How much pregnancy weight gain is too much?

[WishSpringSummerWasHere]

I have gained 10 lbs and I am 5'6 size 12/14 and 16 weeks pregnant with dc2. I had probably put on half of this the first time around. I'm juggling full time work, 22 month old dd and home life. I'm trying to eat healthily (as much as I can) and do walk a lot and go to yoga classes. I am really showing already and I'm worried 10lbs is too much at this stage.. is it?! Am I going to be huge!?!

[lockie1983]

I don't have anything helpful to add OP, but just wanted to weigh-in (pun intended) on the pregnancy-weight-gain-guilt. I'm a bit further along than you (22 weeks) and have gained around 20lbs - I put on 12lbs by your point (didn't gain any more weight until between weeks 17+22 when I gained a massive 8lbs !!).

I'm a little bit shorter than you (5ft 4, normally 10/12).

All of this second-guessing about weight-gain and normal weight-gain is driving me insane.

So I suppose I'm just offering hand-holding and saying that we're not too far apart in terms of stats (I'm a bit bigger with pregnancy weight) and neither were our weight gains at the 16 week mark.

That might make us normal. Or it might make us both abnormal - you never know ...

[iclaudius]

My problem is I so don't eat healthily when pg well I DO but add to it crap by the tonne in the form of biscuits cakes and chocolates ( while large bars) followed by a craving for an apple and that sums me up

Then cue guilt and horror at weight gain aaaaand ..... Repeat

[bishboschone]

I'm 5 ft and gained 5 stone !!! I went from size 8 to size 12 maternity fairly quickly! I really don't know how because I didn't stuff myself .. Anyhoo I am size 8 again now ( it took a lot of hard work but its doable ) ....

[MammaCici]

ThingieBob, I think your midwife is wrong to upset you about your weight gain. I have gained a few kilos more than you and my midwife isn't concerned at all. If you breastfeed it will fall off quite quickly. I was worried first time around but this time I'm taking it as it comes. If you are eating a lot of junk food then you should switch to healthier options.
I've read that meatier women have an easier time during childbirth too.

[MammaCici]

I gained 25kg with my first. I lost all but 2kg within a year without dieting. Exclusively breadtfeeding did the trick. Your body needs extra weight to sustain breastfeeding.
Last year I had 2 m/cs and during those months I gained a good few pounds so I started this pregnancy 6kg heavier. But this time with a toddler to chase and worse nausea, I lost a little during the first trimester. I started gaining from about 15 weeks and I'm now week 33 and on target to be the same weight at the end of this pregnancy.
I'm hoping for another "hungry baby" who likes to feed. DS was such a chunky monkey but as he reached toddlerhood he's slimmed down. Breastfeeding really gave him a great start. He was over a year old before we first needed a doctor for him, and even then it was a minor illness.
So I say, don't worry about weight gain. Eat well and be kind to yourself. God knows you deserve it! Eat nutritious food whenever you are hungry. It will all come off when you breastfeed. I also indulge in naughty things like chocolate and scones etc. sometimes. Homemade scones etc. are better because you can avoid additives and limit the sugar content.

[Thingiebob]

I am 33 wks have gained about 16 pounds so I am now officially massive. I was already a size 16 but am now 18/20. I am getting so much flak from my midwife team about my weight and BMI. Was 33.5 but am guessing it has now gone up.

Considering the baby and fluid is at least 5 pounds, I don't think I have done too badly but am sick of being told I am too big, it's the reason my feet are swelling, am uncomfortable and the latest is, the reason for my piles!

I am utterly dreading the pictures after the birth. Last time I had a few comments about how rough I looked and my own mum mentioned my double chin rather than her beautiful grandchild. I see the beautiful pics my friends post of them and their lovely newborns and they all look fab. I, on the other hand, look like the Michelin man.

[greatscott81]

I have taken the decision not to weigh since the first trimester. My midwife hasn't asked me to go on the scales and I've banished any from the house. I don't want to feel bad for putting on weight when I know I've been eating healthily (with the odd pudding for comfort!) and exercising. We put so much pressure on ourselves and I think we have to accept we're all different and will all put on different amounts of weight. A friend put on hardly anything and was back in her regular clothes within days . . . I, on the other hand know that my bum has grown about 2 dress sizes (at least) and that it'll be a long time before my pre-pregnancy jeans fit again! As long as you and baby are healthy and happy that's all that matters x

[CareerGirl01]

Everyone is different - stressing about weight gain will do you no good. I was worried about not gaining much with this pregnancy DC2- because
when pregnant with DD1 I went from 9 stone to just under 13 stone. Now - at 32 weeks - have managed to put on 2 stone. Probably same as koppar and showtunes. Seriously if you'd not put on much you'd be worrying - I think pregnant woman are made to worry!!!

[MirandaWest]

I put on 4.5 stone at least in both pregnancies. Came off fairly quickly after the first one and slightly less quickly after the second one.

