Where Is The Pregnancy Weight Going?

It is normal for any pregnant woman to put on at least 10 to 14 kgs weight by the time she reaches the end of her term. The baby can hardly weight kgs when you deliver. In fact, the baby will not weigh anything more than 3 to 4 kgs. So where is the rest of the pregnancy weight going? Is the rest of your pregnancy weight gain going to remain with you after you deliver the baby? It is important to understand the breakup of how much weight you gain during pregnancy.

Only if you know where the pregnancy weight is going, can you understand whether your weight gain is on the track. Your pregnancy weight gain does not just go to the baby. It affects every part of your body. There are several changes in your body during pregnancy that lead to the weight gain.

Here is a breakup for you so that you know where your pregnancy weight gain is going.

Baby Weight
You baby weighs about 3 to 4 kgs at the end of your term. So much weight will go away from your postnatal weight straight away. The minimum normal weight for a baby is 2.7 kgs. Anything below that is considered underweight.

Amniotic Fluid
Apart from the baby, the water that the baby stays in also weight just as much as the baby itself. There are minor differences but usually pregnant women have 2 to 3 kgs of water in their uterus when they deliver. You will also lose this weight instantly.

Placenta
The mass of blood vessels and tubes that connects the baby to you also has some weight. Your placenta can also gain weight up to 1kg. So once you deliver the baby, the placenta will also come out on its own.

Blood Volume
Now, here are some hidden attributes of your pregnancy weight gain. Your blood volume doubles in the second trimester so that you can provide enough nutrition and oxygenated blood to the growing baby. This contributes to much of your weight gain.

Enlarged Uterus
The uterus is enlarged to more than 10 times of its size and thus, there is mass of extra tissues here. It takes at least 6 weeks for the uterus to come back to its normal size. You will not be losing these couple of extra kilos until 6 weeks.

Breast Tissue
The mammary glands develop and grow over a period of time during your pregnancy. The fuller breast you now have will also contribute to your prenatal weight gain.

Water Retention
During pregnancy, your body retains water in the tissues as well. This water usually gets released in the form of urine once you deliver the baby. If you have a great deal of water retention in body parts such as swollen legs, hands and face, then you could lose up to 1 or 2 kgs of water weight.

Apart from these places, the extra weight that remains is for beefing you up to support the weight of the baby. It also gives you a cushion for the months when you will be tirelessly breastfeeding your baby.