Weight Gain Guidelines

• Weight gain recommendations are based on your pre-pregnancy weight and body mass index (BMI), which measures body fat based on height and weight. Underweight women should gain 28 to 40 lbs., and women of normal weight should gain 25 to 35 lbs. Sometimes women look at pregnancy as an opportunity to lose weight. But overweight women should gain 15 to 25 lbs, obese women 11 to 20 lbs.
  
  

Weight Gain by Trimester

• You can expect to gain 2 to 4 lbs. during the first trimester of your pregnancy and about a pound a week during the second and third trimesters.
  
  

Healthful Eating Tips

• Most pregnant women need only 300 extra calories a day. Keep healthful snacks handy, such as raisins, nuts, cheese and yogurt. Many women are more comfortable if they eat five or six smaller meals each day rather than three larger ones.