Wonderful Weight Gain

Pregnancy is one of the few times in a woman’s life (the only time in mine, actually) when she is supposed to gain weight. For instance, at my last doctor’s visit, I was congratulated for gaining two pounds. “Huh, what a nice change,” I thought. Looking at myself in the mirror a month later, my scale at home says I’ve gained about 2-3 more pounds. This time, I’m starting to see a little bit of a “baby bump.” But pregnancy weight gain is so much more than ‘the bump.’ This was very evident to me as I read in Understanding Nutrition, Chapter 15 (which details nutrition during Pregnancy and Lactation) as it listed pregnancy weight gain into its components. Read below, some are surprising:
• 2# increased breast size
• 4# increase in mother’s fluid volume
• 1.5# placenta
• 4# increase in blood supply to the placenta
• 2# amniotic fluid
• 7.5# infant at birth
• 2# increase in size of uterus and supporting muscles
• 7# mother’s fat stores
TOTAL: 30#

Now, I’m assuming the increase in mother’s fluid volume would be water weight, as they call out a four-pound increase in blood separately. But seriously, I gain four pounds of blood?!? No wonder I need an iron supplement! Of course, these values are averages, and depending on the mother’s pre-pregnancy weight, the mom may be directed to try to gain more or less than this 30 pound figure. Plus, we know that not all babies weigh 7.5 pounds when born.

As I’ve gradually told people that I’m pregnant, women naturally share their pregnancy tales with me. I’ve heard women say they gained 60 pounds, 80 pounds, and 13 pounds. That’s quite a spread, and none of them are in the recommended ranges listed in Understanding Nutrition. While I know there are ideals, it’s also good to know that many people fall outside these perfect pregnancies.