Remember that even though you may want to gain

as little fat as possible, it is critical that you gain enough

weight. Low birth weight (less than 5.5 pounds) is a predominate

factor in two thirds of all infant deaths. Infant deaths

due to low birth weight are 30 times more frequent than

deaths of newborns of normal weight. It seems that nutritional

status and low prepregnancy weight negatively

influence the birth weight of the baby. The National Academy

of Sciences recommends a gain of 27.5 to 40 pounds for

underweight women, 25 to 35 pounds for women of normal

weight, and 15 to 25 for women who are overweight.

*This isn’t a license to eat anything and everything you

want. Obese women also have a higher incidence of

obstetrical complications including prolonged labor.