9 Pregnancy Myths That Might Surprise You - Myth 5

Claim #5: You’re eating for two. 

Response: That’s a recipe for too much weight gain. The Institute of Medicine and the ACOG both recommend that women who begin pregnancy with a normal body mass index of 18.5 to 24.9 gain from 25 to 35 pounds. If you're of normal weight before pregnancy, you need only about 300 extra calories a day for your baby to grow. Women who are overweight or obese can safely gain as little as 11 or 15 pounds. Some doctors think even these targets are high, the ACOG acknowledges.

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