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• January 4, 2013 12:07 a.m.

  wow .. your blog is full of motivation, tips and tricks for pregnant women. Make them feel healthy and happy during pregnancy. Thank you for this information very useful!!!

  - erwin

• October 18, 2012 6:06 a.m.

  Thanks Sherrie for the heads up about the ebook. It has good information. If more indepth information is needed, the Mayo Clinic Guide to a Healthy pregnancy gives more information and recommendations. I have to admit I'm partial to it because I helped edit the parts about normal pregnancy.

  - Mary@Mayo

• October 14, 2012 4:52 p.m.

  Great ebook called "So your having a baby"(a complete guide to pregnancy, delivery and baby) has a ton of great info check it out @ http://www.amazon.com/dp/B009MVS9TW

  - Sherrie

• September 18, 2012 10:23 p.m.

  These topics are so confsunig but this helped me get the job done.

  - Susy

• September 17, 2012 9:46 a.m.

  i think there is some crazy number ou ttehre in baby land that a pregant woman should onl consume 300 more calories a day during her pregnacy , crazy i know with cravings and supoorting anthour human life . I know with my second i just ate tons of vegtables and fruit instead of chips and all the other goodies i could have killed for ,(ok i wasnt great at the will power all the time ) it helped alot that my child hated for me to consume even a speck of my beloved chocolate but i CRAVED ice cream like a mad woman > so my deal was no bad snacks during the day and i kept them all out of the house . and i could eat ice cream after dinner . sometimes a bowl was fine some times more but i didnt feel gulity because i was packing my day with veggies ( have i touched a carrot since not really ) but than the min she was born hershey kisses found their way back into my life . With a stroke of luck and alot of restrnght i only gained about 10 lbs , insane i know but i also think it had tons to do with the constant puking i did for 5 months with morning sickness. Use common sense , moderate , excersise abit ( which i am sure you run maratons around the house with the first . besides you might just be to busy this time around with baby number 1 that you wont have time to get larger with baby number two. but than again all those muscles will strech faster because they were already laxed . oh the irony . Good luck and congrats on your children . I might not have been a help , but good lu

  - Brunilda

• July 9, 2012 7:11 a.m.

  What is the importance of Weight gain during pregnancy? Weight gain is a sign of healthy pregnancy if you are gaining weight then it means your baby is growing normally. To gain weight does not means that eat whatever you want to but it means you need to eat variety of foods. Divide your big meals into smaller ones and you must eat six to eleven smaller meals in a day. Try to keep quick snacks at hand like dried fruits, ice cream, nuts, cheese, and crackers. Fruits and vegetables must be present in the diet of the pregnant women as they are the rich source of nutrients, vitamins and minerals.

  - Weight gain during pregnancy

• June 26, 2012 7:23 a.m.

  Weight gain during pregnancy is a good sign. How much weight gain during pregnancy? Ask this from your health care provider. Average weight gain during pregnancy is 25 to 35 pounds.

  - Weight gain during pregnancy

• May 24, 2012 3:00 a.m.

  Nice post. Normally mother don't care about weight during pregnancy.Actually they don't know the complications during pregnancy. 27 weeks pregnant weight gain

  - zoii

• March 8, 2012 4:17 a.m.

  I know early pregnancy signs differ strongly among women. I was curious however if there has even been seen a relation between pre-pregnancy weight, and noticing early symptoms? Secondly, I am seriously trying to gain weight (BMI=17.5), but since taking folic acid I've been having horrible diarrhea. Therefore I did not manage to gain any weight, luckily I have not lost any either. Could this be caused by the folic acid? (I did not change my diet or lifestyle apart from increasing my calories majorly, and it is healthy foods only.) Should I stop taking it?

  - Anne

• January 26, 2012 10:18 a.m.

  Weight gain in pregnant women should not cause overweight and I agree that it should be carefully monitored.

  - Steve

• July 12, 2011 3:09 a.m.

