During pregnancy , your body goes through a lot of changes . It is important to gain healthy weight to maintain a healthy pregnancy. You have to remember that what you eat can negatively or positively affect your unborn child.

How much weight should i gain during pregnancy ?

According to the Institute of Medicine ,if you are in a normal weight range, starting your pregnancy with a BMI between 18.5-24.9 you should gain 25-30 pounds. If you’re underweight, with a BMI less than 18, you’ll want to gain 28-40 pounds. Even if you’re  obese, you still have to gain about 11 to 20 pounds.

Not gaining enough weight or gaining too much weight can negatively affect your pregnancy and unborn child. It can cause about the same problems. If a woman gains too little weight, the baby can be born premature  or be too small for gestational age. This can cause  a lot of problems later in life.

If a woman gains  too much weight during pregnancy, the baby could be born too large for gestational age. This can also cause a lot of problems later in life such as weight issues and  type 2  diabetes.

What can i do to make sure I’m gaining the right amount of weight ?

You have to forget the notion that you  are eating for 2. Pregnancy is not a license to eat whatever you want.You just need to  eat an extra 100 calories daily  during the first trimester. In second and third trimester, an extra 300 calories is needed. You need to focus on  healthy foods such as nuts, lean protein, fruits and vegetables.