Your Pregnant..and BIG: Where Does All The Weight Come From?

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Many women don't understand how they gain so much weight when the baby only weighs 7lbs (average). Aside from the fact that you are probably gaining some extra weigh with the new foods you may have introduced to your diet, there are other factors that 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 development of the placenta, possibly improving its ability to pass along nutrients to the babies.

SOURCE:MARCHOFDIMES, NESTLEBABY

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