Since I am half way through the 22nd week of pregnancy, I thought I would research how I have gained a little over 11 lbs in this pregnancy. In a woman of healthy weight, the American Pregnancy Association recommends gaining between 25-35 lbs during gestation (less if the woman started out obese, more if the woman started out under weight). Ideally, doctors recommend putting on approximately 5 lbs in the first trimester and a little over 1 lb a week in the second and third trimesters. My doctor would like me to put on 30 lbs by my 40th week (estimated due date for our son). So far, I have put on a little over 11 lbs and have about 19 more to go. I looked up the breakdown of my 22 week maternal weight gain and here it is:
Baby: 1+ lb
Placenta: 1 lb
Amniotic fluid: 1 lb.
Uterine enlargement: 1 lb.
Extra maternal Breast tissue: 1 lb.
Extra maternal Blood volume: 2 lbs. (yikes! no wonder my veins are so big)
Extra fluids in maternal tissue: 2 lbs.
Extra maternal fat storage for the baby: 2 lbs.
Wow!!! I never knew the baby needed all this extra maternal body weight to live on. Blows this first-time mother's mind. By the end of my pregnancy, we hope that the numbers up top will double, except for the Baby and maternal fat storage, which the doctors hope will be at around 7 lbs by the time I give birth. Making my total weight gain approximately 30 lbs. Of course, these numbers reflect a perfect pregnancy and may be a little higher or lower, depending on: the size of the baby, if the baby is delivered close to his due date, if there are no complications affecting the baby's or the mother's weight gain, etc.
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