Pregnant - not gaining weight as I should be - AIBU to worry

[Apregnantworrier]

was slim / normal to start with.

I packed on the pounds in first trimester as eating was the only thing that helped with feeling sick but so me then (now 25 weeks) the weight gain has really slowed. I think I’m supposed to be gaining 1 pound a week but I’m really not. Has anyone else had this?

I am eating much healthier now I don’t feel unwell / hungover but I assumed it steadily increase. Have gained 10 pounds overall but the majority of that was before 14 weeks.

baby looked good at 20 week scan and I can feel them moving etc.

I’ve lost a lot of weight thanks to severe morning sickness (at 8 months I weight 10kg less than before I was pregnant) and I was slim to start off with. I’m basically like a stick figure with a balloon tummy.

I’m under high risk care for this pregnancy for other issues, and my doctor isn’t worried. She basically said the baby is a parasite and will take what it needs. Mine at 8 months measured in the average size/weight.

So long story, try not to worry. Just take good prenatals and vitamins.

Another one here that loses weight in pregnancy.

When we’re pregnant, all we do is worry. But take it from a currently non-pregnant mum… worry less!!

Nothing to worry about. I'd say that's probably about average what you have gained. It's more third trimester onwards that you really gain it. I had gained 3lbs by 20wks and only 5lbs by 26 wks. No mentioned a thing and I was weighed throughout. Baby measured bang on sometimes a bit over where she shld be but at 41wks when she was born I had gained just over 2 stone. It all came last 10wks.

I gained 4-5 STONE in my first pregnancy and all at the end of second trimester to being induced at 37 weeks, however had every complication in pregnancy going .

second pregnancy - zero complications except hip and pelvic pain, morning sickness to week 18 and since my booking week 6 , now week 29 I have gained 4lbs in total

madness my midwife didn’t bat an eyelid at this so I wouldn’t worry

I lost 2.5 stone in my first pregnancy, lost 1 stone in my second, both babies were full term and over 7lbs. As everyone else has said you really don't need to gain weight when you're pregnant. If you're a tiny framed person you may just not naturally gain and hold weight.

I've gained 1lb in this while pregnancy. I'm 34+3 with twins.

Whole*

I wasn't as slim as you but was not overweight, BMI of 22 before I got pregnant. I gained nothing until around 20 weeks and gained 11lb overall doing nothing different to normal apart from no wine!

Second time i gained around 16lb. As long as you're eating and the midwives are happy when you see them aboit it I wouldn't worry at all!

Sorry op...a uk size 4 is not "normal" (and I'm not body shaming, that is tiny!!).

Please don't stress, if bump is measuring ok baby will be doing just fine!

I put on about 20 pounds with each of my pregnancies so after my 8 pound babies were born i was soon back to normal.

Eat as well as you can (as in healthily but with a few treats-a balanced diet) and try not to stress!

Congratulations on your pregnancy!

Fellow twin mum here. I’m 18 weeks and weigh less than when l got pregnant -morning sickness is still bad. Hopefully it will go on in the next few weeks, as lm half way there this weekend. Midwife was super relaxed at my week 16 appointment, she said they would take what they need

If your care team has no concerns I think you'll be fine! I have a very skinny friend who only put on about 7 or 8kg for both of her pregnancies. Both her babies were average sized and very healthy now. Good luck!! 😁

If you look at NHS website there's no recommended weight gain. As long as you didn't go on a diet you're fine. I am slim, BMI below 20 and gained just 7 pounds in the whole pregnancy.

@ChildcareIsBroken

www.nhs.uk/pregnancy/related-conditions/common-symptoms/weight-gain/

I am a uk 8 same before pregnancy and I didn’t even have a bump until about 28 weeks, felt too sick to eat most of the time, put a bit on in the last 6 weeks or so. You don’t need to be gaining specific amounts. You sound very petite so you will probably remain that way. Weight gain in pregnancy doesn’t always happen to everyone

Like others, I only gained weight in the final two months really, despite having large babies (DD was just under 10lbs)! Speak to your GP or midwife if you’re concerned, but you’re probably fine.

@Apregnantworrier well is your BMI under 18.5? Looks like the general advice is that as long as it isn’t there’s no real cause for concern
you Will find the nhs website full of generic info as your pregnancy progresses and then when you have the baby , absolutely loads of generic info about childhood illnesses, breastfeeding, weaning etc. Much of it won’t apply as it’s just that, generic, and all women/pregnancies are different. That’s why it always says ‘speak to your midwife or health visitor’ because it can’t serve everyone and give info based on everyone’s individual circumstances. Take it with a pinch of salt or you’ll drive yourself mad!

Another here who didn't put on much weight - 15lb total. I wasn't overweight pre-pregnancy, started at 8.5 stone. I also put on most in the first trimester, I definitely looked pregnant at 3 months but barely grew after. When induced and in labour on the post natal ward full term other mother's were shocked as they assumed I'd had my baby already. She was a healthy 6lb 5oz born - my son was 6lb 10oz born even though I put on 3 stone during that pregnancy.
Raise with your midwife if you are concerned, but if they aren't worried I wouldn't be either.

I find it fascinating how differently different healthy women gain weight in pregnancy. In my case I also put on most of my weight in the first trimester. I think my body was planning to store all the energy and fat soluble vitamins it needed for the whole pregnancy in advance just in case of famine later.

Then I seem to hang onto a chunk of that fat while breastfeeding too. In both previous pregnancies it's suddenly disappeared around the time my period came back. At least I hope that's how it works.. I'm breastfeeding number 3 at the moment and looking forward to being back to my normal weight.

If you're a normal weight/shape normally, I wouldn't worry OP, your body probably knows what it's doing!

In my last pregnancy I lost 14 lb in the first 16 weeks then slowly gained it back so at the end of pregnancy weighed the same as I did at the start.

I was slim and had a normal bmi before pregnancy. I only gained 12 pounds in total. Baby is healthy and lovely!

First DC, I actually lost 5lbs in the first trimester as I was the opposite to you and couldn't eat because I felt too sick! And I was only about 8.5 stones to begin with.

I only put on 2 stones overall and as DC was 8lbs 8oz, together with the placenta, extra blood etc, I lost pretty much a stone after she was born! I think a few days after I was only 10lbs over my pre-pregnancy weight.

As long as you're eating healthily and baby is measuring okay, you'll be fine. Don't get fixated on the numbers. I imagine you'll put more on in the second half of your pregnancy.

I started with a normal BMI and lost 1.5 stone due to sickness. Baby was 9lbs 10 ounces and now I'm slimmer than ever 🤣

As you see it's very generic. If your tests and scans are all fine, there's nothing to worry about.
"But some naturally slim women stay slim while they're pregnant and have healthy babies."