2nd trimester weight gain - can't hack it!!!?

[boognish]

Wondering if I am normal, and whether there is anything I can do?

I'm 17+3 on my first pregnancy. Pre-pregnancy I was a reasonably fit size 10-12 hourglass (with my hips at one stage 10 inches wider than my waist! I couldn't wear jeans). I seemed programmed not to be thin because if I ever lost a few pounds, even very sensibly (like going on a hillwalking holiday) my body would do all it could to get back to a certain weight without my touching more than 2000cals a day. Only Atkins ever worked for me reasonably longish-term, as it actually burned fat off without making me feel tired. I would stick to a lowcarb diet most of the time, with the occasional piece of cake.

Then I got pregnant and the first 14 weeks were hell with morning sickness. Having initially put on a few pounds, I went down to my pre-pregnancy weight with the constant vomiting, even though I tried to eat what I could. Then my GP put me on meds and since then the nausea has subsided a lot, but comes back big time with bad acid reflux (vomiting blood!) if I don't eat at least four small-medium meals a day and constantly snack on granny smiths. Like most of you pregnant ladies, I just have to eat what my body can tolerate, and that knocks out tons of normal/healthy food. I don't eat crisps, cakes, etc - just more pasta/rice/chicken than is necessary. I use gaviscon but it's not doing the trick.

The net effect of this is that in the past fortnight I have been putting on up to 1lb a day. I'm now worried that this will worsen my lower back problems and that I'll never lose the weight, especially as I'm 42. Will the blubber go with breastfeeding or shall I just donate all my clothes to oxfam now?

(This must all sound like a big whinge as I should be grateful for being pregnant and not mind etc.)

Hi Boognish
There is another thread on here about weight gain - we all worry about it, despite being grateful for being pregnant! It sounds like you are eating healthy foods which is a good start. At least you won't be battling a cake addiction when you start to try to drop the weight after baby is born. I have gained as much weight as I am supposed to have gained for the entire pregnancy and I am still only 34 weeks. If you take a look at the other thread, quite a few women found that BF did hlelp with the weight loss and I think you drop something like a stone (ish) after baby is born. Where is the weight going? Is it all on your bump? Not sure if any of this helps, but I wouldn't donate the clothes just yet!

Thanks, Cakemuncher. Most of the weight has gone on my bump, but I'm beginning to notice it cropping up on - you guessed it - those hips. My lifetime excuse for those was that one day they'd see me through BFing.

I know its not easy but there isnt really much you can do about weight gain during pregnancy if you are already making sensible choices, you just have to listen to your body and try think of it as for a good cause. Some women gain loads, others not so much, we all seem to react to pregnancy in diffrent ways so all you can do is 'get through it' the best way you can. It sounds like you've had a pretty rough time of it so my 2p worth is go easy on yourself, keep up with some mild exercise while you can and eating healthy like you are and deal with any excess weight once baby is here and you are feeling ready to address any weight gain (might be 6 weeks or 6mths).

There are ways to lose weight while BFing (if that isnt the magic cure for you, wasnt for me), Weight Watchers give you extra points for BFing for example so if its important to you to trim down then I'm sure you will sort it out when you are ready.