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 Weight Gain in Pregnancy How much weight should you gain when you’re pregnant? That depends on where you start. Underweight women need to gain more and overweight women should gain less. A healthy weight gain ranges from 6.8 –18 kilograms (15 - 40 pounds) based on a woman's pre-pregnancy weight. All weight gain should be gradual. If you gain more than 3 kilograms (6.5 pounds) in a month, see your health practitioner. If you gain less than 1 kilogram (2 pounds) a month in the last 6 months of pregnancy, talk to your health practitioner and review your eating habits. If you’re gaining too much weight, look at Canada’s Food Guide to Healthy Eating. You may be eating the wrong kinds of foods or too much food, or not getting enough exercise. Talk with your health care practitioner or registered dietitian for more information. Whatever you do, do not diet during pregnancy. Focus on nutrition, not weight. What about cravings? Cravings for non-food items such as ice, clay or starch often stop with a change in your diet. Report any of these kinds of cravings to your health care practitioner. You may also want to see the tip sheets Eating for Pregnancy and Breastfeeding and Exercise After Pregnancy. Links: Canada ’s Food Guide to Healthy Eating and Physical Activity |