Weight Gain During Pregnancy

Her doctor is correct. In every book you read that is what it says. And if you are over weight to begin with you should only gain 15. When I was expecting, I gained a lot and my doctor said nothing to me, I wish he would have now. I had some extra water and a big baby, but still. However, my aunts all told me that when they had my cousins, back then doctors were really on women to only gain 25. And most women did only gain that much. Now a days, doctors are scared to tell you the truth. Every woman is different, but she should only be eating a few 100 calories more a day. That is were we go wrong...we say that we are eating for 2...double the calories. She shouldn't be worried....but she should just be mindful of what she is eating and then don't worry about the scale.

I was overweight to start with (at 36-37) and gained 20 lbs. - son was 8-13 and two weeks out he was 9-9 and I was 35 lbs. less (had an issue with water towards the end).

In the waiting room for an ultrasound, I sat near a mother who had about three suckers while we waited. She said she had gained 75 lbs. with her first and was looking at 55lbs. at about 25 weeks this time around - she was in her 20's.

How old is your friend? I know they are more strict when you are labeled "Advanced Maternal Age" (love that tag) because of the concerns for diabetes and other issues.

I gained 57 lbs with my pregnancy. That was a bit excessive, but I'd say that if the doctor is freaking out already, maybe she should look into getting a different doctor that won't try to worry her with the little things so much! My doctor always said the reason I gained so much was because I drank so much orange juice, I was a smoker who wasn't smoking because of the baby, and also I never had morning sickness.

EDIT - I also wanted to add... I quit smoking 9 weeks ago (again & for good this time) and have gained about 15 lbs just from that.

I have 2 children and with both I gained 50 lbs. Both of my children are healthy. Sounds like your friend is gaining weight as she should for a pregnant woman. Maybe she should get a different MD. :) Good luck to her:)

J., i did start my pregnancies a bit overweight, and dureing each pregnancy i lost weight, all during the months, but then in the end gained only 20 lbs with each of my kids, and when i birthed them i gained it all back and started each new pregnancy with that extra 20 lbs, and so by the third child i was 40 lbs heavier, i ended up weighing about 190 after third child or more, i did not have a problem with gestational diabetes, but that also depends on how well you are eating, too, if she is eating right and cutting out sweets anyway, then i would say the weight gain is normal, she might need to change drs if he is too concerned about her weight, but i think the not smoking has more to do with it , so i would not be too concerned, yeah ive seen women gain 50 lbs and be totally fine, but i would watch what i eat, have a good day , D. s

with my 1st daughter i gained about 50 lbs, and 10 lbs in one month yikes! but with my second i exercised and was more carefull i only gained around 35-40. sometimes the doctors would mention to me my weight gain with my second but i told them i am doing much better than i did with my 1st and they didn't mention it again.

It is absolutely possible to not gain a whole lot of weight during pregnancy and still have healthy, normal weight babies. I am 5'4" and when I got pregnant with my first I weighed 141 lbs. I get extremely ill while I'm pregnant, and so, with all 3 of my children I only gained 10lbs during each pregnancy. My oldest was 7lbs 14 oz, my second was 6lbs 11 oz and my 3rd was 8lbs 1 oz. The recommended weight gain of 25-35lbs is for the overall health of the mom and baby. The more weight you gain, the harder it is to take of after the birth (for the most part). In addition, higher weight gain increases your risk of gestational diabetes and preeclampsyia among other issues. I gain weight by looking at food normally, so I spent some time concerned about only gaining 10lbs. But, my doctors assured me that the baby will get the nutrients from me that it needs and I will be the one to suffer. Eating a healthy, well balanced diet is what is most important for mom and baby. Of course, indulge in moderation, but if she is eating a healthy, well balanced diet, and still gains a lot, well then, that's how her body handles pregnancy. You only need 500 extra calories a day when pregnant.

