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Get updates on how your baby develops, your body changes, and what you can expect during each week of your pregnancy by signing up to the Mumsnet Pregnancy Newsletters.

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Get updates on how your baby develops, your body changes, and what you can expect during each week of your pregnancy by signing up to the Mumsnet Pregnancy Newsletters.

Pregnancy

So how much weight gain is too much?

34 replies

beanstalk · 08/06/2009 19:35

I am 23 weeks now and have put on a stone and a half since getting pregnant. As I was a size 10 to start with, none of the midwives seem concerned. But I have a huge bump and am straining the seams of the maternity clothes that I wore at the end of my last pregnancy .
Anyone else feel they have got quite big quickly?
Is it safe to try to minimise further weight gain? I don't mean a diet as such, but to be a bit careful about how much I eat? My diet has been very carb rich, mainly because I feel so knackered and sick a lot of the time it is the only thing that I can face eating.
I am sooo fed up with the raised eyebrows when I tell people I am only 23 weeks as I look quite heavily pregnant already!

OP posts:

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weaselbudge · 08/06/2009 21:28

Don't try and minimise further weight gain if it's all "bump" because that's your baby growing. My bump was huge from very early on.
Only be concerned if you become really flabby (although you are bound to flab out to some extent because that is healthy and is your body preparing you for breast feeding).
I had to eat every hour during pregnancy because it stopped the nausea but I ate bananas and special k bars and porridge instead of more calorie laden snacks. Friends who just ate what they wanted during pregnancy have found it much more difficult to shift the weight afterwards than i have. So in conclusion - don't diet, make sure you get all the necessary nutrients BUT if you find you need to eat all the time - choose lower calorie options.

fidelma · 08/06/2009 21:31

23 weeks is well on and your weight gain sounds healthy.I always put on alot of weight.I don't stress and I don't stand on the scales until 6 months after the birth by which time I am always back to normal.You are ment to gain weight and put down fat stores in order to feed your baby.You need up an extra 500-700 cals a day in order to breast feed and if you eat normally the weight will drop off.Chill out and enjoy blooming and creating a very healthy little person.

suwoo · 08/06/2009 21:33

Have a look at my profile for a huge bump! Still got 7 weeks to go and that only takes me to 38 weeks. I am sick of the 'are you sure its just one?' comments. I am 31 weeks and have put on 25lb.

ceebie · 09/06/2009 09:21

I don't think it's helpful to try to compare bumps with others for 2 reasons:

we are rubbish at judging our own size against others - studies have shown again and again that when trying to compare themselves to others, women always think they're bigger than they actually are.
all babies and bumps grow at different rates. Some have people asking whether they're sure they're pregnant when they're actually quite late on, and others look about to give birth when they're only half way through. Some put on loads of weight early on then slow down, others put on none for ages then suddenly loads.

Your bump is your baby and all he/she needs to grow healthily, focus on that and don't worry about anything else. As others have said it's a good idea to try to eat healthily (eg wholemeal not white, museli bars instead of biscuits), but don't try to minimise weight gain.

Love your bump for what (actually who!) it is!!!

ninja · 09/06/2009 09:35

I think second time round you put on the weight a lot earlier - I did.

I started 3/4 of a stone heavier second time, definitely showed earlier and ended up the same size as the first time.

Listen to your baby and eat healthily and you'll be fine

AppleAndBlackberry · 09/06/2009 10:51

I started out at 10 stone, so was also a size 12 and had also put on a stone and a half by 23 weeks. However the weight gain slowed down a bit in the 3rd trimester (maybe because the baby needs more calories?) so at 32 weeks I'm now 12st10 which I think is fine.

I did count my calories at around 23/24 weeks and I was eating a bit over the 2300 so I felt it would be ok to cut out one snack a day, which I did for a few weeks but I'm probably eating over that again now. If you are eating more than 2300 calories then it's not going to hurt your baby to cut out something like one snack, especially if it's a sugary one and it helps you feel better about your weight. If you're eating the right amount then I wouldn't try to cut down.

DV1 · 09/06/2009 19:15

Dont worry! I was sick for 4 months and lost nealry 1/2 a stone but have now put on 2 1/2 stone and still have 4 weeks to go!

bohemianbint · 09/06/2009 19:18

Well, I'll cheer you all up - I put on around 4 stone both times. I was more careful the second time but it happened again anyway.

I have lost it all and then some though, but I think that was probably too much...

