What can happen to the baby during pregnancy if the mother is overweight?

Being overweight during pregnancy puts a woman’s baby at risk of serious health problems, such as:

• Birth defects
• Baby is larger than normal
• Baby is difficult to deliver and gets injured during birth
• Baby is born too soon
• Baby has low blood sugar (hypoglycemia) when born
• Baby is not alive at birth (stillbirth)
• Baby is more likely to be overweight and/or get diabetes later in life

The best way to decrease your risk of developing diabetes while you are pregnant is by getting to a healthy weight before you get pregnant. You can also prevent gestational diabetes by not gaining too much weight while you are pregnant.

What’s a healthy weight?

A healthy weight depends on your height and your body type. A nurse or doctor can help you to determine a healthy weight for you.

You can get to a healthy weight by:

• Eating healthy foods
• Drinking sugar-free beverages
• Watching your portion sizes
• Staying physically active

In Part 1 of this booklet, you’ll find more information on how you can get to or stay at a healthy weight.