I don't know why doctor's don't change the expected weight gain. Yeah if your perfect you won't gain more than 25-30 lbs. Pretty sure we don't live in a perfect world. I was a size 6 when I first found out I was pregnant. The very first time I went to Dr. after finding out, I had already gained 6lbs. Yep!!!! And just kept on going up. I was also a smoker before getting pregnant and quit. I gained 60 lbs. I had a BEAUTIFUL 10 lb 5 oz healthy baby boy. This is just my opinion but I believe your body knows what it needs for you and your baby. I did not eat unhealthy or fast food to gain that much either. I probably ate more healthy than I ever had in my whole life and I still gained 60lbs. No worries your body does amazing things and what was meant to be will be. You won't get another chance to gain 60 lbs in 9 months again until you get pregnant again so ENJOY IT!

Every person and pregnancy is different. I am overweight to begin with. With my first pregnancy I only gained about 20 lbs and ended up 5 lbs less than I started after I had my daughter. And then with my second pregnancy which was triplets I gained 2 (yes two) lbs and lost 45 lbs when I had them. Because of me being overweight my dr with the second pregnancy told me 5 lbs up or down would be fine for me. Good luck to your friend and you as well. :)

I just wanted to mention that according to Dr. Sears' Pregnancy Book, the weight of all that extra pregnancy stuff (baby, placenta, extra blood volume, etc) is about 28-32 pounds. So, being a healthy pre-pregnancy woman, she should aim for the standard 25-35 pounds without any worry. This unorthodox opinion of her doc would concern me. I don't know if I'd want a doc like this - what else might he/she be wrong about?

I would say you are correct. If she wasn't overweight to begin with then it is more like 30-35 lbs. It seems like her doctor is overly concerned and kind of rude.

I don't know what that doctor is talking about... .I started out at 130lbs and I am 8 1/2m pregnant and have only gained 22lbs and my midwife is constantly telling me I had better gain more weight, she concerened that it's not enough. No I am not a weight conscious person freaking out over getting too fat, I just have a hard time eating and always feel full so I just don't eat very much..weird I know, it's different than my first pregnancy.
Tell her not to worry about it!!!!!!!!!

With my first pregnancy I gained 50 lbs. My doctor didn't really give me a hard time about it. At one appointment I had gained like nine pounds and the doctor tactufully pointed out that if I continued large gains like that, the numbers would add up quickly and it would be harder for me to lose.

I held on to those 50 lbs, so when I got pregnant with my second I weighted what I weighed when I delivered #1. The doctor told me that women who go into their pregnancy overweight, the less weight you gain, the healthier for the baby. She even went so far as to say it would be, OK if I didn't gain any weight at all. With my second pregnancy I gained seven lbs! I can't say I ate differently than I did with the first, so my body must have been in some weird, fast metablolism mode. #2 was born in December and I am officially trying to lose weight right now. I sure wish I had kept my weight down with #1. I think that was what my doctor was trying to tell me. Perhaps you friend's doctor is coming from that approach... ?

Your friend should definitely find another doctor, fast. I put on 40 to 50lb with each pregnancy.....I know, a lot.....but I was a size 6 to start with and my doctor never once mentionned that I was putting on too much weight, but was just supportive. Each of the three times I delivered perfectly healthy boys.....and I eventually lost most of the weight. Admittedly I'm now an eight - but that's middle age spread more than anything. Tell your friend not to worry about her weight - she sounds perfect. I once had a doctor tell my preteen that he was overweight at a physical - he was only very slightly - and it caused a real issue. The next year I told our normal doctor, who then had to tell my son he was completely normal -needless to say, he's now 5 10 and perfectly proportionned - some doctors are terrible - good luck - Alison

I was a size 8 prior to pregnancy-my 1st daughter (05) I gained over 40 lbs. & not 1 word from my Dr. I think they said something like "It's how hard you want to work-out to lose the weight after baby is born." My 1st child was 17mos. old when I delivered the 2nd & with that pregnancy I gained less than 25 lbs-due to the fact I was chasing around an over-active toddler. I'd say that your friends OB/GYN is not very polite & she needn't worry. That's horrible to stress her out like that. Do you remember hearing Kate Hudson gained 70+ lbs. when pregos with son Ryder??? And, she's a skinny minny!!
Tell her to not worry & enjoy the pregnancy-it's her right!!

