How much weight should I gain during my pregnancy?



  • Healthy weight (BMI of 18.5 to 24.9): If your pre-pregnancy weight was in the healthy range for your height at conception you should gain between 25 and 35 pounds, gaining 1 to 5 pounds in the first trimester and about 1 pound per week for the rest of your pregnancy for the optimal growth of your baby.
  • Underweight (BMI below 18.5): If you were underweight for your height you should gain 28 to 40 pounds.
  • Overweight (BMI of 25 to 29.9): If you were overweight for your height you should gain 15 to 25 pounds.
  • Obese (a BMI of 30 or higher): If you were obese for your height you should gain between 11 and 20 pounds.
  • Carrying twins: If you're having twins you should gain 37 to 54 pounds if you started at a healthy weight, 31 to 50 pounds if you were overweight, and 25 to 42 pounds if you were obese.

Use our pregnancy weight gain calculator to find out how much you should gain based on your height and pre-pregnancy weight and to see how the pounds are distributed.

Pregnancy Weight Tracker


How can I keep my pregnancy weight gain within a healthy range?



What if I gain more or less than the recommended amount of weight during my pregnancy?






Do most pregnant women gain the recommended amount of weight?

According to Kathleen Rasmussen, who headed up the 2009 IOM report, the most current data suggest that at least half of women are gaining more or less than the new guidelines. Most underweight women will gain within the guidelines but some women of healthy weight may exceed the advised amounts and a majority of overweight or obese women will likely gain too much.

The new guidelines urge prenatal caregivers to counsel women about diet and exercise more effectively so that expectant mothers have a better chance of staying within the recommended weight limits.

How do I deal with anxiety about how my body is changing during pregnancy?

If you've struggled with controlling your weight in the past, or even if you've never dieted in your life, you may have a hard time accepting that it's okay to gain weight now. It's normal to feel anxious as the numbers on the scale edge up. Try to keep in mind, however, that some weight gain is important for a healthy pregnancy and that those extra pounds will eventually come off after you've had the baby.

If weight gain is making you feel blue, you're not alone. Find out how other moms-to-be are coping with putting on the pregnancy pounds.

How do I lose weight after I give birth?

A certain amount of the weight you've been accumulating will be gone pretty soon after you give birth. Mothers whose weight gain during pregnancy was in the healthy range usually lose about half of their pregnancy weight gain in the first six weeks after delivery. The baby accounts for about 7.5 pounds (more or less), and the amniotic fluid, placenta, and extra body fluids and blood in your body add up to another 8 to 12 pounds.

For the rest, remember that it took nine months to put on the weight, and it can take just as long or longer for it to come off. A healthy diet combined with regular exercise is the best way to shed the pounds – and keep them off.

Don't start cutting back on calories right away, though. Being the mother of a newborn requires lots of energy – and that means giving your body all the nutrition it needs. If you're patient and give your body a chance to do its work, you may be surprised at how much weight you lose naturally, especially if you're breastfeeding.

If you do have trouble losing weight, consider seeing a registered dietitian and perhaps a fitness trainer to help you lose the appropriate amount of weight at a healthy rate.

Learn more:

8 things nutritionists wish you'd do during pregnancy

10 ways to make your pregnancy pounds pay off

The pregnancy body survey: 1,500 women talk weight gain, body changes, and more

Learn all about weight gain during pregnancy