The formation of baby, placenta, womb, and the extra blood supply all require a certain amount of weight gain. Any additional weight, however, is excess fat. In fact, most doctors agree that any extra weight gain is unnecessary for a healthy pregnancy. The following advice will keep you from gaining in excess.

Normal Weight Gain vs. Extra

You need to understand that any weight that will natural go away post delivery is normal gain. The extra is what you still see a couple months after giving birth. Only 25-35 pounds should be gained by an average woman during pregnancy. For one who is underweight, she may gain 28-40 pounds while one who is overweight needs only 15- 25 pounds. Throughout pregnancy, women usually gain weight fairly gradually. For instance, women often lose between 2 and 4 pounds in their first trimester, and then begin gaining 1 or 2 pounds every subsequent week until they give birth.

What are those pounds used for? This weight is comprised of your fetus and your uterus, along with other tissues that are necessary for your baby's development. Here is a breakdown of just what makes up those pounds:

• The baby will grow to weigh roughly 7 or 8 pounds, and your uterus will grow to weigh between 2 and 5 pounds.

• Between 2 and 3 pounds of the weight you gain is due to your baby's placenta.

• As your breasts grow larger, they should gain 2 or 3 pounds, and your body will store between 5 and 9 pounds of fat to prepare for giving birth and breast-feeding.

• You will gain 2 or 3 pounds due to the amniotic fluid.

• You will gain about 4 pounds in extra blood to support the baby.

Any weight over these allotments is extra that the baby doesn't need to develop. This weight is very difficult to get rid of after your pregnancy.

Eating for Two

The idea that you need to "eat for two" is actually a myth, and following it can cause you to put on excess weight. Any celebrity that's had a baby can tell you that normal, healthy women only need to increase their diet by 100 to 300 calories when they are pregnant. This amount of calories can be taken in by eating a bowl of cereal and an apple. You may not like hearing this news, but you need to know that eating anything more will cause the calories to be stored as fat. During your pregnancy, you might not notice that you are gaining extra fat, but once you've had your baby and you can't fit into your pre-pregnancy jeans, you will definitely notice.

Therefore, be sure not to overindulge during pregnancy to keep the unwanted weight off. You need to make wise decisions about what to include in your diet, choosing foods such as fresh fruits and veggies, meats that are low in fat, and bread made from whole grains. Following this kind of diet doesn't just keep you in shape; it also provides important nutrients for your baby's development.

Move that Baby Bump

Ever notice that when you see pregnant stars in magazine photos, they are often going for a walk? Do you know why? There is a consensus among doctors that it is healthy for pregnant women to exercise. If you do give in to your cravings, you can burn off the excess calories by going for a good, long walk, which has the added benefit of increasing your blood flow and helping to keep your mood stable. That is yet another weight secret that celebrities use.

Please remember: The tips we're giving are intended for use only by women in good health that have consulted with their physician about how much weight they should gain while pregnant. Women should not try to keep from gaining this healthy pregnancy weight. This can be detrimental to both the pregnant woman and her baby. Let me remind you of the importance of discussing this with your physician.