Weight Gain during pregnancy

We’re so excited to have this little human being growing inside us, but at the same time we dread every time we hit that scale…rgghhh…We always wonder “where does it all go???” The “normal” pregnancy weight gain for a healthy woman is around 25-35 lbs. Here’s the breakdown of where the pounds go:

Baby: 7-9 lbs
Placenta: 2 lbs
Amniotic fluid: 2 lbs
Blood volume: 4-5 lbs
Increase in fluid : 3-4 lbs
Uterine enlargement: 2 lbs
Breastfeeding preparation: 1 lb
Total: 21-25 lbs

Ok…where’s the other 4-10 extra lbs?? Unfortunately, for us, (not the baby!) this extra weight is additional fat deposits needed for your body to accommodate for the great amount of energy is spending and breastfeeding. I’m latina, so these pounds all went to one place….hips!

During the 1st trimester, you can probably gain 4-8 lbs (or actually lose weight if you dealt with morning sickness) During the 2nd trimester, you may gain 1-2 lbs/week and it may stay that way until the last few weeks of your pregnancy, when your baby gains most of the weight. To help you find out if you are within the range of weight gain, you can check out this chart. I gained 36 lbs with my son and this chart was pretty helpful in keeping me on track

You would be one of the lucky few if you actually lose most of it after leaving the hospital. The usual is about 15 lbs. The rest….is up to us to lose. Breastfeeding does speed up the process, as our metabolism increases. Just make sure to eat healthy and add 100-200cal to your diet to nourish your baby’s milk.

Your doctor will always let you know if you're on the right track too. As long as it doesn't pose any risk to the baby, enjoy those extra pounds!!