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Let’s discuss pregnancy weight, what’s normal and what I put on. I am putting it all out there!

In my previous post, Pregnant and…Fat, I discussed weight gain during pregnancy. It is something I am particularly good at and despite having a much more active pregnancy this time around I still gained a similar amount to my first.

For someone who has gone on a weight loss journey, it can be particularly difficult to see your body go through these changes again and see the scales creep up. Even if it is for a good cause! I wanted to be open and honest about my weight gain, as well as what this means for me because it can be easy for others to be disheartened by their weight gain and compare, as well as being a catharsis for me to work through my issues.

I am a firm believer in listening to your body and during my pregnancy, I decided that I would record my weight throughout and follow the changes for blogging purposes but that I would put aside the notion of “restrictive eating” or trying to control the weight gain at all. My priority was (and is) my daughter and her growth and health, so if that means I have to work a little harder now she’s born then so be it!

It is interesting to see how things went and to look back at the numbers to see how different stages of pregnancy meant more weight gain than others. Here is a play-by-play of my pregnancy weight, as well as some measurements post birth which I am planning on using as a baseline for my recovery and post-fitness regime (more of that to follow in the coming weeks.)

Starting Weight – 9 Stone 6lbs (132lbs)

1st Trimester

12 Weeks – 10 Stone 2lbs (142lbs)

Little #announcement #baby coming soon July 2017. #babyannouncement #number2 #parenting #surprise

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2nd Trimester

18 Weeks – 11 Stone 4lbs (158lbs)


20 Weeks – 11 Stone 4lbs (158lbs)

22 Weeks – 11 Stone 6lbs (160lbs)


25 Weeks – 11 Stone 10lbs (164lbs)

3rd Trimester


30 Weeks – 12 Stone 8lbs (176lbs)

34 Weeks – 13 Stone 3lbs (185lbs)


36 Weeks – 13 Stone 3lbs (185lbs)

39 Weeks – 13 Stone 8lbs (190lbs)

Due Date/Overdue: 40 Weeks – 13 Stone 10lbs (192lbs)


41(+2) Weeks – 14 Stone (196lbs)

Born at 41 (+5) – she weighed 8lbs 3oz (for more cute facts about her birth, read Introducing the Little Sister)

Post-Birth

1 Day Post – 13 Stone 1lb (184lbs)

10 Days Post – 12 Stone 6lbs (174lbs)

Total Weight Gain = 4 Stone 8lbs (64lbs)

What is normal pregnancy weight gain?

There isn’t any. They suggest around 25-40lbs total with 1-2lbs per week being put on in the third trimester. If you are a healthy starting weight, a little bit less if you are overweight and a little more if you are under. But this could mean anything, every pregnancy, woman and body is different and handles growing a life differently. Plus, that’s not even considering if you have an active or healthy pregnancy or not.

Having had two pregnancies, both with a similar weight gain, this is around my normal weight gain, whereas for others it could be more or less. The numbers don’t help to identify health or your own body, for example, I was still running 5k at 35 weeks pregnant at 185lbs and I was up and walking around, 16 hours after my C-section because I had stayed in good health and shape throughout my pregnancy so even though I put on “a lot” of weight, it didn’t impact my health, the baby’s health or my recovery so I suppose it is all relative.

That being said, it is interesting to look at the numbers and see the different growth phases throughout each trimester, as some weeks I stayed the same, while others I put on several lbs. The midwives say this is completely normal and the weight rarely goes on steadily which can be a shock to the system if you suddenly jump.

So, if you are pregnant or recently post-baby, just remember that the numbers aren’t everything, listen to your body and as long as you are healthy, try to put the numbers in the back of your mind and go by feel. If you’re feeling overly tired, sluggish or keep getting colds while pregnant, talk to your midwife and adjust to eat some more fresh fruit and veg in your diet.

I will be using my post weight dates as a guideline and starting point for my recovery journey and road back to fitness but looking at the numbers helps you to realise it was a long road here, and it will probably be a long road back! So keep an eye out for my fitness journey where I will be sharing my meal plans and fitness routines with you all this time round!

*This is my pregnancy weight journey, you should always seek the advice of a healthcare professional.

by | 17 Comments

17 comments on “Pregnancy Weight Update”

  1. I was an odd one and for most of my pregnancy I was itty bitty! It was the strangest thing. It did finally catch up to me in the last two months though lol….

  2. Weirdly, although bump grew nicely and baby weighed 8lb, I actually lost weight on the rest of my body whilst I was pregnant. Nothing intentional, maybe baby was part locust?! You look great in all these pics. Love a bump post!

  3. What a great post, it’s helpful to see what happened to other mummies during pregnancy. I’m not there yet but I can imagine it is reassuring to just see some examples. I think as long as you are healthy and the baby is, all this extra weight doesn’t matter. Just stay healthy and fit and you will reduce your weight again soon. I would start exercising only slowly though. A friend of mine went to back to the gym much too early and had quite some issues with her belly button afterwards… So take your time, hun.

  4. I think it is lovely that you document the changes in your pregnancy through updates. You look fabulous and it is amazing that you still kept active during pregnancy x

  6. Great post and very informative!! Will be bookmarking this post. I am not a mommy yet so it’s good to learn all these things in advance to be prepared. Although I feel you’re never really 100% prepared 🙂

  7. It was interesting to read about and see pictures of the weight gain. It’s great that you were still running at 35 weeks, glad to hear you were keeping fit and able to move about not long after a C section.

  8. I never worried too much about weight gain in pregnancy, it was more post partum that I started to take note of it. We eat really well, but with my youngest I developed pelvic pain and couldn’t walk, so that contributed to a lot of weight gain. I think every pregnancy is different though.

  9. One of my favourite things about my pregnancies was documenting how much my stomach grew – I loved it! I was very poorly with hyperemesis gravidarum with both and this meant that when I gave birth to my first son, I weighed less than before I got pregnant 🙁 I don’t think people should be too concerned on how much weight them put on – obviously not go crazy with the whole “eating for two” business, but just enjoy the blooming and growing going on!

  10. I had gestational diabetes with three of mine and had to watch what I ate. I actually lost weight with the first one and only gained a stone with the other two.

  11. Thanks SO much for sharing your journey with us! I especially love the pics – you look fab in all of them! You are lucky that you were still able to keep running so late in your pregnancy – I envy you that! (well, not the running but the exercise – I don’t run, I bike, and I did spin classes thru the winter til end of 2nd tri with my 2nd…)

  13. Ahh you look amazing in all of these photos! Your bump was gorgeous! I gained around a stone with each of my five, I never really had a bump at all and just wore my regular clothes the whole way through – so frustrating as I really would have loved to have a bump!

  14. I definitely ate much more healthily in my second pregnancy, I put on far too much weight the first time around and it really affected my confidence. Good to know what the average ranges are x

  15. Other than when the midwife weighed me, I had no idea what I weighed. I ate in moderation and listened to my body during and after pregnancy x

  16. Charlotte, I think that you look fabulous and the baby is so adorable! You’re so amazing, sharing all of this with the world to help yourself stay on track, document the process and help others. Does your Superhero cape match your outfit? Seriously! I am so inspired by you and your journey, I watched through your pregnancy and was so amazed that you were still running so long, you amaze me and I can’t wait to see you conquer this too!

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