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How closely related is mother's weight gain and baby's weight at birth?

post #1 of 67
3/2/09 at 10:38pm
Thread Starter 
My midwives are really worried about my weight gain because, the one said today, she's afraid that the baby will get too big, making my chances of a VBAC harder.

But I gained 60+ pounds with my first and he was less than 8 pounds.

So how connected are the two?


TIA
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post #2 of 67
3/2/09 at 10:44pm
I gained 40 lb with each pregnancy and the on-time baby was 9lb while the 41-weeker was 10lb, 10oz. But that's just anecdote . . .
post #3 of 67
3/2/09 at 10:47pm
I gained 50 lbs both times and my babies were 7.5 and 8 even
post #4 of 67
3/2/09 at 10:47pm
Statistically, I have no idea. Anecdotally, I have known several women who gained 50-60lbs and had 6-8lb babies.

Me, I gained 19 lbs ( yes nineteen) and had a 9 lb 14 oz baby (that's right nearly ten). Stick that in your pipe and smoke it!
post #5 of 67
3/2/09 at 10:50pm
With my last pregnancy, I gained about 11.5 lbs, and my baby was 11-6, so it was pretty close.

I guess that's not typical, though.
post #6 of 67
3/2/09 at 10:51pm
With my first, I gained 65 pounds and had a 9 lbs 7 oz baby.

Second - gained 40 pounds, had a 10+ pound baby.

Third, lost 15 pounds, but gained it back plus 2 (for a total of 17 pounds), and had a 6 pound baby.
post #7 of 67
3/2/09 at 10:54pm
gained 55 7lbs 5 oz
gained 65 7lbs

I don't think it is related unless you have some Gestational Diabetes or something.
post #8 of 67
3/2/09 at 11:00pm
I don't think there is too much correlation.... I think it has a lot to do with what types of food you ate....I think a higher protein more nutritious diet is going to yield a bigger baby than an empty calorie diet...

DD1 I gained 38lbs. on a fairly good diet...I did indulge here and there.... she was 8+lbs.

DD2 I gained 56lbs. on a total crap empty calorie diet...I ate muffins for breakfast and I craved fast food and sweets....she was 7lbs. 12oz.

DS I gained 54lbs. on a really good diet...I pretty much tried to follow the brewer diet...eggs every morning with cheese...made sure I got plenty of good protein at every meal..made my own organic vegetable juice (carrots, beets, celery, kale and wheat grass and an apple) and I drank a glass every day (every other week).....he was 10+lbs.
post #9 of 67
3/2/09 at 11:11pm
I have to agree with the PP.
Ds1 gained 74 pounds.. he was 8lbs 7.5 oz I ate crap the whole way through and he was "2.5 weeks early" according to the OB
dd gained 54 pounds.. she was 7lbs 13.5 oz I again ate mostly crap and she really was induced 3 weeks early
last ds (home birth) I gained 38 pounds I did the Brewer diet and got at least 120 grams of protein a day.. he was 9 pounds & 23 inches
(oh, he was born right at 40 weeks)
post #10 of 67
3/2/09 at 11:22pm
There are too many variables. Was the mother overwt to begin with before her pregnancy wt gain? I think ethnicity can play a role (both DH and I are Asian American), etc.. I have nausea and vomiting for my entire pregnancy for each pregnancy, which causes me not to gain very much wt.

Baby #1, I gained 13 lbs, baby was 6 lbs 10 oz

Baby #2, I gained 18 lbs, baby was 7 lbs 2 oz
post #11 of 67
3/2/09 at 11:53pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Viola View Post
With my last pregnancy, I gained about 11.5 lbs, and my baby was 11-6, so it was pretty close.

I guess that's not typical, though.
WOAH! I thought my stats were dramatic.
post #12 of 67
3/3/09 at 12:12am
Mine is also anecdotal:

First pregancy: Gained around 30kg, baby was 3.6kg
Second pregancy: Gained abour 28kg, baby was 2.76 (was born 4 weeks early)
Third pregnancy: Gained around 20kg, baby was 2.48kg (was born 4.5 weeks early)
Fourth pregnancy: Gained around 15kg, baby was 3.2kg (term)
Fifth pregnancy: Gained around 25kg, baby was 1.98kg (5 weeks early)

So, for me, NO correlation!
post #13 of 67
3/3/09 at 12:15am
I am not sure if actual weight gain has anything to do with the baby's size, but I was told (WARNED!) by my hb midwife last time that if I continued to eat sugars and white carbs that it would grow a big head and big shoulders on the baby. Sure enough he was 9 lbs 13 oz with a HUGE head ... and I'm a tiny person! I gained 65 lbs with that pregnancy. Because I only got up to 8 cm and stalled, she's understandably concerned about my weight gain this time around and I have been trying really, really hard to stay away from sugar and carbs. So far I am at about 13 weeks and haven't gained anything yet, though I never really lost that last 20 lbs from my son. Like the OP, I am hoping a smaller baby will increase my chances of a succesful VBAC. So, good luck to both of us!
post #14 of 67
3/3/09 at 12:18am
I've known people who've gained over 60lbs with pregnancy. I've never seen a baby over 8lbs. Well, I did see a baby who was close to 9lbs, but mom only gained 25lbs.

With DS, I gained 30lbs. He was 7lbs 10ozs.

This pregnancy, I'm almost 29 weeks & still stand at -17lbs.
post #15 of 67
3/3/09 at 12:20am
Not really related..unless there is GD or something.

I gained 46 pounds with each of my first 2 children and they were 7'9 (induced 10 days early) and 8-3 (natural on her due date). I gained minimal weight with my now 7 yr old and he was 8'5 (went in to labor naturally) and the last one, I gained no weight, they took him by csect 3 weeks early (they said they no longer did vbacs and I allowed myself to be bullied in to a csect) and he was 7'15.
post #16 of 67
3/3/09 at 12:24am
I gained 40 lbs. with each of my pregnancies and DD was 6 lb 9 oz and DS was 6 lb 13 oz. I was pretty petite pre-pregnancy each time too.
post #17 of 67
3/3/09 at 2:19am
I don't think it matters honestly. I have gained 25 lbs and had a 9 lb baby and gained 45 and had a 7 lb baby.

This time I am at 16 lbs for 31 weeks and am the biggest I have ever been. Fully expect a 10 lber this time.
post #18 of 67
3/3/09 at 2:26am
I gained 26 and DD was 7lbs 7 oz.
post #19 of 67
3/3/09 at 10:05am
I am not sure.
My first I gained 20lbs he weighed 6lbs 3oz
My second I gained 10 lbs he was 8lbs 4oz
My Third I gained 6lbs and he was 7lbs 40z
This time I am 30 week and so far have lost 14lbs and she is measuring on target. Yes I know I am not normal. I have very little weight gains. Dr is fine with it but what I am trying to say is even with my little weight gains my babies are normal size. You would think with little weight gain I would have little babies.
post #20 of 67
3/3/09 at 11:48am
First: gained 12 lbs, he weighed ~8.4 lb and was 5 days late.
Second: lost ~12.5 lbs, she weighed 8.7 lb and was 8 days late.

This time, I'm only 12 weeks and currently 17 lbs down.

Dietary/nutritional status of mom has more to do with baby's weight than what mom gains (or loses, in my case).
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