Pregnancy brings a variety of physical changes, and weight gain is often one of the biggest concerns. It’s understandable: Today, there’s a lot of pressure to look the way you did before pregnancy just a few months after giving birth. Regardless of appearance, moderate weight gain matters most for health reasons. But why exactly should you pay attention to your weight during pregnancy? How much weight gain is normal, and what impact do your eating habits have on your baby’s health? In this article, we’ll share the five most important facts about weight gain during pregnancy.

1. A healthy weight gain depends on the initial weight.

The fact that your weight during pregnancy is an important indicator is clear from the way it’s checked at every appointment with your gynecologist and recorded in a weight chart in your maternity record. How much weight you should or may gain during pregnancy largely depends on your starting weight. Many doctors base their recommendations on guidelines from the American Institute of Medicine. These advise women who become pregnant with a Body Mass Index (BMI) of less than 18.5 (which corresponds to underweight) to gain between 12.5 and 18 kilograms. For women who start pregnancy at a normal weight (BMI = 18.5 to 24.9), the ideal weight gain is slightly lower, at 11.5 to 16 kilograms. Heavier women (BMI over 30) should ideally gain only between 5 and 9 kilograms.

2. The motto is "Twice as good" instead of "Eating twice as much".

In fact, your daily calorie needs during pregnancy are not much higher than they were before. The idea that you need to eat for two is, unfortunately, not true. Instead, listen to your natural hunger cues and continue to stay active, or at least go for a walk every day. If you already eat a healthy, nutritious diet, you usually don’t need to change much during pregnancy to ensure your baby is optimally supplied with all essential nutrients. Talk to your doctor to find out which foods you should avoid and whether dietary supplements might be beneficial for you.

3. Overweight and underweight can harm both you and your child.

Even if many stars and celebrities seem to maintain a perfect figure during pregnancy, it’s best not to measure yourself against that ideal—especially if nature has blessed you with one or two curves. Losing weight during pregnancy is not a good idea. Your baby needs a steady supply of essential nutrients during this time, and those are not sufficiently available during a diet. Your body also needs more energy during pregnancy than it did before.

Underweight can pose serious risks for you and your baby. A link between underweight and preterm birth is suspected. Developmental delays in the child can also be caused by the mother’s underweight during pregnancy. Try to view a little extra weight as a sign of this special time rather than a flaw.

But excessive weight gain is also not healthy for you or the little explorer in your belly. Overweight women have an increased risk of developing . They also often give birth to very large and heavy babies, which increases the likelihood of birth complications. If you are already significantly overweight during pregnancy, your child is more likely to be overweight later as well. Nevertheless, you should not try to change this on your own during pregnancy. Dietary changes for pregnant women should always be supervised by a doctor.

4. Unusual weight changes can be signs of an illness.

Weight is very individual, which makes it difficult to make general statements about how weight gain is distributed during pregnancy. Most women gain little to no weight in the first trimester. If you are experiencing nausea or even vomiting, some weight loss in the first months is not unusual.

In the second half of pregnancy, the scale will probably show about one pound more each week. However, if you gain weight very quickly, it could be a sign of health problems, such as the onset of pregnancy-induced hypertension (medical preeclampsia). Gestational diabetes can also become noticeable through rapid weight gain. So if you feel that your weight is changing unusually quickly or very little, it’s best to consult your doctor.

5. You will lose most of the additional weight automatically after childbirth.

It’s simply how the body works: Right after birth, your weight drops by the weight of your baby (3 to 4 kilograms), the placenta (0.5 to 1 kilogram), and the amniotic fluid (1 to 1.5 kilograms). Fluid retention, which can amount to up to 3 kilograms, will gradually decrease on its own in the days and weeks after birth, and your uterus—which became about 1.5 kilograms heavier during pregnancy—will return to its original size. Only the fat reserves your body has built up to support your baby’s needs can be a bit more stubborn. Give your body time, and be gentle with yourself if the scale doesn’t show your pre-pregnancy weight right away.

To keep track of your weight, you can weigh yourself once a week—always around the same time—and create a weight chart. However, you don’t need to worry too much about your weight during pregnancy. With a healthy diet and plenty of exercise, weight gain will generally stay within a normal range. And the more comfortable you feel in your changing body, the more consciously you can enjoy this very special connection between you and your baby in the womb!