Where Does All the Pregnancy Weight Go?
Baby only weighs so much—so why do you gain all this weight during pregnancy? Here's a breakdown of where it's all going.
ByThe Bump Editors
Updated
April 26, 2017
April 26, 2017
The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists recommends gaining 25 to 35 pounds during pregnancy—but why? Here’s a pound-by-pound breakdown of how that weight is distributed across your body.
1.5 pounds: the placenta
7 pounds: maternal stores of fat, protein, and other nutrients
7.5 pounds: your average full-term baby
2 pounds: breast tissue (we know it feels like so much more!)
4 pounds: increased fluid volume
4 pounds: increased blood volume
2 pounds: the uterus
2 pounds: amniotic fluid
Total = 30 pounds
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