J.,

it sounds to me like your friend is gaining just fine! It's great that she's quit smoking! and, maybe some of her weight is due to that, but even if not, that's okay. Our nutrition in pregnancy is vital to our babies, and they get what we eat, not what we might have stored in our fat tissues. That's why we need to be nearly constantly eating something, it doesn't have to me much, but enough to keep the nutrients flowing for the baby, and LOTS of protein! Remember it is protein that builds the muscles and tissues (in other words, the baby). As far as gestational diabetes and toxemia, preeclampsia, etc., check out Dr. Brewer's website at www.blueribbonbaby.org There is a TON of information that every pregnant woman should know, including and especially about what to eat, how much, why, and how to prevent the very issues the doctor apparently claims to be worried about but may actually cause by such restrictions. I've had 4 babies so far, I have been overweight most of my life and was just getting a handle on it when I got pregnant with my first, and that battle has been raging (fairly successfully, too) ever since, with no compromising my babies or their pregnancies.

I have 4 babies so far. I'll give you my starting weights, weight gain, baby's birth weight, and also mention that I have breastfed all my babies till they are about 3 years old (of course, they get to begin solids when they are ready, usually around 6 months), so I have also breastfed through 3 pregnancies and tandem nursed (which actually eased the adjustment of the toddler to the newborn). Only with my first baby did we have breastfeeding issues, but with the help of La Leche League (www.llli.org), we were able to succeed. Also, I always lost all the extra pregnancy weight by around 18 months (if not before), though occasionally I gained a little back :)

Anyway (I'm 5'8") and my 2nd-4th were all happy homebirths):
#, Start,Gain,Baby
1st 170, 20, 8lbs
2nd 180, 35, 8lbs 3oz.
3rd 170, 45, 8lbs 3oz.
4th 160, 60, 9lbs 8oz.

Further, I had no issues with high blood pressure, gestational diabetes, or anything else. Whenever I had an issue, like nausea (at first) or heartburn (later) I would eat more protein, and the issue would go away (until I needed to eat again!) Also, remember that a craving for sweets indicates you need to eat more protein :) When hungry, a good rule of thumb is: Eat 1st protein, then a whole grain or vegetable, then a fruit, then, if still hungry, and you still want the chocolate cake (or any other sweet) go ahead. :)

If we choose healthy choices, the baby gets what it needs, and so do we, and the extra weight is burned in breastfeeding the baby afterwards.

I hope this is useful, and good luck!

I gained 42 lbs with my first baby w/ a starting weight of 132 at 5'9". Since I was an avid dancer, my starting weight was technically "below normal" and gaining 42 pounds was just what I needed to do.

I am currently at 30 weeks with my second pregnancy and have gained 20lbs so far w/ a starting weight of 141 (a much "healthier" starting weight for my height--and well, having a new baby put a damper on my daily dancing!). I'm guessing I'll add another 8-12 pounds by the birth, but I'm not watching the scale, just eating healthy and getting appropriate exercise.

I have an excellent OB who's very supportive of a woman's weight gain. I've only felt educated and encouraged, never told it's too much or not enough etc. I can't imagine the stress your friend is feeling. Her growing body is radiant (and hooray to her for stopping smoking!). I hope she's able to get the proper support she needs & it sounds like having you as her friend is a great start.

I'm glad I don't have the same doctor as your friend! I weighed about 130 lbs. before I got pregnant (height - 5'7")and when I delievered I weighed 196 lbs! A lot of it was water because 2 weeks after she was born I dropped 40lbs. My daughter is now 2 and I weigh 124 lbs. If I were her I might think about finding a different doctor.

25-35 is a healthy weight gain. Smaller women are sometimes encouraged to gain more and larger women, less, but not less than 15.

I would tell her not to worry about it. I think it generally equals out to about 1 lb a week. Most women don't gain much before 12 weeks.

With my first pregnancy I gained 22 pounds but had my son prematurely at 33 wks for no known reason, my second pregnancy I gained 25 pounds and had a health girl that weighed 6 pounds 13 oz.

