Pregnancy and emotional eaters.

[TiredMummyNow]

I'm not really sure if this should be a pregnancy, depression or health post.. but am going for health, on the rare opportunity someone can relate.

In the past I've had a unheathly r/ship with food.. forgotton the word, where one is between bulima and annorexia.. that's what I was told. compulsive eating?? Anyway, couple of years ago, thought I had my head around this r.ship and was doing well after I sought some help, but am so fed up now of being told by strangers how big I am whilst pregnant I've started getting very anxious over this.. feel dead guilty because first pregnancy I was huge and was sensible with eating, but this time around a bit attached to the carbs which is only fuelling my weight and people's comments. I'm thoroughly ashamed of myself and getting to the point of wanting to hibernate, only thing that's preventing me is my 4yr old who has school to go to etc.

Probably stressing myself out needlessly worrying about the birth, being a mum to newborn again etc etc, but just wondered if there are any other mums to be out there who have struggled with issues over food and being pregnant?

I am so frustrated with myself, as I end up in circles, from a high to a low regularly.. I should know better.. sorry if this makes little sense.

I always over-eat when pregnant - who doesn't but with your history I can understand your concerns. Who did you get help from before? Dr? Health visitor? Could you go to see them again just to talk to someone about how you're feeling? Other people say such insensitive things when you're pregnant without being aware of the consequences.

As long as you and baby are healthy that's the most important thing.

Maybe try this post on Pregnancy as well? I read your reply to someone's post on there so came to find you

Take care

Hi,

I was OP on pregnancy thread about bump comparisons and have hopped over after your posting on there. I can relate to you to some extent. I definately have issues around food. As I said on the other thread I am about 10lbs overweight. Not a great deal but entirely due to over eatng that bit too much. I think the problem when you are pregnant are that you are suddenly under so much scrutiny. People feel they can openly look you up and down and comment on your size. If you feel in anyway uncomfortable with that it can really make you feel self conscious. I am definately far more aware of my weight and size now I am pregnant and that is largely because people openly compare me to others. To add into this mix is this ridiculous obsession with how quickly people can lose weight after having a baby. Pick up any womens magazine and you'll see what I mean. The upshot is you feel under a great deal of pressure and perhaps your way of dealing with it is to eat. Its just a coping strategy in a way. Like the previous poster said perhaps you should try and seek help again. I have tried to get round it by montitring my weight every week and trying to only eat fruit between meals.Not always that successful as I managed to scoff a tub of ice cream yesterday .

Hi there TiredMummy. I also saw your post on the bump comparison thread and could identify and came to find you here. I had major issues with food when I was younger - thought I was completely over them - but then when pg with DD and the comments started I realised I wasn't ok with my size really. (I was size 14/16 at the start of the pg and am 5'8")

Since then I've been a 16/18 and been fine about it most of the time (so much for breastfeeding burning off all the excess weight!!) - but now pg again and worried about whether I'll be able to lose the weight and get back to my original size... and worried about getting even bigger.

The other day there was a photo in Metro of some famous woman or other who had given birth six weeks before and was now a twiglet. It drives me MAD!

In my more sane moments, I am just grateful DD is happy and healthy and that I am able to get pg. But your post struck a chord with me and I didn't want you to feel alone.

Thank you all sooooo much for your posts and for finding me here

I find it way too easy to feel alone.. don't really want to say too much to my DH before he panics that I'm losing the plot too much, because when I verbalise what I think/feel I think how silly I sound and he worries!

Verso - I remind myself how good it is to be pregnant (even though it's not so fun as first time around!) and try and focus that being pregnant is a GOOD thing not to be ashamed of

Did you hear today in the news that the experts suggest women lose the weight quicker if they sleep more! (how practical is that with a newborn or more than one child.. made me laugh a bit, because the idea sounds great!)

Thanks again.

Dear TMN,
I also saw your ref from the pregnancy post.

I totally empathise - I really struggled when pg with ds cos I put on a huge amount of weight (3-4 stone in total ) and have suffered most of my life from an ed. I got really down about it and was not helped by comments about my size, particularly from my totally insensitive sil.

The only way I could feel ok about it was to focus on the baby and how lucky I was to have him (i'd previously had a m/c) and to realise that, in the grand scheme of things, what weight you put on is really such a minor issue. Also, your body knows what it is doing - it may be that you need that extra weight.

Bizarrely, this time around I don't feel such a desperate urge to eat all the time so am hoping I won't put on quite so much as I am already a stone heavier than I was last time! (Perhaps that's why I'm not so hungry - I don't need so much extra fat!)

Anyway, you're not alone!

Oh yes, also, if you feel you need some support with your ed, you can contact B-eat at www.b-eat.co.uk/Home or on 08456 341414. (national charity providing support for eating disorders)

They are brilliant and they will understand how pregnancy can be a really difficult time for people who have/have had an eating disorder.

xx