To make room for the “equipment” needed to receive the baby. During pregnancy, a healthy woman gains between 11 kg and 15 kg by the time of delivery. In a mother who gains 14 kg during pregnancy, the extra weight is distributed like this: about 2.5 kg of increase in blood and uterus volume, 1.5 kg due to the formation of the placenta and amniotic fluid, 3 .5 kg of the child’s average weight, 2 kg of liquids retained by the organism and another 4.5 kg of fat in the breasts, hips, thighs and abdomen, which serves as energy reserves for emergencies, such as lack of food. In childbirth, much of the extra weight goes away. Only the 2 kg of liquids and the 4.5 kg of fat that the mother must burn to return to her original shape are left.
30% of extra weight is fat
• The placenta weighs 650 grams. Through her, the baby receives nutrients, oxygen and eliminates impurities via the mother’s bloodstream. Bleeding in normal delivery occurs by the detachment of the organ, expelled by the uterus after the birth of the baby.
• At the end of pregnancy, the 800 milliliters of amniotic fluid maintain a pleasant temperature and protect the baby from impacts. Immersed in this liquid, the child urinates, aspirates and drinks from the same source – but don’t be disgusted, as the liquid has no bacteria and is renewed every three hours
• The uterus can reach 1.1 kilograms, as it increases its volume by up to 500 times to house up to 5 liters (the baby, the placenta and the amniotic fluid). For this, you need 500 milliliters of blood circulating and keeping the muscle tissue “stretched”. Six weeks after giving birth, it returns to its normal size, with a capacity of 10 milliliters
• Blood volume increases up to 1.5 liters. To hold the pressure, arteries and veins dilate – blood flow also increases in the narrower and more superficial vessels, causing heat and flushing in the face. This excess is more than enough to ensure that the blood lost in childbirth – up to 1 liter – is not missed by the mother.
• To the delight of the babies, the woman gains about 500 grams of breasts. Weight increases with accumulated fat, greater blood flow at the site and growth of structures such as ducts, alveoli and lobules, prepared to manufacture warm milk as soon as the child arrives
• Since most of the extra blood volume is made up of plasma, the concentration of red blood cells decreases and can even cause anemia in the mother. Excess plasma «leaks» into the tissues, causing retention of up to 2 liters of fluid and swelling in some specific parts of the body, such as the ankles
• Hips, thighs and abdomen store up to 4 kilos of fat. To recover the original weight, the woman must take care of breastfeeding. It’s just that, to produce the milk, she rolls a general «stock burning» in the accumulated fat. Thus, mom can spend up to 500 more calories per day