What You Should Know About Pregnancy Weight Gain

It’s very common for an expecting mother to gain a little weight gain during her pregnancy.  However, many women are unaware of how much extra weight is common, too much or too little.

The first thing that you should know is that the notion of eating for two is a myth.  So, if you don’t feel like eating twice as much food as you previously did, don’t worry about it.  While pregnant your body only requires between 300 and 400 extra calories.  If you do double the maximum intake, you will quickly become overweight.

A woman with an average body mass can expect to gain between 25 and 35 pounds over the course of their pregnancy.  A woman who is considered overweight can expect an additional 10 to 25 pounds.  Weight gain is considered most prevalent after the first 20 weeks of the pregnancy, but it is also common to lose some of that weight as the due date gets closer.

By maintaining a physically active lifestyle, you can expect to keep the weight gain to a minimum.  However, don’t panic if you find you are gaining more weight than you expected – it is a natural part of pregnancy, and by staying active you should be able to work the pregnancy off in little time.