J.,
I gained 40 lbs my first pregnancy and 27 on my second. My doctor never commented on my weight on either pregnancy. My second I was a little more careful for my own personal preferences..easier to lose after, etc.
But, it is very hard when you are hungry ALL THE TIME!:)
I have many friends who have been pregnant..and their weight gain is all over the place - 30lbs, 50lbs, 60lbs...
It sounds like the doctor is being overly critical. I can see mentioning a weight gain goal once or twice...but to say "extremely concerned" is a bit much.
I doubt the "average" is 20-25...I would think the "ideal" would be 20-25...but the average...come on, that would mean that there are a lot of women under that range to make it average out...because I know there are a lot of women over that range!
If she is really stressing about it, maybe our numbers will help her. And make sure she knows to not try and diet. You can't go back in time when you are pregnant...just keep moving forward. Just eat healthy and indulge those cravings every once in a while;) Enjoy the pregnancy...and don't worry about every little number;)
Good luck and congrats to both of you!

Hi J.-
I had my first child in December. I was a little overweight before I got pregnant. When I found out I was pregnant, I really tried to eat more healthfully so I could try to avoid gestational diabetes (it runs in my family). I ended up gaining 13 pounds by the time I delivered my healthy baby boy, but still developed gestational diabetes anyway. Every woman is different, so if other risk factors are involved, the doc is maybe just being cautious.

You want to hear about weight gain? :) I used to hate chocolate, and I learned to love it when I became pregnant. I had breakfast at home, went to work and ordered a decaf mocha with whipped cream and chocolate sprinkles, had a full lunch with dessert, an ice cream in the afternoon and then dinner with dessert as well. I weighed 125 when I got pregnant and 199 when I delivered (and I am only 5'2").

The only thing my doctor said to me was that at some point I should start easing away from the table as it is harder to loose pregnancy weight when it is from a habit of eating crappy food.

I am happy to say that I am now back down to around 135-138 and it is all from working out and eating properly....I still love my chocolate but I have learned to eat it in moderation instead of after EVERY meal!

I was told that eating chocolate makes for a happy baby.... :)

Obviously each person is going to gain different amounts. I ate like a pig for both of my pregnancy and only gained 20 and 17 lbs. I think the doctor is only concerned because of diabetes. I know this is very common in women now a days. On the other hand, I have a friend who gained 50lbs and her doctor never a said a word to her. It all depends on the doctor and the patient. I would just tell your friend to eat healthy and not worry about the end number.

Hi J.,
I weighed 138 pounds when I got pregnant in 2005. I was a size 8. I had gained 9 pounds by my 20 week ultrasound, and I gained a little over 40 pounds overall. My son weighed 9 pounds, 8 oz at birth! They say a woman of a healthy weight should gain between 25 and 35 pounds during pregnancy. My doctors never said a word to me about my weight. I know that I've heard my mil and mother talk about when they had their kids in the late 60s through the mid-70s. Their doctors would yell at them for gaining a lot of weight. I think they wanted them to keep the weight gain around 20 pounds. My mother is 5' 7" tall, weighed 122 pounds and only gained 17 pounds when she was pregnant with me! I think that is crazy! Is your friend's doctor really old? Maybe he or she still subscribes to the old ways. Maybe she should find a new doctor. It's important to gain weight during pregnancy. Not too much (42 was too much for me), and certainly not too little!

Hi J.,

I gained 40 lbs with my pregnancy. My doctor was not concerned about the amount of the weight gain but rather that I was trying to eat healthy and do the right things. I do agree with you that 20-25 lbs seems low for the average. I had a very healthy pregnancy and baby boy. I was able to lose the pregnancy weight after my son was born mostly due to nursing which burns a lot of calories! Tell your friend not to worry so much. If in general she is eating healthy she shouldn't worry. I agree the stress is not good for the baby and probably worse than the weight gain itself.

J.

I gained 60 when I was pregnant with my son, and my Dr. never said anything to me about it. Also I breastfed and I lost all the weight before going back to work.

Among Mommy Girlfriends, I have absolutely no problem divulging most anything if it helps another Mom!

So, I am 5'6" tall and weighed about 120 pounds before I got pregnant with my son. (who is almost 8) I gained about 37 - okay 40 pounds with him. I was 34 when he was born. My docs didn't stress at all about my weight. I also didn't retain water like most pregnant moms. (However, I was just nauseated for 7 months) I do have hypoglycemia (low blood sugar) and so they watched my blood sugar to be sure I wasn't going diabetic. What they proved is that I have hypoglycemia. (Got to use an "I told you so!")

