Possible to have a 7 lbs baby if you only gained 20 lbs total during pregnancy?

Question

Has anyone gained 20 or less lbs during pregnancy and had over a 6lbs baby? How is this possible when you consider the weight of the placenta, amniotic fluid, etc. If this has happened to anyone did you actually weight less after delivery than you did before you got pregnant. The only way I thought that this was possible is if you lost weight and then gained an additional 20 lbs. Can someone explain...or give details on your experience. Thx!

Thanks Ladies,

I was a little concerned b/c Im currently 32 weeks and have only gained 11 lbs even though Im eating like I normally. My doctors says everything is fine and Im measuring (fundal height) right at 32 weeks, but I just wanted to hear your experiences. Thx.

Answer 1

I gained only one pound during my first pregnancy and gave birth to a 7 pound, 7 ounce daughter.

With my second pregnancy, I gained three pounds and gave birth to a 7 pound, 12 ounce son.

After my first pregnancy, I did weigh less than I did before I got pregnant. Immediately after my second pregnancy, I actually weighed MORE when I was discharged from the hospital than I did when I was admitted (thanks to all of the fluid they pumped my body full of). I lost weight quickly, though, thanks to breastfeeding:)

I am now 35 weeks pregnant with my third child, and right now I weigh less than I did when I got pregnant.

I am slightly overweight, and with each pregnancy have had a little extra weight when I got pregnant. However, I do not diet during pregnancy-I eat healthy, well balanced meals.

I hope this helps!

EDITED TO ADD: I do not recommend TRYING to keep your weight down. Eat healthy, and take what comes because the baby's health is more important than how much weight you gain or do not gain!

Answer 2

Each women is different through there pregnancy. If your doctor said the baby is fine, then you have nothing to worry about. Maybe you don't have alot of amniotic fluid. When I was pregnant with my second child, I gained more than 30 lbs. And my daughter was 6 lbs 7 oz. But I lost all the extra lbs when she was born. I thought she was going to be a big baby, but she really wasn't . The doctors told me I had alot more amniotic fluid than other women. Which they say is good and n ot bad. The reason is, the more fluid you have the better the protection is for your unborn child. The fluid is like a protective wall for the baby. So I shouldn't worry, as long as you keep going to your doctor (and they say everything is fine), eat right, and do everything to keep the baby and yourself fine, your good. Unless your a smoker, that you do have a high chance of the baby coming out under wieght.

Answer 3

Yes, definitely! My mom gained 20 lbs with my sister and myself and 25 lbs with my brother. My sister weighed 7lbs 4 oz, I weighed 7 lbs 15 oz and my brother weighed 8 lbs 4 oz. My mom was anywhere between 115-125 lbs when she got pregnant. I myself am currently pregnant and have gained 2 lbs by 15 weeks and weigh 120lbs. Doctors say I am right on track and my goal weight is 20-25 lbs since I may take after my mother and birth large babies, in addition to my narrow hips. So it's possible to gain 20lbs and have 7-8 lb baby and it's also possible to gain 50 lbs and birth a 5-6 lb baby . Your body knows what it is doing, just eat healthy and listen to your body :)

Answer 4

With my 1st baby I only gained 12 lbs and he was 7 lbs 7 oz. I lost over 20 pounds before I left the hospital due to a large amount of fluid. With my 2nd I gained 32 lbs. she was 7 lbs 13 oz. Within 2 weeks I had lost 33 lbs. My 3rd gained 17 lbs. she was 7 lbs 11 oz. And I lost 20 pounds before I came home. So yes with all of my children I weighed less after I had the babies than before I got pregnant.

Answer 5

Each pregnancy is differnet, that is for sure!! With my first I lost 30 lbs, and then gained 10 back in my last trimester. I weighed 20 lbs less after giving birth than i did when i got preggie!!!! (she weighed 7lbs 11 oz and was 2 wks late) THen with my second, which was a boy, I almost instantly went from my size 4's to a size 10!!! That boy packed on almost 75 lbs to me!!! ( weighed 7 lbs 10oz- was right on time) Then with our third child I lost body weight, but gained baby weight, so my actual weight stayed the same the entire pregnancy. She had to be delivered early because of possibly being Meso. (She weighed 7 lbs 9.5 oz and was delivered 2 wks early) Anyway that is how that worked for me.

Answer 6

I've lost 13 lbs this pregnancy, I'm due in three weeks, and my baby is almost seven pounds right now. The baby will take what it needs to grow, and if you, like I did, stop eating poorly when you find you're pregnant, you can lose weight just because you are eating better. Talk to you doctor if you're concerned about your weight gain, but it's TOTALLY possible to only gain 20 and have a 7 lbs baby.

Answer 7

On my first pregnancy I gained 12 pounds total my little girl weighed 7 lbs 2 ozs. I did loose 10 pounds the first 3 months due to morning sickness I was 135 lost 10 was 125 weighed 147 when I had her so from my first weight i did only gain 12 pounds!

Answer 8

My last 2 pregnancies had 15 pound weight gains each.. The boys were 9 lb 8 oz and 9lb 5 oz.... I did actually lose some weight during the first 4 mos because I was actually eating HEALTHY! lol No soda, cut back on sugars, etc.

Answer 9

Actually, I am carrying a baby right now that is said to be over 6 pounds (via ultrasound estimate give or take about 6 ounces) already. I still have a little over four weeks to go and I have only gained about 7 pounds this pregnancy. Anything's possible with pregnancy. But yes, I have known women who gained 20 pounds or less and actually came out of labor and delivery weighing less than they did to begin with. Just to clarify, I have not dieted during this pregnancy-I have nearly ate myself out of house and home trying to gain weight, but to no avail, no weight gain than what I have already put on. So in that case and at this point, unless I start gaining at least 3 pounds a week, I plan on walking out of the hospital weighing less than I did at the start of my pregnancy.

Answer 10

with my 1st pregnancy I gained 17 lbs. and my daughter weighed 7.6 lbs. Then my last pregnancy I gained 23 lbs., and my daughter weighed 6 1/2 lbs. Your baby will gain the weight he or she needs, even if you don't gaina a lot of weight. He/she will just steal nutrients from you. I weighed less after my first delivery then I did before I got pregnant, but I put on about 5 lbs a few months later while I was nursing because I was finally hungry and not nauseated anymore.