According to a study published in the Australian and New Zealand Journal of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, a third of women surveyed gained too much weight during pregnancy.

Another third struggled to gain enough weight with some mothers recording a lower weight just before giving birth than they did before pregnancy.

The study also showed that more than half of the women who were overweight before pregnancy gained too much maternity weight compared to only a third of their trimmer counterparts. 

• Pre-pregnancy BMI: Less than 18.5 kg/m² you should gain: 28-40 lb
• Pre-pregnancy BMI: 18.5 to 24.9 kg/m² you should gain: 25-35 lb
• Pre-pregnancy BMI: 25 to 29.9 kg/m² you should gain: 15-25 lb
• Pre-pregnancy BMI: Above 30 kg/m² you should gain: 11-20 lb