Kilo counting

However, if you are a non-smoker, healthy, and having a good nourishing diet, your baby's weight will not increase simply because you start eating more.

If you are at the upper end of the weight scale - gaining a lot of weight by the end of your pregnancy - you are more likely to develop some of the problems and complications associated with pregnancy and labour.

These include 'heart burn' and indigestion, tiredness, breathlessness, varicose leg - and vulval - veins, haemorrhoids (piles), low back pain and increased joint pains and, more importantly, diseases like increased blood pressure (with the added possibility of pre-eclampsia) and pregnancy-induced diabetes.

Women who are overweight in pregnancy do tend to have slightly larger babies.

Now, for all of those who would like to learn what happens to your weight, and why, here - despite my earlier comments - are some figures for you.

An average weight gain, by the end of a full-term pregnancy:

• 28?40 lbs if you were underweight in the pre-pregnancy stage
• 25-35 lbs if you were of average weight in the pre-pregnancy stage
• 15-25 lbs if you were overweight in the pre-pregnancy stage
• 35-45 lbs if you were carrying twins

This extra weight can be divided up roughly for:

• 7 lb 5 oz - baby weight
• 3 lb 0 oz - of extra blood
• 1 lb 1 oz - breast tissue
• 2 lb 0 oz - for the uterus (womb)
• 1 lb 3 oz - amniotic (sac) fluid
• 1 lb 3 oz - placenta (after-birth)
• 7 lb 7 oz - extra fat
• 2 lb 2 oz - extra body fluid

If you gain more than this

It usually means that your body is storing excess fat or fluid - and this could complicate your pregnancy and labour.

A weight gain of more than 33lbs in pregnancy is usually followed by a permanent increase in weight, unless a sensible, post-pregnancy diet is planned and followed.

Hopping on the scales

If you do decide to weigh yourself at home, don't do it too frequently, there is often a marked difference from day to day.

Try to standardise how and when you weigh yourself, in order to accommodate the normal daily fluctuations of weight. A rapid weight gain during the last trimester (three months) needs to be reported to your midwife or doctor - this could be fluid retention and a sign of pre-eclampsia.

Do keep in mind that weight gain recommendations also change often over time. It is more important to pay attention to a healthy diet for both of you than to how much you gain while doing it.

Please try to enjoy your pregnancy and your eating - then you're more likely to enjoy your baby.

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