They Say: Big Pregnant Mamas = Big Babies

This may sound like common sense, but a new study indicates that women who gain too much weight during pregnancy are more likely to deliver large babies, increasing the health risks for both mother and child.

As reported on WebMD, women who put on 18 kilos or more while pregnant double the risk of delivering a child who weighs four kilos or more. The study, led by the Kaiser Permanente Center for Health Research, is the first to find that heavier mums are more likely to have sizeable kids than women with gestational diabetes who gain appropriate amounts of weight.

So how much weight is the proper amount to gain? (Translation: Should I stop eating the fun-sized Snickers out of my kid's trick-or-treat bags, pronto?) It varies, depending on the woman's size prior to pregnancy. But the recommended amount for the average-sized mum is between 11 and 16 kilos.

If you're pregnant now and feel like you're already teetering on the heavier side of the weight spectrum, don't panic. Just talk to your doctor and follow his or her advice. I know women who freaked out when they were pregnant because they weren't gaining enough weight, and I know women who freaked because they feared they had gained too much. In all cases, they had perfectly healthy, non-obese babies. So while studies like this are helpful in shaping our choices, they shouldn't make anyone freak out, especially if your OB says your pregnancy is progressing smoothly.