You may have noticed that I share information from reputable pregnancy experts here. The following article is by Lily Nichols and speaks to a very important concern shared by many women during pregnancy.
In a society where a lot of emphasis is placed on a woman’s looks and appearances, it’s no wonder that weight gain during pregnancy is such a touchy subject.
Prenatal weight gain may be one of (if not THE MOST) sensitive topics around pregnancy, so much so that some prenatal healthcare providers don’t take the time to talk about it, leaving many in the dark about what to expect.
On the other hand, if weight gain recommendations are shared, they’re not always shared in a supportive way (size and weight shaming is real, my friends) and do not necessarily come with advice about how to achieve those goals (i.e. no discussion of lifestyle choices that support gaining within a certain range).
A review paper of 54 studies on “weight communication” in prenatal healthcare found that a discussion of prenatal weight gain did NOT happen for the majority of pregnant clients. It’s highly variable with studies reporting a range of anywhere from 9.5% to upwards of 83% of pregnant women reporting having had this discussion. Moreover, when it was discussed, the weight goals given were inconsistent and not necessarily evidence-based. Oy!
This is why it’s so important to talk about pregnancy weight gain and in a nuanced, non-judgemental way.
If you haven’t read it yet, you’ll find a lot of context and reassurance on prenatal weight changes in my article, Pregnancy Weight Gain: How much can I expect to gain and does it matter?
It covers pregnancy weight gain guidelines, whether research supports those ranges, and when/how it makes sense to discuss weight gain (if at all) during pregnancy with some specific guidance for prenatal healthcare providers.
