Weighing In

9/18/09 

As we continue to grow like squash on a summer vine, you may be wondering, “Where is all the weight going?” Well, I found the answer to that little query, and it’s merely one click away. The Baby Center Web site has its own “Weight Gain Estimator,” and all you have to do is enter your height and pre-pregnancy weight, and in return it calculates a weight gain range, and breaks it down to where it will go. Here’s mine so you can get an idea of how the pounds are distributed: 

Maternal: 
Uterus 2.39 lbs. 
Breasts 1.0 lb. 
Blood 3.09 lbs. 
Water 4.15 lbs. 
Fat 8.27 lbs. 
Subtotal 18.89 lbs. 

Fetal: 
Fetus 7.5 lbs. 
Placenta 1.6 lbs. 
Amniotic Fluid 1.97 lbs. 
Subtotal 11.07 lbs. 

Total 29.96 lbs. 

Even though the thought of 3 pounds of blood makes me queasy, I still think it’s a pretty cool tool. There’s nothing like feeling more in the know about the great little mystery going on in there. 

Double Your Bubble

8/14/09

I decided to read up on what’s happening inside of me these days using my fave online pregnancy calendar, and discovered a fact that made me shrink in awe. Well actually, the first fact had me amazed, and the second bowled me over. 

First, I learned that the bun in my oven is up to one pound now, which seems pretty amazing by itself, but then came the kicker: that in four weeks it will be two. Just to break that down (and make it even less fathomable)—it took 23 weeks for my bun to reach one pound, and now in a mere four, it’s going to double that. 

All I can say is “Wow!” And, no wonder the second trimester is the key time for ensuring our babies reach a healthy birth weight. Which means, both you and I should make sure we’re eating when we’re hungry, and continuing to take our vitamins, because our babies need it now more than ever.