According to the American Pregnancy Association, the amount of weight you should gain during pregnancy depends on your weight and BMI (body mass index) before pregnancy. On average, you should gain 25 to 35 pounds if you were a healthy weight before pregnancy (BMI = 18.5-24.9) or 28-40 pounds if you were underweight before pregnancy (BMI less than 18.5).
But what about after you introduce that bundle of joy to the world?
Researchers say that new mothers who keep their “baby weight” after they give birth are at an increased risk for diabetes and heart disease.
A study, published March 25 in the journal Diabetes Care, tracked more than 300 women through pregnancy and for a year after they had their babies. About three-quarters of the women lost their so-called “baby weight” during that year and had healthy levels of cholesterol and blood pressure.