Where All that Pregnancy Weight Goes

The mystery of where the baby weight goes is finally solved.
The mystery of where the baby weight goes is finally solved.

We LOLed when we read that Jessica Simpson thought her pregnancy weight would disappear after her baby was born. No doubt, it's no fun to lose baby weight, but we were surprised that she thought it would just go away. Turns out, some of it does disappear. Curious to know where baby weight goes, we got Cosmo Radio women's health expert Jennifer Wider, MD, to break it down for us.

By Korin Miller

The Baby: 7.5 Pounds
Pregnancy weight gain varies from woman to woman. But the average total is 30 pounds per pregnancy-and 7.5 of that is baby, which does go away once the little one comes out.

Placenta: 1.5 Pounds
The placenta connects the developing fetus to your uterine wall, and it comes out when you give birth, too.

Your Blood: 4 Pounds
When you're pregnant, your body produces more blood to help the baby grow and keep you healthy.

Your Uterus: 2 Pounds
During pregnancy, your uterus is about 15 times heavier than usual. After the baby comes out, it slowly shrinks back.

Related: What Happens to Your Body After You Have a Baby

Your Boobs: 2 Pounds
Good news if you've always wanted a bigger set: You can go up two cup sizes or more during pregnancy. Why? The pregnancy hormone progesterone stimulates growth of breast tissue to get your tatas ready for breastfeeding. They'll go down again after you give birth or stop nursing.

Fluid: 4 Pounds
This is usually due to water retention, which gradually dissipates after the baby is born.

Fat: 7 Pounds
Your bod wants you to gain weight when you're prego, and it stores fat during that time. Why? Just in case you get stranded somewhere without food, this fat store ensures that you and the baby will be okay for a little while.

Amniotic Fluid: 2 Pounds
This is the liquid that nourishes and protects your baby when it's in the uterus. It also comes out with the baby.

Read more at Cosmopolitan.com!

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