Pregnancy weight gain is one of those topics where everyone has an opinion and very few have the math. The official ranges are surprisingly tight.
Google this topic and you will get a hundred answers, half of them wrong. Here is the version that holds up. Pregnancy weight gain is one of those topics where everyone has an opinion and very few have the math. The official ranges are surprisingly tight.
Underweight: 12.5–18 kg. Normal: 11.5–16 kg. Overweight: 7–11.5 kg. Obese: 5–9 kg.
T1: 0.5–2 kg total. T2 + T3: ~0.4 kg/week. Gain accelerates in the middle and tapers near term.
Baby ~3.5 kg, placenta ~0.7 kg, fluid ~1 kg, blood volume ~1.5 kg, breast tissue ~0.5 kg, uterus ~1 kg, fat stores ~3–4 kg.
Sudden gain (3+ kg in a week) can signal preeclampsia. Very little gain after T1 needs a doctor's check.
Is twin pregnancy gain different? Yes — add ~5 kg to the recommended range.
How fast should I lose it after? 0.5–1 kg/week if breastfeeding, otherwise slower. Patience > crash dieting.
Run your own numbers before you trust a rule of thumb. Two minutes saves a lot of regret.