Losing flab off stomach in pregnancy - possible? Inadvisable?

[magnificatAnimaMea]

I've been pregnant on and off for much of the last year (3 miscarriages, currently 11 weeks & healthy pregnancy). Since being pregnant all the time also coincided with an injury that stopped me running (and cycling just doesn't work as well as running), I have put on too much weight. No idea if it's specifically a pregnancy-hormones thing but the obvious fat gain is all in one grim flabby lump on my abdomen, around my navel. There's probably loads of fat elsewhere as well, and obviously pregnancy does involve some weight gain anyway.

For perspective - early last year and for many years previously I had a BMI of 20, being 163cm tall/ about 53kg. I wore size 26 or 27 jeans (UK size 6-8). I now weigh about 65kg (BMI of 24.5) and wear size 29 jeans (UK 12) that I can hardly do up. I'm going to have to buy maternity jeans pretty soon, but that's mostly because of my gut rather than the baby.

I can run a bit but am finding running and cycling very, very tiring, and running currently gives me diarrhoea. I eat meals based on vegetables, everything is cooked from scratch so no mystery additives in processed food, I follow NHS guidelines on portion size and proportions of food groups, eat mostly asian type stir fries/ unprocessed wholegrains.

Can I get rid of this flabby gut, and how do I do it?

[eurochick]

Early pregnancy flabby bloaty mid-section is pretty normal I'm afraid. Most people get a bit chunky around the middle before they develop a bump. I'm not sure there is much you can do about it. You will probably pop out and develop your bump soon. I think I got to the point where I had a small bump at about 14 weeks.

[magnificatAnimaMea]

That makes me feel a bit better - but putting on 10kg in early stages of (repeated) pregnancy is a bit much all the same...

[thenewaveragebear1983]

I would wait until after your baby is born, because any toning is going to go by the wayside when you get nearer to the end! My second baby lay sideways for most of the third trimester and it had pulled my stomach into a strange shape on one side (and that was 4 years ago, and I've been preg again since then!). I can understand how you feel because its strange to see your body changing so much, but I would just get the maternity jeans and embrace the belly. Get some nice moisturiser and hopefully that will keep the stretch marks at bay and enjoy your pregnancy. Congratulations!