Although twenty-five to thirty-five pounds is the average total weight gain suggested for a pregnancy, your height and build will influence that number. Underweight women and women with multiples' pregnancies are expected to gain more (twenty-eight to forty pounds); overweight women are encouraged to gain slightly less (fifteen to twenty-five pounds). If your provider hasn't mentioned a weight goal for your pregnancy, ask him what his expectations are.

On average, women only gain about four to six pounds in the first trimester (sometimes less if morning sickness has been a problem). Weight gain typically picks up in the second trimester and peaks in the third. See the table below for more on how pregnancy weight is distributed.

It's important to avoid letting the scale become an obsession. Focus instead on the quality of food you're eating and on getting some regular exercise (cleared with your provider first). Your health and baby's health are the goals of this pregnancy.