  Hi. Thanks for sharing your experience.your post was really helpful to women for pregnancy weight gain. Herbal Supplement for Weight Gain

  - Herbal Supplement for Weight Gain

• July 10, 2011 9:47 a.m.

  How much weight you should gain during pregnancy depends on whether you were underweight, at a normal weight, overweight, or obese before you got pregnant (and whether you’re carrying twins). Terry,

  - Jessy NY

• August 3, 2010 7:26 a.m.

  Pregnancy weight gain is so personalized. In my experience -- I am 26 weeks pregnant with my 2nd child -- your baby will get what it needs if you stay healthy. I work out 3 - 5 times per week, and eat a mostly grain/fruit/veggie based diet, with ice cream and french fries thrown in once a week :). I am athletic and in the 'normal' BMI range pre preganancy. I gained 17.5 lbs with my first daughter and am at 10lbs now -- right in line with last time. My daughter was 8lbs 6oz and 21.5 inches at birth. You dont have to gain a bunch of weight for a healthy baby...you just have to eat healthy and move.

  - Melinda

• March 2, 2010 7:57 p.m.

  what does it mean if you don't gain any more weight the last 3 wks. Staying at 18lbs and due mid March. The Dr. will do a ultrasound if no weight change by next appt. next week.

  - susan

• February 2, 2010 1:11 p.m.

  I must say that with each of my pregnacies (three) I have tried harder and harder with each one not to gain and excessive amount of weight ( over 40lbs) But the results were always an excessive amount of weight gain. I stared my last pregnacy at 5'2" tall and 118lbs. At the end of my pregnacy I was up to 168lbs and that was with trying not to overeat and to watch my weight. I must say that I have always lost the weight afterwards.I guess it's best not to stess out over the weight gain but also to work at losing the weight afterwards.

  - Karen

• January 29, 2010 9:10 a.m.

  I gained so much weight during my pregancy. I am still working to drop it off 18 months later, but I guess the rewards of motherhood shift your priorities. http://www.momverb.com Felicia

  - Felicia

• December 7, 2009 11:08 p.m.

  My daughter in law is seven months pregnant and believes she is not eating for two she is underweight and only eats buffalo chicken and very little. She doesn't eat any vegetables or fruits. She eats a lot of sweets ice cream and cookies.. Should I be concerned and what can I do about it

  - Pat

• August 24, 2009 3:31 p.m.

  I am 26 weeks with my second pregnancy and so paranoid about my weight already. I have averaged nearly 4 lbs. per day over the last two months. Sometimes I don't feel in control of my appetite and want to eat all the time. I was 10 lbs overweight when I got pregnant and gained 41 lbs with my son and managed to lose it all. My fear is that I still have three months to go and only room for 10 more pounds if I only want to gain as much as with my son, who is 17 months old. By the way, he was only 6.14 when he was born at full term.

  - Yvette

• August 3, 2009 1:46 p.m.

  To be honest with you ladies...dont worry about it. I feel that stressing about won't do any good. I gained 65 pounds with my first! I lost it all in four months b/c of nursing and excercise. I began this pregnancy and the first one at a normal weight for my height and I am now 20 weeks and gained 20 lbs. I was always active so I knew excersising to lose the weight wouldn't be grueling. If you eat right, nurse if you can, and excercise...it comes right off. So enjoy it now and EAT!

  - Ann

• July 28, 2009 8:37 p.m.

  Expectant mothers (those of you who have contributed here and have already given birth and are still worried about baby weight, and future contributors/those of you still expecting), here's the facts: First off, what other people think of your body is their problem, not yours. Who cares about ill-educated people who will praise you only if the things that change about your body during pregnancy is your belly and your larger breasts? Eeewww. Seriously, forget about them. They have a twisted idea of beauty. Do you really want to impress someone or gain respect from someone who has a twisted view of beauty? Yeah, see, I knew you were smarter than that. On the other hand, though, do take care of yourself with moderate exercise, great nutrition (and by nutrition, I mean food containing actual nutrients), and by really listening to your doctor(s) and your partner/family/friends who love you and your baby. When you're caring for yourself and Baby in this way, there's really no need to worry, because you're doing your best. You're having a baby, for Moses' sake. Now more than ever is the time to claim confidence. Don't mean to sound cheesy, but seriously, your calling is a noble one. And if you're not so much worried about what people think or about comparing yourself with other pregnant women (which is another really pointless thing to do), but you simply want to wear your fav clothes again, don't worry. Just take care of yourself, and it will happen. Enjoy your life!!!