[YummyDollie]

oh and also dont worry everyone gains at different rates as long as your midwife isnt concerned then your on track :)

[YummyDollie]

im 5 foot tall and pre pregnancy weighed 8 stone am now 35 weeks snd gained 28 pounds gone from a size 6 to a size 10 and yet have only gained inches on my bust and bump my legs, arms, face etc have remained the same so far (aside from swollen hands/feet due to water retention ehich does ease if you drink lots of water or thats what ive found anyway, i think your body gains what it needs and as long as you eat sensibly have everything in moderation and keep as active as you personally can then your doing fine for you and baby

[beckie90]

I've been on both sides of the weight thing, my belief is that every pregnancy is different and 10ib at 16wk is not bad OP, I gained 4st with ds1. And I don't think people put the opposite to be competative or make people feel bad (unless people are very childish like that) but I believe it can be relevant just to show that Every pregnancy is different and there really is no norm to weight gain or weight loss (which people get through illness) it really isn't fair to jump on people and assume they are trying to make people feel bad cause this is not the case in most circumstances.

[ButteryJam]

Bunnymother, thanks for understanding and giving me the benefit of the doubt

[ButteryJam]

Gosh I didn't realise what 5kg was in lbs. I've very sorry if I upset or offended the OP, I didn't mean it in that way, so my apologies. I mentioned it because I wanted OP to know that weight gain has been a worry for me too, and it is perfectly natural to worry about it.

[bunnymother]

I know what you are saying, purrpurr, but all I was trying to say was that Buttery's concerns are as valid to her as anyone else's are to them. It may appear to have been competitive to say she has gained less over more time, but it might not have been written that way. Am thinking of friends who crucify themselves over every pound, not that this applies here.

I also think the pregnancy weight gain issue can be fraught, so wanted to share my experiences of significant weight gain (and that it all came off so it ended up being fine) in the hope that it would amuse you all be reassuring. Anyway, not looking to start an argument here, so will wish you all the best.

[purrpurr]

Bunny, the great thing about Mumsnet is that any members can create threads.

In my opinion, the worry over weight gain, particularly in pregnancy, can be such a fraught issue that it is significantly unhelpful for woman A to post 'I have gained x lbs in 16 weeks' and for woman B to respond 'I have also gained x lbs... but in 29 weeks'. If woman B has weight concerns, she can start a thread. I see too many of these threads where women come trotting along to eagerly state how surprised they were that they gained no weight, or actually LOST weight. These are always exclusively on threads started by women that are concerned about what may be excessive weight gain.

It ain't a pissing contest. Or it shouldn't be. I personally don't give a crap if a barrage of women gained far less than me in pregnancy - it's the opposite of supportive.

[CluelessNewbie1]

This has made me feel better, I was feeling like I was the only pregnant person to pile on the weight. Thank you for making me feel human again.

[bunnymother]

Buttery might also have weight concerns that are just as valid to her as everyone else's are to them.

I think the OP's weight gain while less than mine at that stage sounds absolutely fine. And not an indicator that she will be "huge" at all. I certainly found that the weight went on far too easily when eating scones with jam and cream every day in spurts, so I gained much of it early on, and then it slowed down. Well, as much as 25kg weight gain can slow down!

And, Buttery, if you are eating healthily, your weight gain will no doubt be OK, too.

[Creamtea1]

buttery - op has said she is worried as has put on 10lb at 16 weeks. So you come along and say you have put on 5kg (which is 11lb) at 29 weeks. Helpful

[ButteryJam]

I just got myself weighed this morning and have put on 5kg at 29 weeks. Hoping that is OK and not too much.

[Wommer]

I'd put on just over 4 st with mine. By the time DS was 2 weeks has lost 2st of that - am convinced it was mainly water as I could make dents in my legs that would stay there for ages afterwards (was my favourite "freak out DH and friends trick )
DS is now 9m and I'm about 8 lbs off from where I started without a huge amount effort.
I was really really worried at the time - it all ends out alright though

[iclaudius]

I am struggling to keep a lid on weight gain as I know what it's like to feel CRAP afterwards when all fat and wobbly ..
I am 20 weeks and gained 9 - 10 pounds but its increasingly becoming a battle
I am so jealous of pg women who don't go all backfat and bosoms at the whiff of a spermatozoa !!
I am equally jealous when I hear of overweight women who put NO weight on .
I can eat more when NOT pg than pg and my babies are all huge!

[bunnymother]

I put on 25kg with each pregnancy. Yes, 25kgs. I am quite small (about 50-55kg normally), and punched in at 75kg with both my first pregnancy (1 average baby) and second pregnancy (2 average sized babies, so there was more justification). It all came off. Nothing like the stress of looking after 3 small children to keep the weight off...

[Creamtea1]

:) purr well said and like your style