How Much Baby Weight Has Meghan Markle Gained During Her Pregnancy?

Meghan Markle is glowing. The Duchess is expecting her first child in late April or early May, and she has arguably never looked better. However, as with any pregnancy, there is some weight to be gained. In fact, women are encouraged to gain a healthy amount of weight while pregnant to support their growing baby. So, has Meghan Markle gained any weight in her pregnancy? And how much?

Meghan and Harry announced their pregnancy back in October

Meghan and Harry didn’t wait long after their wedding to start trying for children. The two had expressed wanting a family soon after they were married, and it was only about two months before Meghan learned she was expecting. The royal family announced the exciting news in October, and from there, everyone instantly became obsessed with the unborn royal. Meghan and Harry reportedly have not found out whether they are having a boy or a girl, since it’s against royal tradition to do so. However, Harry did let it slip once that he’s hoping for a little girl.

The couple recently unveiled when the baby is due

Although Meghan and Harry have kept most of their pregnancy details a secret, they finally let out when the baby is due. Originally, the Palace said we can expect the baby to arrive in Spring 2019. However, when Meghan was on a royal engagement, she accidentally (or purposefully, she never said which) mentioned the exact month. The couple’s baby is due in late April, but it may possibly be early May, since most mothers do not deliver on their exact due dates. However, Meghan and Harry have not let out an actual day for the baby’s arrival. They’ve kept it quiet down to the month, and that’s probably all we’re going to get.

It is completely normal — and healthy — to gain weight during a pregnancy

Every woman should gain weight during her pregnancy. In fact, in order to carry the baby in the healthiest way possible, it is absolutely necessary to gain weight. According to WebMD, women should generally consume about 300 more healthy calories each day than they did prior to the pregnancy. This ensures that the woman is staying healthy but also eating enough to properly provide nutrients to the baby. Most of the weight gain doesn’t start until after the first trimester.

Meghan has likely gained somewhere between 25 and 35 pounds  

The amount of weight a woman needs to gain depends on her weight before she got pregnant. WebMD says the average women should gain anywhere from 25 to 35 pounds during the pregnancy. (For underweight women, it’s a bit more, and for overweight women, it’s a bit less.) Since Meghan has always made health a major part of her life, it’s safe to assume she weighed an average, healthy weight before her pregnancy. This means that over the course of her pregnancy, she’ll end up gaining anywhere from 25 to 35 pounds. Weight gain during pregnancy is nothing to be ashamed of, and it’s actually much better to gain than to not. Meghan looks to have gained a healthy amount of weight, and everyone is excited to meet the newest member of the royal family.

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