more) you will need to gain more weight. Your health care provider will help you to set a pregnancy gain plan that's right for you and your babies.

You can expect to experience the majority of your pregnancy weight gain during the second and third trimesters, when your baby’s caloric needs are greatest. (You’ll need an extra 100 calories per day during the first trimester, but an extra 300 calories per day during the second and third trimesters in order to meet your baby’s increased energy needs.)

Don't panic if your weight gain doesn't follow the weight gain plan exactly. You're a pregnant women, not a lab rat. Keep an eye on the overall pattern of weight gain so you won't be stuck with too much "baby fat" after the birth, but resist the temptation to crash diet during pregnancy in order to keep up with the super-skinny supermodel moms. (Only 3% of us are born with supermodel genes, so why should the rest of us expect to look like supermodels when we're sporting a bump or newly postpartum?)