Unless you're starving yourself or stuffing yourself with junk food, chances are  you'll gain the "normal" amount of weight during pregnancy. But what determines "normal" and what may be right for your body often varies from woman to woman and from doctor to doctor. Today, Parents Ask expert Dr. Jason Rothbart answers this question about weight gain during pregnancy:

Q: How much weight is okay to gain during pregnancy? When my mom was pregnant with me 34 years ago, doctors urged women to gain no more than 20.  Now, women gain usually around 35 pounds. Is that normal?  At what point would a woman need to "diet"? Does weight gain determine baby size at all?



A:  Weight gain in pregnancy is something that every woman fears. Almost every visit is met with the demand that her partner not look at the scale and the ceremonial removal of as much clothing and jewelry as office policy will allow. The truth is, the average weight gain in pregnancy is 25-35 pounds.

Women who start off underweight or on the small side will have room to gain more, and women who start off on their heavier side might want to gain less. The most important aspect of this is that there is a wide variation in what is normal and what is safe, but also that any weight gained will also have to be taken off. Not gaining enough can absolutely lead to problems of malnutrition and growth in the pregnancy and gaining too much can eventually lead to growth issues with the baby, especially when the weight gain is related to gestational diabetes. Excessive weight gain can, in the most extreme circumstances, lead to problems with blood pressure, diabetes and increased swelling and edema.

This all being said, a woman should never diet in pregnancy, but if there are healthy choices to make, a woman should of course try to make them. But the weight gain during pregnancy is expected and neccessary. A pregnant woman is literally growing a person inside her, and this takes a lot of nutrition to make it happen.

Weight is always measured at the prenatal visit, and the woman's physician or midwife will always have a discussion if weight gain or lack of a gain is affecting the pregnancy. But until this discussion, its important to try not to worry too much about it. (I know, easy for me to say.) But the weight gain will really take care of itself.