Pregnancy goes together with weight gain. But if you want to have a healthy pregnancy and baby, you shouldn’t gain to much weight.

A 2015 study published in Geburtshilfe Frauenheilkunde reports that gaining excessive weight during pregnancy or being overweight before pregnancy increases the risk of high blood pressure, gestational diabetes and other complications related to pregnancy.

There are several factors, including body mass index (BMI) and pre-pregnancy weight that affect the amount of weight you should gain during pregnancy. Your health status and your baby’s health are also important.

Maternal obesity impacts the health of the child, according to a 2008 study published in Reviews in Obstetrics & Gynecology.

When a mother is overweight or obese, there are increased mortality risk in full-term births and an increased prevalence of preterm births, according to a 2014 study published in BMJ.

It’s obvious when you look at these studies that women should avoid gaining too much weight during pregnancy.

Here are some healthy ways to gain weight during pregnancy.

1. Lose Weight before Planning Your Pregnancy

You should make sure that you are at a healthy weight even before the pregnancy. It will be easier for you to keep a healthy weight when you become pregnant.

Obese women who are pregnant are at a higher risk of hypertension, gestational diabetes, preeclampsia, labor interventions, long labor, ultrasound test difficulties, and miscarriage.

Obesity increases the chance of a C-section because of macrosomia, which means having too large of a baby.

If you are ready to have a child, go to your doctor to figure out your current BMI. Your doctor will suggest how much weight you may need to lose before getting pregnant and may recommend the best ways to do it.

2. Consult a Doctor and Nutritionist

Your doctor can refer you to a nutritionist, who can plan out a good diet plan that will help you stay healthy during your pregnancy.

A nutritionist will recommend the foods that you should eat and workouts or exercises that are safe for you and your baby.

You can also help to the nutritionist by writing down all the details about the food that you eat and the type of exercise you do.

3. Do Light Exercises

Exercise is important during pregnancy because it can keep your weight in check and help burn excess calories.

Swimming or walking is always safe forms of exercise for pregnant women. During pregnancy, try to do 30 minutes of light exercise like swimming or walking three days a week.

You will have fewer aches and pains at the end of the pregnancy thanks to the regular exercises.

If you want to keep your exercise motivation, you can also make a walking date with your partner or another pregnant friend.

4. Don’t Eat for Two

Pregnant women should focus on eating healthy, not eating for two.

Your body doesn’t need that many extra calories a day to feed your baby. Pregnant women need 340 extra calories per day when they are in the second trimester and 450 extra calories per day when they are in their third trimester.

You need to choose foods that help you feel satisfied and pack a big nutritional punch, such as raisins, nuts, crackers and cheese, yogurt and dried fruit.

You must focus on small meals that are high in lean proteins, vegetables, and fruits. You should also eat a healthy snack every three hours.

5. Drink Plenty of Water

Proper hydration is the key to a healthy pregnancy.

You need to drink plenty of water during the day to stay hydrated and help your body to flush out toxins.

Hydration therapy significantly improves the quantity of amniotic fluid in pregnancies complicated by isolated oligohydramnios, according to a 2012 study published in the Journal of Ultrasound in Medicine.

You need to drink 8 to 10 glasses of fluids a day. Water shouldn’t be substituted with colas and soft drinks that contain calories. You should eat more water-rich vegetables and fruits like cucumbers and watermelon.

Avoiding alcoholic and caffeinated beverages is the best option because it can be really bad for your unborn baby.

6. Start Cooking

You should definitely eat healthy when you are pregnant. So, it’s better to start cooking and stop worry about hidden ingredients when you eat out.

Cooking at home means that you have full control over the healthfulness of the foods you eat and the nutritional content. Homemade food is the best way to provide healthy nutrition to your unborn baby.

In addition, if you use healthy cooking techniques like stir-frying, poaching, grilling, roasting and broiling you will not gain excess weight. You need to prepare foods only with little sugar and salt for added benefits.

7. Get Proper Sleep

Relaxation and proper sleep are very important for a healthy pregnancy.

Poor sleep encourages late-night snacking and impacts your fullness hormones and hunger.

You need to get a good night’s sleep of 6 to 8 hours daily. The best option to do this is to stick to a schedule, waking up and going to sleep at the same time every day.