DV1 · 09/06/2009 19:23

That helped me to feel better, its easy to get overly worried about these things and not focus on the fact you are having a baby!

bohemianbint · 09/06/2009 19:29

I don't think my minstrel addiction helped. It has taken 9 months of dedicated healthy eating to shed it all but it's gone, so that's the important thing. I do wonder if it is predetermined genetically how much you put on. After all, I went mental first time and ate for 4. Didn't do that this last time but it happened again anyway.

DV1 · 09/06/2009 19:31

This is my first so eating for 4 is how i feel, haha, just put the kettle on and had an easter egg in the other hand! My mcdonalds strawberry milkshake addiction is not helping!

suwoo · 09/06/2009 20:56

I put 4 stone on the 1st time, 2 stone on the 2nd (but I was being good). Will be around 2.5 stone this time. Will lose it by 6 months at the most. I need to for my job

GaribaldiGirl · 09/06/2009 20:57

i have put on a totally different amount of weight every time. i'm on my 5th pregnancy. the least i ever gained was 24 pounds (a very pukey pregnancy) and the most was 63 pounds. funnily enough with all of them i weighed exactly the same 12 weeks after delivery. i think it's something a little outside your control - my appetite has been so different every time. my backside looks astonishingly large though this time, bit worried i may be left with it for ever.....

bohemianbint · 09/06/2009 21:15

suwoo - what's your job?!

suwoo · 09/06/2009 21:32

Would love to claim to be a model or a porn star or something, but no....

I'm a Weight Watchers leader

bohemianbint · 10/06/2009 08:40

lol suwoo - I was wondering. Either that or jockey...

BonsoirAnna · 10/06/2009 08:43

Here in France the obstetricians are adamant that 9kg is the optimum and maximum weight gain during pregnancy.

christiana · 10/06/2009 08:45

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christiana · 10/06/2009 08:46

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Castiel · 10/06/2009 08:56

I cycled 8 miles a day right up to the end of my pregnancy and went swimming several times a week. Ate healthily too. I put on about 7 tonnes. I was enormous. My Mum was the same, put on about 5.5 stones. We were both size 8 pre-pregnancy. My Mum was her normal weight again within 6 months, took me a wee bit longer as I'm bfeeding still 2 years in but I weigh less than I did before I got pg.

I think you are what you are frankly and if you're looking after yourself and not eating too much and still being fairly active, you'll be the pregnant woman you were destined to be.

beanstalk · 10/06/2009 11:18

Wow, I'm away for a day and all these responses! Thanks everyone.

suwoo- you look fantastic in your pic but I'm afraid it didn't help me as I am bigger than you at just 23 weeks . I know what you mean about the 'are you sure it's just one' comments, I am sick of those too!

Lots of good advice but my concern is that I can't really do too much exercise as I have SPD/PGP and haven't managed to find an affordable pilates class that will take pregnant women. Add to this my love of Ben and Jerrys and the fact that this pregnancy I am addicted to avocado, and I am piling on the pounds. The size of bump is not really a concern, I'm more worried about my huge thighs and bum!! I am trying to balance the white carbs with plenty of fruit and veg but my eating is a bit off tbh, I am feeling very faddy and can't face certain foods (fish being one of them) which makes it harder to be as healthy as I would like.

christiana - I have gained about 10kg already!

Am trying your tip Apple, to drop a snack. It is quite hard when we're trying to move house as well, chocolate has been my stress reliever

OP posts:

christiana · 10/06/2009 14:17

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Nekabu · 10/06/2009 15:57

beanstalk, as long as you're not stuffing yourself silly and doing baby-wants-cake-baby-wants-pizza-baby-wants-chocolate-baby-wants-crisps then don't worry about it. I'm not overjoyed at the weight I've put on either but there'll be plenty of time to lose it later. I'm not combining being pg with dieting and that's all there is to it! I'm eating as healthily as I can, I haven't put on tons and that will just have to do!

beanstalk · 10/06/2009 17:05

Nekabu - no I'm not quite that bad! I think you're right and I will take comfort in everyone's words (and not in food!!). I think I was just a bit freaked out by how much bigger I am with this 2nd pregnancy than I was with the first. Am hoping that the weight gain slows a bit now!

OP posts:

poppysweetie · 10/06/2009 18:59

I am 38 and a bit weeks and have gained 2 stone 6 which I think is a lot. I havent pigged out that much though have been trying to get my 5 a day etc, now delivery looms closer it is playing on my mind how I will lose the weight!

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