Not gonna cope with pregnancy weight gain

[zinrlow]

Hi all,

I was unsure on whether to post this or not but it's really affecting me. If this could be a trigger to someone please do not read as I do not want to offend or upset anybody.

To begin with, I know how lucky I am to be pregnant and I am very very grateful for it so I know that I am being unreasonable in my thinking, but it's still a huge issue for me,

I am 27 and 13 weeks pregnant. I am still very early so dont have a bump, but I have put a fair bit of weight on already as I have been eating like an absolute pig. When I look in the mirror side on, I am absolutely disgusted in what I see.

I am only 5ft and a size 10/12 usually, but my size 12 jeans are getting tight already. My midwife said that my BMI is healthy last week, but I am just disgusted in myself,

I have had issues back in my younger days with weight and was very underweight at one point, although I am over these issues now, the thought of extreme weight gain scares me.

I'm not sure what I am looking for here really, but has anyone else felt this way? I really don't know what I'm going to do and how I am going to cope with pregnancy weight gain when I'm feeling like this only 13 weeks in. It's completely my fault as I have been eating everything in sight, but I look huge already and it's making me so miserable 😔

Please see gp and referral to a therapist
your body will change and you need support to accept it

Not sure if it's much consolation but I was constantly hungry with my first pregnancy. I was massive. I lost the weight after she was born with no real effort, just breast feeding and pushing a pram I think.
Speak to your midwife maybe? Explain how you're feeling.

I felt the same as I was big during my teens and worked my arse off to get fit and healthy so was always a concern. What helped me was accepting that my body was creating the most precious gift of my life and it is a phase of my life and that I would be slim again.

I had grand plans to eat healthy but spent most of my time going from McDonald’s to Starbucks and basically eating whatever I fancied. I had to appreciate my body craved certain foods and was a home to my baby.

Seriously, I know it’s easier said than done, but don’t be hard on yourself. Once you’ve had your baby you can create a suitable plan to shift any excess weight. I’m 3 months post birth and I gave myself the first 6 weeks to recover and since then I’ve lost 8 pounds. Trust me, once you start eating how you usually do and getting movement, the excess weight will quickly decrease.

Can you go for daily walks in the meantime? Being pregnant is not the time to put pressure on yourself. Try to enjoy your pregnancy - it goes so fast. I’m typing this as my baby is my arms and when I look at my pregnancy photos I’d give anything to re-live those moments!

Thank you all. I know that I need to accept that my body is going to change, I just am finding it very difficult.

I think that all I can do really is eat healthily and go for walks etc to make me feel better.

It's very reassuring to know that many have lost all of the weight after giving birth, for some reason my silly mind is telling me "your body will be ruined forever"

That’s a great strategy. Oh my goodness your body will not be ruined forever, trust me. Yes it will go through changes but try to lean into those changes if you can and then once you have your beautiful baby you can be excited to get back into shape. It’ll all be worth it. Best of luck for the rest of your pregnancy

@Chattycatt thank you so much for your kind words x

I'm the same height as you and similar body shape.

I gained 3 stone with baby number 2 😳. It all came off in time. Chill.

It's not you gaining weight, it's your baby gathering food together to be cradled safely inside to grow, healthy and happy - and the way to do that is for the baby to make you hungry.

Every change is your baby growing, making room as they get bigger and stronger until you get to meet them.

I have had 3 babies, gained a lot with each- once it was slightly more than 3 stone. The thinnest I have ever been was breastfeeding baby no 2- was down to 9 stone (5'8") and eating like a pig; the breastfeeding just sucks it out of you. Right after having each baby, I felt huge, but by 6-8 months postpartum, my body was completely back to normal (except for varicose veins after #3). Try not to worry- really! (I know that might annoying advice, which sounds glib, but I don't mean it that way.)