  - GV

• June 16, 2009 9:48 a.m.

  This was useful, thanks.

  - mlr

• January 13, 2009 4:33 p.m.

  I am 28 weeks pregnant and have gained just under 20 pounds. I also lost weight in my first trimester because of morning sickness. When I look in the mirror I am very critical of myself, but on a higher level of consciousness I know that I am at a healthy weight. Pre-pregnancy I had a BMI of 20.6, which is very healthy. I know that I will probably gain around 10 more pounds before I give birth. Gaining weight is hard for probably most women, especially when most of us compare ourselves to models and Hollywood starlets whose main job it is too look good, meaning they have personal trainers and dieticians and are able to prioritize exercise over other, more mundane aspects of life. For the rest of us who do our own cooking, who have to go to work and clean up the house and stay within a grocery budget it seems impossible to be as fit and skinny as Maxim's Hot 100. The point is that I try to have realistic expectations of myself. I absolutely did not, and do not want to "get fat" ever. I want to eat healthy and stay active and look attractive of course. But nothing is more important than my baby's health. I know that I have to surrender to looking a little plump during my pregnancy, even if I don't really, that’s how I feel and its something I need to accept, as opposed to not eating when I feel hungry, not getting enough calories or nutrients and putting my child at risk, because I am afraid of gaining too much weight. Especially when I know I can always lose the it.

  - Alena

• January 7, 2009 6:24 p.m.

  I am 27 weeks pregnant. Before becoming pregnant I was underweight at 5'9" and 125 pounds. Now that I am entering my third trimester I have gained 34 pounds! I feel huge, this is the most I have ever weighed in my life. I have been eating right and exercising, I chart my caloric intake and still my body packs on the pounds. At the rate I am going it looks like I will be gaining a total of about 50 pounds by the time I give birth. My doctor says that my weight is fine, that as long as I am taking care of myself I shouldn't worry, but I do. This is a source of extreme stress and anxiety for me. I do plan to breastfeed and hope that will assist me in losing the weight after I give birth. I feel you shouldn't judge a woman's weight gain during pregnancy and assume she's just eating too much, it's completely false.

  - Courtney

• January 2, 2009 12:36 a.m.

  In response to Stephen's comments, Japan's population is also very petite compared to American women. It would make sense that a 5' Japanese woman giving birth to a 5 pound baby would gain less than a 5'9 woman giving birth to a 8 1/2 pound baby. And, who is Stephen to say Mayo Clinic's standards for weight gain are outdated? When he gives birth or becomes an obstetrician, then I'll take into account his reasoning.

  - Lovetoteach

• November 25, 2008 10:44 p.m.

  I am at 22 weeks. At my last prenatal appointment (last week), my midwife told me that I had gained 7 pounds in the last month and that it was too much. (I have gained 14 pounds overall, but my recommended gain was 15-20 pounds because I was a little overweight when I got pregnant.) Admittedly, I had let my eating habits slip a little bit last month, but in the last week, I've really gotten it back on track. (Recording every food that I eat has helped me curb the unhealthy snacks and boost my vegetable intake.) Anyway, I weighed myself tonight and according to my scale, I had lost weight compared to my pre-natal visit last week. (I don't know the difference between my scale and the doctor's office, but on my scale, I was about 9 pounds less.) Will my fat reserves continue to provide my baby with the calories that she needs? I am not so worried about carbs, protein, and vitamins because I have really improved my diet in terms of those aspects, but I have cut my calories, especially from junk food.

  - Jenn