Healthy pregnancy
Gaining weight in pregnancy
The size of your belly and the amount of weight you gain during pregnancy varies from person to person. Healthy weight gain is important, but it doesn’t say anything about your baby’s size. On average, women with a healthy pre-pregnancy weight gain 12–15 kg over the course of pregnancy. But there’s a lot of variation, and when you gain weight also differs from person to person.
How much weight will you gain?
What’s considered healthy depends on your BMI before pregnancy. This is a general guideline:
- Underweight (BMI < 18.5): 12–18 kg
- Normal weight (BMI 18.5–25): 11–16 kg
- Overweight (BMI 25–30): 7–11 kg
- Obesity (BMI > 30): 5–9 kg
When do you gain weight?
The pattern of weight gain also varies between people. Most weight gain occurs during the second half of pregnancy:
- 0–12 weeks → 10% of total weight gain
- 13–20 weeks → 15%
- 21–30 weeks → 50%
- 31–36 weeks → 20%
- 37–delivery → 5%
First trimester (0–12 weeks)
Some women lose weight because of nausea and vomiting. Others gain a few kilos because eating helps relieve nausea.
Second trimester (13–26 weeks)
During this period, most women gain weight more rapidly. By the end of the second trimester, an increase of around 9 kg is normal.
Third trimester (27–42 weeks)
Your baby continues to gain weight, but you don’t need to gain much more yourself — unless you retain a lot of fluid, which usually disappears soon after giving birth.
Where does the extra weight come from?
The extra weight during pregnancy isn’t just fat reserves. These are the main contributing factors:
- Baby → ± 3–4 kg
- Amniotic fluid → ± 1 kg
- Placenta → ± 0.5–1 kg
- Increased blood volume → ± 1.5 kg
- Extra body fluid → ± 2 kg
- Breast tissue → ± 0.5–1 kg
- Extra fat reserves → ± 2–4 kg (for energy during pregnancy & breastfeeding)
Summary
✔ Eat a balanced, nutritious diet – Focus on vegetables, proteins, healthy fats, and fiber.
✔ Stay active – Walking, swimming, or prenatal yoga are great options.
✔ Listen to your body – Hunger and fullness cues may feel different during pregnancy.
✖ Don’t diet – Losing weight is not recommended unless medically advised.
✖ Don’t “eat for two” – You only need a little extra energy in the third trimester (+200–300 kcal per day).
You don’t need to weigh yourself regularly — we’ll monitor your weight at the beginning and end of your pregnancy, or earlier if we notice unusually high or low weight gain. If you’re concerned about your weight, please discuss it with us.