Understanding Weight Gain During Pregnancy
Pregnancy brings many exciting changes to your body, and weight gain is one of the most normal parts of this amazing journey. Many women worry about how much weight they should gain and how it will affect their mental health. Understanding what to expect can help you feel more confident during this special time.
How Much Weight Should You Gain?
Average weight gain during pregnancy depends on your starting weight before you became pregnant. The Institute of Medicine gives these helpful guidelines:
Underweight women: 28-40 pounds
Normal weight women: 25-35 pounds
Overweight women: 15-25 pounds
Obese women: 11-20 pounds
These numbers are just guides to help you understand what's normal. Your doctor will help you find the right weight gain goal for your specific body. Remember, every woman is different, and what works for your friend might not be the same for you (Sasidharan et al., 2025).
Research shows that about 50% of women gain more weight during pregnancy than the guidelines suggest. This doesn't mean you're doing anything wrong. Your body knows how to grow a healthy baby.
Your Body Image During Pregnancy
It's completely normal to have mixed feelings about your changing body during pregnancy. Some days you might love your growing belly, and other days you might feel worried about all the changes. Research shows that how you feel about your body during pregnancy has a big impact on your mental health (Mooney et al., 2023).
Studies tell us that women who practice good self-care and have positive thoughts about pregnancy feel much better about their body changes. When you take care of yourself with nutritious food, enough rest, and gentle exercise, you're more likely to feel good about your pregnancy journey.
Your body is doing incredible work right now. The weight you gain helps support this amazing process. Your body stores extra energy to help with breastfeeding later, and your blood volume increases by almost 50% to support your growing baby.
When Body Image Becomes a Problem
Sometimes, worrying too much about weight gain can hurt your mental health and make pregnancy less enjoyable. Research tells us that women who feel very unhappy with their bodies during pregnancy are more likely to feel sad, anxious, or depressed (Przybyła-Basista et al., 2020).
Warning signs that body image worries might be affecting your mental health include:
Avoiding doctor appointments because you don't want to be weighed
Constantly thinking about your weight or appearance
Feeling ashamed of your pregnant body
Avoiding social activities because of how you look
If you notice any of these feelings, it's important to talk to your healthcare team. Women's health experts understand these concerns and can help you work through them.
The Problem with Weight Stigma
Unfortunately, many pregnant women face judgment or negative comments about their weight from family, friends, or even healthcare providers. This kind of weight gain shaming can be really harmful to your mental health. Research shows that experiencing weight stigma during pregnancy can actually lead to more weight gain and make it harder to have a healthy pregnancy (Sasidharan et al., 2025).
Remember that your worth as a person and as a future mother has nothing to do with the number on the scale. Every body is different, and every pregnancy is unique.
Ways to Feel Better About Your Body
The good news is that there are many proven ways to improve how you feel about your pregnant body. Research shows that certain activities really help:
Psychological Support Works Best: Studies prove that getting mental health support works better than just focusing on diet and exercise alone (Shen et al., 2024). This might include:
Mindfulness and meditation - Taking time each day to focus on positive thoughts about your body and baby
Talking to a counselor - Getting support from a mental health expert who understands pregnancy
Support groups - Connecting with other pregnant women who understand what you're going through
Healthy Lifestyle Choices: While psychological support is most important, taking care of your body also helps:
Gentle exercise - Moving your body in safe, pregnancy-friendly ways like walking or swimming
Healthy eating - Nourishing yourself and your baby with good foods, not restricting or dieting
Getting enough sleep - Rest helps your body and mind feel better
Building Positive Thoughts: Research shows that women with positive attitudes about pregnancy and motherhood have better mental health overall (Przybyła-Basista et al., 2020). Try to focus on what your body is accomplishing rather than how it looks.
Working with Your Healthcare Team
Your doctor, nurse, or midwife should be your partner in having a healthy pregnancy. They can help you understand if your weight gain is on track and address any concerns you have. Don't be afraid to speak up if you're feeling judged.
A good healthcare provider will focus on your overall health, not just the number on the scale. They should help you feel supported and confident throughout your pregnancy journey.
Remember: You're Amazing
Many women feel confused or worried about pregnancy weight gain, and that's totally normal. The most important thing is to work with your healthcare team to stay healthy and take care of your mental health.
Your body is doing the most amazing job right now - creating new life. The changes you're experiencing, including weight gain, are all part of this incredible process. Be patient and kind with yourself during this journey.
Focus on eating nutritious foods, staying active in safe ways, getting enough rest, and surrounding yourself with supportive people. Remember that women's health includes both physical and mental wellbeing, and both are equally important during pregnancy.
You're growing a human being, and that's absolutely incredible. Trust your body, trust your healthcare team, and most importantly, be gentle with yourself. You've got this!
References
Mooney, J. T., Webb, J. B., Armstrong, L. M., & Dahl, A. A. (2023). Caring for myself while I'm growing somebody else: Mindful self-care buffers between pregnancy body disconnection and distress. Body Image, 46, 164-175. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.bodyim.2023.03.009
Przybyła-Basista, H., Kwiecińska, E., & Ilska, M. (2020). Body acceptance by pregnant women and their attitudes toward pregnancy and maternity as predictors of prenatal depression. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 17(24), 9436. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph17249436
Sasidharan, H., Bhatt, A., & Mishra, M. (2025). Pregnancy and weight gain: A scoping review of women's perceptions and experiences with stigma. BMC Pregnancy and Childbirth, 25(541). https://doi.org/10.1186/s12884-025-07650-9
Shen, M., Gao, R., Chen, S., Xu, Z., & Ding, X. (2024). The effectiveness of interventions on improving body image for pregnant and postpartum women: A systematic review of randomized clinical trials. BMC Pregnancy and Childbirth, 24(581). https://doi.org/10.1186/s12884-024-06787-3
For more information about women's health resources in Lorain County, visit Lorain County Women's Health.
