Normal weight gain at 18 weeks?

[Karmanna]

Hi all,

I am currently 18 weeks pregnant with #1 and have already put on 1 stone! Is this normal? It worries me slightly as I thought the majority of weight gain isn't supposed to start until about now?

I recently lost 4.5 stone and went from a 16/18 to a 10/12 so if I'd put it all back on I think I'd cry. I've not been pigging out - my cravings so far have been apples and ice lollies so I don't think that's the reason.

Please reassure me. :)

They say 4lbs in the first trimester and 1lb a week in the second is normal. So not much over the average. It will even out. I always gain more weight in the 2nd trimester, nowt for weeks after that and then another leap right at the end.

I too have gained a stone by 18w (now 22w and up to 1st 5lbs). And this is after working down to a BMI of 25.2 - not fair!

With my ds, I started off with a BMI of 29 and put on 18lbs in total through the whole pregnancy so this weight gain is a surprise, however I tell myself that I am still only now, at 22w, the weight I was when I fell pregnant with ds. I've decided it must my body deciding it needs the reserves for breastfeeding so I try not to worry

Yep, the scales are scary these days... I've not weighed myself for a month or so but back at around 20 weeks I too had put on a stone so I wouldn't worry too much if I were you.

Try to think that although only a few pounds of that will be your baby even at the end, you're also carting around a nice bag of waters and who knows (well, we do really) what else, as well as having extra blood in your system which has been busily adapting so you can carry your baby. That's what I've been telling myself. I also shan't let myself on a pair of scales for at least two months after I've had young babe as I know I won't lose it all immediately and it would be unfair to torture myself.

I'm due in November, I have a dog who will need at least one walk every day but proper exercise shall start in the spring if at all possible. My DH says he'll look after the baby as often as I need him to, to help me get back into shape (he's trying to be helpful rather than disparaging about the way I'll be) so I have made plans for being able to fit into my clothes again already! I plan on doing something like pilates to build up my muscle-tone especially across my tummy- the more muscle you have the quicker you burn calories. Worth knowing.

So in all, don't worry, putting on weight is normal and natural and we'll all be in those classes with other similarly wobbly people, so just make plans now to be able to go. Once you know how you'll return to the size you think you should be you'll find you worry less. The work you have put in so far shows you are a determined and persistent person so I really wouldn't let it bother you.

Thanks girlies - sound advice and feel a bit better now. Yeah, I figure I've done it before (lost weight) so I know how to do it again. I just don't want to turn into a house but I suppose I have to take it as it comes.

I am doing a little bit of exercise at the moment (swimming and pregnancy pilates) but not nearly as much as I used to, so even though my eating habits haven't changed much since I got pregnant, the lack of movement may be why I've gained the extra weight (that's not baby, excess water/blood, placenta etc).

I would ask your midwife for advice. Maybe keep a food diary first to share with her. You could have a go counting your daily calorie intake and see whether you are in-line with guidelines.

My experience was that I gained way over recommended and am still fighting to lose it all a year later. I have had to diet and exercise like crazy and it has been awful. Never had a weight problem either before pregnancy. My MW told me not to worry and I thought I'd be able to BF but couldn't. I wish I had had my concerns properly listened to.

Ps / I gained over 3stone but as I am 5ft just 6 wks after I gave birth I had a BMI in the obese category! I used to be a size 10

Hey. That sounds fine. I was actually coming on here to look at average weight gains. This is pg no. 3 and I am gaining much less this time. With nos 1& 2 I gained way too much. I remember at 20/22 ish weeks that I had gained about 20lbs, I did however go on to gain 4 ish stone each time which is obviously not idea.
This time I am 15w and have gained about 7lb so far and I gained all of that in the first week of knowing so presume that it is water. I genuinely don't think I am doing anything different this time to the first (2nd time was a different story) and my start weight this time was the same as with the first.
I am starting to think that, within reason, your body does what it needs to in pregnancy. East sensibly and relatively healthily and then let the baby feed all the excess off you (with a bit of help from the wonder of weight watchers!).
Good luck