Does Size Matter?

When you’re pregnant, it can sometimes seem like you’re never big enough. And if you are big enough, people can make you feel guilty for being “too big.” Very few expectant mothers feel like Goldilocks – just right. We’ve heard of women lying about their due dates because they felt they had to justify how big their belly was. On the same token, we’ve encountered women who have been criticized that they aren’t big enough considering how far along they are.
 
Rest easy! There is no “one size fits all” pregnancy. A lot of one’s size depends on whether it is your first pregnancy or a subsequent pregnancy. Then there’s always good ‘ole genetics – I am always amazed when I see those cute pregnant women who can wear a bikini and look adorable while pregnant.
 
Other factors that factor in how big you’ll get include both how much you weighed before you conceived and how appropriate your weight is for your height. The Institute of Medicine in May, 2009 indicated that if your pre-pregnancy weight was a “healthy BMI” (body mass index) of 18.5 – 24.9, you should gain between 25 and 35 pounds during pregnancy. That means 1 – 5 pounds in your first trimester and about 1 pound per week throughout the rest of your pregnancy.
 
If you were underweight before conception, then you should gain between 28 – 40 pounds. If you were overweight for your height, you should gain between 15 and 25 pounds. Finally, if you were considered obese, with a BMI of 30 or more, you should gain between 11 and 20 pounds.
 
These rules are not hard and fast, and of course, they all change if you are having twins. If twins are on the way, you should expect to gain between 37 and 54 pounds if you started out with a normal BMI, between 31 to 50 pounds if you were overweight, and between 24 to 42 pounds if you were obese.

How closely do the Institute of Medicine’s guidelines match your experiences?