Throughout these months your baby is going to be growing, and as a result, you will gain weight. Furthermore, the placenta will also grow and your blood volume will increase. This translates into a weight gain that will disappear gradually after giving birth. Nevertheless, any weight gain that exceeds your doctor’s recommendations will be excess weight that will remain with you after giving birth. Lastly, it's important to take into account that an excessive weight gain during pregnancy may cause complications during labor.

To get a good start: your weight before pregnancy

If you are not pregnant yet, it's a good idea to see your doctor to find out if you should lose a little weight before becoming pregnant. If when you conceive you are at your ideal weight, pregnancy will be easier on you. The problem isn't only the excess weight your bones and joints will have to bear but the fact that there are certain illnesses during pregnancy that may be brought on by being overweight. Gestational diabetes and hypertension are two diseases that affect Latinas during pregnancy and both are related to being overweight.

Women who are underweight before becoming pregnant should try to gain as many pounds as their doctor suggests.
 

Weight gain during pregnancy

It's important to remember that you shouldn't eat for two as our grannies thought, but to eat as healthily as possible. 

Although during pregnancy you must gain weight, the amount of pounds that you should gain will depend upon your actual weight before getting pregnant. Following is a guideline:

• If you are underweight- you should gain between 28 and 40 pounds
• If you are at your ideal weight- you should gain between 25 and 35 pounds
• If you are overweight- you should gain between 15 and 25 pounds.

This is only an approximate guide which the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists established years ago. Your doctor might consider that you should gain less than what the above guide suggests. Weight gain must be gradual.

How fast you should gain weight

Ideally you should gain weight little by little; less in the first few months and more in the last months. In general, you should gain a pound or a little over a pound each month in the first trimester.

To be able to gain this weight you only have to add about 150 to 300 calories more to your regular diet, for example, a yogurt and an extra apple every day or half a cup of beans and a tortilla. Here you can find a guide to a healthy diet during pregnancy.

Don't worry if during the first months you don't gain enough weight because nausea keeps you from eating as much as you'd like. Your baby is still very small and if your doctor says everything is fine, you shouldn't worry. Nevertheless, if you experience constant vomiting and you can't even keep liquids down, you should tell to your doctor as soon as possible to avoid becoming dehydrated.

And lastly, remember that pregnancy is not a time to go on a weight loss diet. When you lose weight your body produces a compound called acetone that might affect the baby's health.