Weight gain during the first, second and third trimesters


When you gain is just as important as how much you gain. Mostly, the extra weight tends to occur in the second and third trimesters, not so much in the first trimester. In the first 3 months the weight gained goes into the mother's body (and not the baby's) to manufacture blood which will serve the infant with essential nutrients. By the end of pregnancy the mother's weight will fluctuate so it will be difficult to estimate weight gain on a weekly basis. By contrast, the baby will be putting on the pounds, about half a pound a week. During the first three months aim for an increase of about 100 calories per day in a woman who started pregnancy at a healthy weight. During the next three months or the middle trimester an increase to 250 calories on a daily basis is recommended while in the final trimester an extra 300 calories per day is recommended.


This is just a guideline because of the unavoidable situations such as nausea or mismanaged cravings that can strike and cause weight fluctuations. Hormones tend to go haywire thereby affecting your appetite in ways you couldn't have imagined. Either you start to binge or go the other extreme! It is advisable to get expert advice on dietary guidelines that is specially tailored for you.