Many women don’t understand how they gain so much weight when the baby only weighs 7 lbs (average). Aside from the fact that you are probably gaining some extra weight with the new foods you may have introduced to your diet, other factors add to your pregnancy weight gain.
| Pregnancy Weight Breakdown |
|
| Average Baby |
7.5 pounds |
| Placenta |
1.3 pounds |
| Amniotic Fluid |
2.2 pounds |
| Uterus Growth |
2.2 pounds |
| Enlarged Breasts |
1.1 pounds |
| Expanded Blood Volume |
3.3 pounds |
| Maternal fat stores |
6.6 pounds |
| Retained water | 3.3 pounds |
| TOTAL | 27.5 POUNDS |
Women who begin pregnancy at a normal weight and who are expecting one baby usually are advised to gain 25 to 35 pounds over nine months. Women of normal weight who are expecting twins are usually advised to gain 35 to 45 pounds. Women pregnant with triplets should probably aim for a gain of 50 to 60 pounds.
Studies show that gaining enough weight in the first 20 to 24 weeks of pregnancy is especially important for women carrying multiples. In a twin pregnancy, a gain of at least 24 pounds by the 24th week of pregnancy helps reduce the risk of having preterm and low-birthweight babies. A good early weight gain may be especially important in multiple gestations because these pregnancies tend to be shorter than singleton pregnancies. Studies also suggest that a good early weight gain aids in the development of the placenta, possibly improving its ability to pass along nutrients to the babies.