The docs were totally different when I was expecting my daughter. (She just turned 5) I was 36 when she was born, but they had it down to how many weeks and days because, in their words "You're almost 37!" They made me feel like I needed a walker and Geritol. They stressed more about trying to force me into an amnio that I didn't want and then genectic blood tests that are unreliable. I did eat better with her pregnancy and gained about the same amount of weight.

After both pregnancies, I was blessed enough to pretty much lose the baby weight. My usual weight is 120-125 (okay 125) and that is probably healthier for a person of my height and build. For my teen years and into my twenties I weighed in at about 110-115.

I remember my mom telling me how much weight she gained with my oldest sister. She was 5'2" tall and weighed 90 pounds when she got married. She gained 90 pounds! That was in 1957. I think she mentioned gaining about 35-40 pounds with me.

My mother-in-law told me that her doctor (in 1966) prescribed drugs to expectant moms to help keep their weight down. She gained next to nothing (kind of like the 20-25 pounds your friends doctor is recommending) and delivered my husband a month early. Hmm, wonder if there is a connection.

My docs explained that women who are underweight will tend to gain more pounds overall to compensate for what they are lacking to ensure that their body can sustain this growing life. And, women who are overweight would tend to even lose weight in the beginning and not gain so many pounds overall. You didn't specify where in the spectrum your friend falls.

Also, is this doctor in practice alone or part of a group practice? I went to a group practice and discussed everything with every doctor at each visit. Just because they are in the same practice doesn't mean that they each practice in exactly the same way.

Congratulations to your friend and you on your babies! They aren't babies for long - they won't be this small again, not even tomorrow. The same holds true, even now. They seem to grow out of the clothes and shoes just as fast.

With hugs and prayers for healthly babies!
D.

I gained 70lbs with my first pregnancy, 30-35lbs with my second, and 25lbs with my third. I had gestational diabetes with my first and third. I would say 25-30lbs is average weight gain for pregnancy. Tell your friend not to stress out about the weight and to just take care of herself.

I was 132lbs when i got pregnant and i'm 5'10. I gained total 44lbs and i gave birth at 38 weeks to a healthy 6lb 9oz baby girl. the majority of the weight i gained i gained in the later part of my pregnancy. i dont know exact numbers throughout but my doc never gave me any problems about my weight. Alot of it is water too that you retain. I was back down to 150 a week after birth cuz of water. so she has nothing to worry about at all. These doc i dont think know what they're talking about half the time and they're going by their own personal preference of what they want they're patients to gain. No worries!

That doctor is going to scare her into malnourishment for her baby! I am all for being careful but...My baby #1 I gained ZERO the first 6 months doc not happy, then month 7 I gained 8 pounds, doc not happy, what the heck?? ..grand total was 16 pounds. Baby was 2 weeks early and only weighed 5lbs 5 oz. She was little but healthy, the bonus was I lost 21 lbs when I delivered...YEEHA! #2 I gained 35 lbs. She was 2 weeks LATE and weighed 6lbs 12 oz...not big, but very healthy...#3 I gained 19 lbs she came right on her due date and weighed 6lbs 4 oz...22 1/2" long..what a bean! All mamas are different, all pregnancies are different. You didn't say if she has a history with blood sugar issues or diabetes in her family. She just needs to eat well and stay away from white food and sugar...she will be fine. No worries!

That doctor is nuts! 5 pounds in the 1st half of your pregnancy? Is he serious? I gained about 40 with each of mine, which my doctor was perfectly happy with since I was eating properly and staying active. I was back to my pre-baby weight by their first birthdays.

I gained 70lbs. I know that is huge, but I lost all but 5lbs of it by my 6 week check. The only complication I had was that my daughter never dropped correctly, she dropped into my hip. She was a healthy 10lb 2oz 22" baby. No I did not have gestational diabeties. You are supposed to gain 2/3 of a pound for your first 20 weeks then 1 pound a week there after.

