Has anyone lost a large amount of weight and then become pregnant?

[skihorse]

I really don't want to come across as some shallow, vapid bimbo but perhaps I will.

I was extremely overweight all my adult life and about 4 years ago (aged 31) dealt with the situation by losing 8 stone. I never got the "perfect" body I wanted, but it was good enough - fit and strong.

Here I am pregnant and I'm not coping well. I know I should be able to differentiate between being "fat" and being "pregnant" but I really don't like the way my body is filling out right now and I feel like I'm losing control all over again.

Has anyone been through this before or have any sensible and kind words for me?

[grumpypants]

It is possible to just put on baby - if all of you is filling out, are you falling into the trap of eating for two? Look up guidelines for pregnancy weight gain, and eating, and be reassured that, esp first time, you are likely to find it ok losing the tummy afterwards. That's been my experience anyway. Despite what people tell you, you don't need to eat more until the last few months and then it's only another 200 calories or something. Not trying to suggest you are pigging out btw, just trying to give you a bot of control back iyswim?

[skihorse]

I'm being very careful about what I eat because as you say I'm determined to gain babyweight, not all-over weight. However, as will invariably happen - I am thickening around the waist (mostly gas at this stage) and I don't like it... my waist has always been the one thing I liked.

I do need to look at my diet because I've been lazy recently with regards to preparation but also I think I ought to buy some new, more flattering for my new shape clothes.

"My body is a temple for my baby". I will repeat this 500 times a day!

[grumpypants]

For reasons I won't go into, I was really upset about it first time round, but if you can afford to buy some nice maternity jeans/ tops and make the bump a feature?

[shushpenfold]

Ok - so if you fall into the true 'skinny bird' category, we apparently put on the most amount of weight and then loose it pretty quickly. I am slim (5,10 and 10stone) and put on 3 stone with both my 2nd and 3rd pgs - I think that's quite a bit. I was back to normal 'weight' by 8 months and relatively normal shape once I stopped BF (at about 10/11 months) Until then I had bigger boobs, arms and kept my upper body weight. I am an ex anorexic and am still very body concious. I had been worried as to how I would cope with the weight gain, not so much during the pg but afterwards more. It took a bit of calming down (and frankly I was so tired for the first 2 months I truly gave up!) Once I'd had the 6 week check though I started to exercise and watched my diet - not drastically cutting back but just back to normal and was careful. At 3 months I tried the low GI diet for a month and that took off most of the last stone. The last few lbs took work but it did happen and once there, I stayed at that weight (ish) I repeated this pattern three times on the advice of my sister - she didn't diet in between and then had 3 stone to loose (not including baby!) after her two. Godd luck, please try not to worry and congratulations on the pg.xxx

[TotallyAndUtterlyPaninied]

I lost 5 stone, got pregnant, piled it on, got pregnant again . Hard work undone but children to show for it. Priorities change when they're here. I'll lose the weight again in time as will you.

[Ponymum]

ski Be positive! Don't underestimate how much weight you are going to lose after the baby is born - I did! I breast fed until 8 months and was amazed how much weight I lost. I ended up significantly slimmer after than I was before. It especially fell away in the later part of BF (the 4-8 month part).

I agree it is shocking and weird seeing your body being taken over and transformed beyond any control of your own, but it is not forever. I put on 19 kg during my first pregnancy (being wheelchair-bound at the end didn't help) but a year later I weighed 10 kg less than I did before pg! I am actually looking forward to the post preg weight loss this time around, as I know it can be done. You will too.

[skihorse]

Thank you everyone for your kind words.

I bought some new clothes yesterday which OH says are "too big" but they're not clinging to every swollen curve and I feel so much "slinkier" so that's helping.

Bring on the breast-feeding!

[MumNWLondon]

Skihorse - as long as you are careful with what you eat, you will look pregnant and not fat - although its true you do have to go through the looking fat phase first.

However the pregnancy hormones do encourage your body to store fat for breastfeeding so putting on weight, even if excess of baby is just one of those things. The thickening around the waist is the baby though, its the extra weight on bum and thighs thats fat!

I'm sad to say that I actually put weight on breastfeeding both times as I was starving the whole time, ended up around 1.5 stones more than pre-preg weight when I stopped feeing when baby was 6 months old, but am pleased to report that I lost this really quickly after stopping to feed (within a couple of months).

And its all worth it as you have your baby to show for it.

[lucysnowe]

I lost three stone, got preg, got back to about the same a few months later, and lost another stone. Not too sound smug, I just found being at home with DD more conductive to losing weight.

[JinglingJamieJayBells]

I have no words to help but can empathise and I only lost 2 stone before falling pregnant and am still overweight in all honesty. I'm now 8 weeks pregnant and have already gained 2lbs!

I think buying the clothes was a good idea - nothing makes me feel chunkier than tight clothes!

Just remember that you can lose the weight afterwards and you will have a beautiful baby afterwards

[Horsiemummy]

Me too! ilost nearly 4 stone. kept it off for a year then got pregnant.

at first i was really stressing about only gaining "baby" weight and no more but then several friends said, well you know exactly how to lose it now. and after a while i thought yeah - damn it im going to enjoy this pragnancy and not beat myself up.

my plan is to breastfeed and see where im at when that is finished - and then - and only then turn my attention back to regaining my figure.

i have to remind myself of this daily so im with you but do chill and try to enjoy.