I think many women are concerned about weight gain when pregnant. I have always been very petite and after having my DC then breastfeeding, I lost all of the weight and then some. Nobody tells you that your metabolism goes into overdrive to make milk, so it is doable. For me personally, I was constantly on the go and suddenly noticed my clothes getting looser and looser. Try and concentrate on how amazing your body is for making this baby. And anything you eat is nurturing your baby to be strong and healthy. Good luck X

Hi OP. I get you. Currently 15 weeks with #2. I've been feeling so unwell and eating loads to deal with the nausea. I've put on so much weight and feel absolutely awful for it but I did what I had to do to manage. Pregnancy cravings are impossible to fight! Only the last couple of days my hunger and nausea have subsided so I've naturally eaten less but also, I've been in the mood for healthy food like fish and veg so I'm hoping this is a more permanent feeling and weight gain will balance out.

First pregnancy I quickly lost weight from breastfeeding and pram pushing so hoping for the same again but just need to wait and see. Trying to adjust my mindset, as PPs have suggested, to accept it for now but once baby arrives I can take back control and focus on losing whatever weight I need. I just feel so disappointed with the weight gain so far knowing how hard I worked to lose it in the past and feel like I'll be back to square one but that's something for another day.

I’ve had huge bumps twice, gained oooh at least 35 lb with the first one and honestly it all dropped off very quickly. But, if you feel out of control tell your midwife so it doesn’t spiral.

If it makes you feel any better, with all 3 of my pregnancies my weight gain was the most rapid in the first 3 months. I think I just constantly grazed on carbs to stave off the morning sickness. Obviously I got bigger as I progressed, but with all 3 of them it it was mostly just bump growth from the 2nd trimester onwards.

Oh and my body is absolutely not ruined forever even after 3 of them. You'll be fine.

I was massive with my pregnancies and I remember finding weight gain so depressing. It came off so easy with my first and then I had to work hard after my second lol. You may feel better when you have a bump, OP. This stage is the hardest because you won’t look pregnant but you will start to see changes and clothing may feel tighter. Congratulations btw x

your language is very harsh
“ eating like a pig “ you may need help to reframe that as eating for health , for the baby etc
also be mindful of the language you use to describe yourself even in you own head

I make myself look in the mirror and say kind grateful words to my self such as beautiful boobs healthy legs , growing belly , be wary of falling back into old habits of the mirror critic , my friend removed all mirrors ( expect a tiny one for make up ) and removed all scales you don’t need that when pregnant a you are monitored at hospital - maybe that would help
swimming is great for blood flow and mental health

Probably looked the best I ever have after DC1, lost all the weight and a little more plus was way stronger. I exercised all through pregnancy (which I totally recommend if you are used to it as was really great for me mentally to do what I enjoyed) and ate reasonably well but still gained loads of weight, even more so with DC2, but lost it all relatively easily. For me the breastfeeding and the weight drops off was a lie and it wasn't until I was down to just a couple of feeds a day at about 9 /10 months that I felt my body 100% recovered. So don't panic if it seems to take a while for you afterwards and you will get there. Good luck

@zinrlow i was absolutely starving throughout my first pregnancy, and like you did gain quite a bit of weight. Nearly 4 stone (eek!), all of which I lost before dc2. I gained pretty much the same weight each time I was pregnant (3 dcs in total), and eventually my GP stopped nagging, as it just seemed to be what happened to me. I won’t pretend it was easy to shift the weight after #3, but then 3 pregnancies in 5 years puts quite a bit of strain, esp with exclusive breastfeeding too, but I did it. More importantly, 15 years or so down the line, I’m in the best shape of my whole life, despite currently being treated for breast cancer.

Relax, and be kind to yourself. You’re growing an entire human being inside your body, Be sensible, don’t eat for two (it’s really not necessary!), keep active. Join a gym now if you don’t already go: you can exercise all the way through pregnancy and you’ll be in far better shape and better able to cope with a baby after birth if you’re fit and healthy and strong. And don’t worry. It will all be ok.