Hi J.,
I think she should find another doctor. I gained 10 pounds within the first 2 weeks of my pregnancy because I had to have food in my stomach or I felt nauseous all day long. I currently am 31 weeks pregnant and have gained 26 pounds. I continue to gain wait weekly. My doctor has never mentioned a restriction on the amount of wait I should gain. My friend is pregnant and her doctor told her she should gain at least 25 pounds. Hope this helps comfort her.
Best of Luck!
S.

ok your friend is like 4 1/2 -5 months pregnant! so if she's in the "teens" so what! maybe she's gained a few more then average but she's frigging halfway through her pregnancy! her doctor needs to chill I know people who gained over 80 lbs! weight gain slows as you get bigger appetite decreases etc. so anything can change tell her to enjoy it!

My doctor told me 25 - 35 pounds was average and I gained about the 35 pounds. She said if you gain more, it's ok, but it will just be harder to lose after the baby is born.
She should relax and find a new doctor.
C.

I was on the other end of the spectrum where I lost a lot of weight during the first trimester and then gained during the second and third. My doctor was overly concerned as well. They even ran blood tests to ensure that everything was okay. The babies always measured fine and delivered at a normal weight. My doctor shared this with me, and you can share it with your friend: Although the average is a good number for doctors to use, it is not always the norm. Outside factors can have an impact, it could also be a sign that the baby may be big or small if there is a slight deviation from that. Because your friend did quite smoking first, she may still be doing the munch thing. That's an outside factor (I ate healthier and was overweight). In the end, the baby will more than likely be normal size, and mom will have more weight to loose when she is done. She'll be fine, despite her doctors concern.

I gained 40 lbs. with baby #1 and am expeciting baby #2 in 5 weeks - I've gained a little over 30 lbs. so far. If your friend is eating when hungry, stopping when full and trying to choose healthy food choices, my advice would be not to worry about weight gain. Perhaps the advice to look for a different doctor is something to consider. It makes sense that she may gain more due to quitting smoking.

i used to work in an ob-gyn office and let your friend know that at the begining of your pregnancy you usually gain the most weight, or at least that's what i've seen. and w/one doctors visit, there is always a LARGE weight gain, but then it goes back to a few pounds each visit. also w/large amount of weight gain, you put yourself at risk for gestational diabetes and other things like high blood pressure. hope this helps and good luck to both of you!!!

With my first one I gained about 70 lbs. Way too much. I never lost it and I was about 234 when I got pregnant for my second. With such a high weight my Dr. did not me to gain much at all for my second. The approach I took was before I ate any treats or junk I ate the basic nutritional foods I needed. After eating all the good food I was never hungry for or wanted the junk food that helps put on the weight. I saw the Dr. every 3 weeks as I was high risk and after the apt. My husband son and I would go out for a splurge treat. All I wanted of junk. Needless to say eating healthy I lost 20 lbs. and had a very healthy baby. So I would not worry about the weight just eat healthy and exercise and as long as the weight is not from eating do not worry.

My doctor told me that a healthy weight gain is between 25-30 lbs for women of healthy weights. She suggested that I try to keep it between 20-25 because I was actually a bit overweight when I began my pregnancy, so I watched what I ate throughout (though I did indulge at times, it's not so bad when all you crave is chicken and spinach) and I gained 18 pounds. I have had friends that gained anywhere between 30 and 60 pounds and they all had healthy babies. The doctor is being a bit overprecautious and perhaps your friend just needs to tell him to back off and how much this is upsetting her. As long as she and the baby are healthy and happy then it's all good.

Did the doctor say why he was so concerned? Maybe he thought the rapid weight gain was the symptom of another problem? I only have one child and I gained 32 lbs while pregnant. I am a small framed person though and while I tried to eat healthy for the sake of the baby I was not overboard about it by any means and indulged myself when I felt like it. I also did a lot of walking. The more weight she gains obviously the more difficult her pregnancy may become and the harder it will be to take it off, but I don't know that I would worry too much about 15 lbs at this point.

I have 2 kids.. I gained 25 or 27 pounds with both pregnancies. However one month I gained 10 pounds... (probably from month 4-5 or 5-6. The dr had a fit.. he said "10 pounds of weight in one month???""" and looked down at me... I just said that I ate a lot of cookie...(which I did it was girls schout cookie time..)

anyway.... I wouldnt worry about it... if you are pregnant and hungry eat... but if you gain a lot you have more to loose when the baby is born.

