Weight Gain in Pregnancy - Moderation is the key

It's not just "eating for two"...

New Pregnancy Weight Guidelines

Here are the guidelines for pregnancy weight gain, based on a woman's BMI (body mass index) before becoming pregnant with one baby:

• Underweight: Gain 28-40 pounds
• Normal weight: Gain 25-35 pounds
• Overweight: Gain 15-25 pounds
• Obese: Gain 11-20 pounds

And here are the guidelines for weight gain during pregnancy with twins, based on the mother's pre-pregnancy BMI:

• Normal weight: Gain 37-54 pounds
• Overweight: Gain 31-50 pounds
• Obese: Gain 25-42 pounds
• Underweight: No weight gain guidelines are available because of insufficient data.

You can click here and here for ideas on how to achieve your weight gain goals in pregnancy. March of Dimes also has information here.

Another good resource discussing this subject is about.com. Alternate viewpoints are discussed by Junkfood Science blog writer, Sandy Szwarc who says,

"Babies born to mothers of all sizes deserve to enjoy a healthy start from mothers eating well. Mothers and babies deserve public health guidelines based on the very best and most careful, sound and objective medical evidence. The welfare of children and improving their chances for healthy futures should be the concern, not whether they or their mums are fat."