Trying to conceive whilst underweight

[Handy83]

Hi all. I'm new here so sorry if this has already been posted on here before. We are trying to conceive however I have a bmi of 16.15. I have always been underweight since birth, I currently weigh 6 stone but have never weighed more than this. We have been trying for 6 months with no luck so I went for a health assessment. All she could tell me was it's probably my weight causing the problem and I need to put on 10kgs. All she could suggest is to body build and eat protein however I have read its body fat you need to conceive. I feel lost as gp's don't seem to care in helping people gain weight and I know if we go another 6 months and try to get help, they will just say put on weight and see. Has anyone on here conveived with such a low bmi?

I haven't conceived yet but I've always been slightly underweight (bmi 18) and I completely understand how hard it can be for some people to gain weight. I've always hated being so skinny and everyone assumes that I don't eat enough (I'm embarrassingly greedy!). I've manage to gain a stone whilst ttc and have brought my bmi up to 20 so I'm now in the normal range. I've added in more snacks and also targeted high fat foods (I love cheese!). I've previously tried protein shakes and they didn't do anything. Could you make an appointment with a dietician privately? Some even specialise in fertility so they can help work with you to devise a diet that helps you gain weight and ensures you're getting everything you need to prepare for pregnancy. Good luck.

Hello!

I am underweight too but did manage to conceive so it is possible! I was BMI 17 when I became pregnant.

I would highly recommend putting on weight before getting pregnant though!! I was under specialist consultant care because I was underweight and they were worried about the babies growth. If you do get pregnant whilst underweight then your baby is likely to be small and you are at more risk of premature babies.

My baby boy was 6lb15oz in the end which was bigger than they thought but I then didn't have enough milk to breastfeed which was heartbreaking. Your body needs fat supplies to breastfeed and I didn't have enough no matter what I ate!

I want to get pregnant again but want to put on more weight before I do this time, I don't think it's fair on the child otherwise!

Theoretically as long as you are having periods you can get pregnant but it does take longer if you're underweight and you're more likely to put on weight.

Whilst TTC I would make a huge effort to put on weight (I do 3000 cal/day) so that you can then have a healthier pregnancy and give your baby the best start.

Sorry I meant you're more likely to miscarry!

I know it seems counterintuitive but I think calorie counting helps when gaining weight. I always think I eat loads but when I write it all down it's not usually more than 2000. To gain weight I force myself to eat 3000/day which is actually really difficult! Lots of cheese on toast and avocado :)

Hi, I had quite a long thread a while ago (feel free to advance search me) asking for advice on gaining weight (I wasn't trying to conceive (you've come up in active threads which is why I've seen this) and had a higher weight than you so you may want to ignore some of the posts). Some quite helpful stuff on there.

As PP have said, I have had to endure I have a calorie surplus (I too aim for 3000 calories) which seems to involve eating ALL THE TIME. By eating constantly, bigger portions and adding extra avocados and nuts I have gained 5lbs but it has taken me over 2 months . Think I have a very high metabolism. Also I realised that although I can eat huge amounts I am very capable of ignoring being hungry for a few hours or skipping lunch etc - have stopped that entirely.

It is so difficult and there is not much advice out there. It is also costing me a fortune in food! I would seriously consider seeing a dietician if you have a clear goal to gain weight for TTC.

My BMI is 18.5 so a bit higher- been pregnant 3 times. It is doable.

Thank you everyone who responded. I have downloaded an app to track what I eat which calculated what I needed to eat in calories to not only maintain my weight but to add 0.5kg a week. So far I have smashed it by approx 300 calories a day so will see how I get on. My father is skinny and I have always been underweight so think part of it is genetics.