Hi J.,

If I remember right, I gained about 27 lbs with my daughter. I was a little overweight to begin with.

Quite honestly, I think your friend needs a new doctor. I understand a doctor being concerned about his/her patient.... however, you do it with compassion. If this doctor is not understanding now... how is he/she going to be when your friend is discussing birthing options etc....

There should have been a conversation about what your friend is eating... and not just 'you need to not gain so much weight'.

I have also heard that smaller women tend to gain more weight, as one other mom mentioned.

There are plenty of wonderful doctors and Certified Midwives out there who are understanding and have the experience and compassion to help a woman through her pregnancy. I think your friend needs to find one.

Hello J.,
I started out an average weight of 145 and I am 5'4''. With my first pregnancy I gained about 40 pounds and had a perfectly healthy baby girl weighing 7 lbs 9 oz. I quickly went back to my pre-baby weight in a few months and breastfed exclusively for the first 6 months and for another 9 months after that with solids, and milk after she turned 1. Now I am 24 weeks pregnant with my second and have gained about 21 lbs. I gained quickly in the first trimester, mainly because I was eating often to keep the nausea at bay. I was concerned and actually asked my doc if I had gained too much and he was not really concerned and just recommended that I try to keep it to 1 pound a week, but he also said that this is not always that easy, but I shouldn't worry. He is an older doc who actually delivered my husband 28 years ago, so the old school thinking argument is not a way to let this doc off the hook. It might be a good idea for her to look for another doc now so she can get to know him/her before she delivers. My doc is Michael Prysak out of St. John's if she would like a referral. He is very low-key and often puts my worried mind at ease when I ask him questions. But he is not too low-key that he ignores potential problems either. Gosh, this is really long, but I hope that it helps!! One more thing she can do, make every calorie count by eating a healthy, high fiber diet and drinking lots of water. She probably has already heard that though. :)

H.

I was 125 when I got pregnant with my first kid which also was the most I gained with any of them and I have four. My first when I delivered her I was 210 and I lost alot of it after. But never got back to 125 or under 165. SO i wouldn't worry about it. Also don't believe everything you hear dr's kept telling me I was having and 8 to 10 pound baby to and she came out the smallest at 6lbs. 61/4oz. so I would take it with a grain of salt and as long as she feels good and the babies healthy thats all that matters.

I have three children and gained 25 pounds with each one. All of my children were 9.5 pounds at birth or better. My doctor gave me the same comments. I challenged him because I had heard all the stories posted on much greater weight gain, so at my three month checkup he told me I gained too much I was upset. The reason some doctors want you to watch your weight gain is simply because when you gain 50 pounds to have a 8 pound baby, you have more weigh to loose. This increases the baby blues. If she heeds his advice it will make the post partum depression less likely, because she won't be trying to loose weight and loose "normal" with those raging hormones. If he is a good doctors appreciated his perspective and ask the doctor questions. Is he concerned with her blood pressure, gestational diabetes, etc?? Don't ask Moms who gained 50 pounds or better with each pregnancy and survived. I'm guessing she has a "foreign" doctor. Americans gain so much more weight during pregnancy than anywhere else in the world. You're having a baby and many woman use the excuse to overeat. I agree women should watch their weight gain.

Unfortunately her Doctor is right, 20-25 lbs is what a women should gain with a pregnancy. At 18 weeks the baby weights almost nothing so the weight that has been gained at this point is, extra blood, fluids, placenta, etc that you need while pregnant and then the rest is just fat. As for me, I gained 7 pounds with my first daughter and 15 with my second. I was very careful to eat healthy, drink enough water and to get plenty of exercise. But tell her not to freak, watch what she eats and try to choose healthier things and its getting nice out..get outside and walk! She will feel great as well as making sure she doesnt gain too much weight!

I was at an average weight before pregnancy and gained 30 with the first and 40 with the second. That doctor is crazy!!!

I gained 35 lbs and my doctor had told me anywhere between 25 and 35. Several of my friends that were pregnant at the same time gained 50-55 lbs. Most of their doctors said something to them about gaining to much at one time. But none of them ended up with any additional risks and they all had healthy babies.