A Tale of Three Trimesters - EditPro-Services

Most of your weight gain will be pretty evenly spread over the last two
trimesters - about a pound a week, with a little more at the end. If you
are underweight, increase this by about 25% (an extra pound a month).
During your second trimester, the weight you gain will mostly go to
amniotic fluid, the placenta, and increased breast tissue, with a lesser
amount going to the weight of your baby. But in the third trimester,
your child will start to really grow, so most of the weight you gain then
will contribute to the mass of your baby’s body. At the very end of
your pregnancy, when your baby approaches her term weight, your
weight gain may slow or even stop.
If you find yourself gaining more than about a pound a week, see if you
can find the reason. Are you eating more sweets or rich foods than
usual? Are you eating late at night? If you notice that you are not
gaining any weight, or if you actually begin to lose weight, talk to your
doctor or health care provider. This could be a sign of possible
problems.
Where Does the Weight Go?
Don’t worry, a weight gain of 30 pounds doesn’t mean that each of
your thighs will be 15 pounds heavier when you leave the delivery
room. Thirty pounds is about what your changing body and your
growing baby need in healthy gestation. Here’s where the weight goes:
7 ½ pounds – approximate weight of your newborn.
1 ½ pounds – normal weight of the placenta.
4 pounds - increased fluid volume.
2 pounds - weight of the uterus.
2 pounds - weight of added breast tissue.
4 pounds - increased blood volume.
7 pounds - maternal stores of fat, protein and other nutrients.
2 pounds - amniotic fluid.
Total - 30 pounds
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