MALE PATTERN FITNESS: asklou

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September 13, 2004

Sympathy Weight Gain During Pregnancy

Since my wife has been pregnant (she's due any day) I've gained weight, even though I take Tae Kwon Do classes and haven't increased my eating. As a matter of fact, I've cut back. What could possibly be the cause of this?

I Googled and Medlined the hell out of this one, and couldn’t find anything science-based to explain weight gain in a father-to-be. So here’s a semi-educated opinion:

First, there’s some evidence from animal studies that childbirth affects male hormone levels. Animals (marmosets, IIRC) with lower testosterone levels proved to be better fathers than those with higher levels. So it’s possible that your T levels are falling in anticipation of the birth. If this is the case, it’s good news: You’re going to be a great dad.

Second, the final weeks of pregnancy, in my experience, tend to be pretty sedentary. It’s uncomfortable for the wife to get around, so the husband tends to move less also. (At least in the first pregnancy; after that, the dad has to move twice as much to take care of the non-fetal offspring. Although, having said that, I should probably note that my wife would disagree about how much help I actually provided.)

Good luck, man, and I hope you enjoy and remember these wonderful moments. You’re at the beginning of life’s greatest adventure. You’ve got plenty of time to lose the extra pounds. I know I’m much leaner now than I was during my wife’s three pregnancies and our children’s earliest years.

Posted by LouSchuler at 08:43 AM