Losing weight while pregnant

[thecakeisalie]

I've just got my bfp on Saturday for our 3rd DC. I had been losing weight with weight watchers but stopped going a few months back when we relocated and went through stress regarding money.

Finding out I'm expecting again has really made me reconsider the way I'm eating as I'm obese and I've been eating terribly just lately. Since Saturday I've really booked my ideas up again and focusing on eating a healthy balanced diet.

I know this question has probably been asked so many times but what are your thoughts on losing weight while pregnant? I won't be dieting but I do want to adjust my diet to cut a lot of the junk out and eat a more balanced diet.

I figure if I naturally lose weight as a result it wouldn't be harmful for me or the baby as I'm likely to be increasing my nutrient intake and I'll be changing not restricting my diet. I guess I could wait and ask the midwife at my booking appt but I always find HCP a little vague on this one as losing weight while pregnant is not something the NHS recommend. I do know you can still attend slimming world while pregnant but I just never got on with the plan or meeting style!

I'm just thinking if I am a lower weight when I'm pregnant and especially when I'm in labour its only going to be a good thing providing I haven't done it in an unhealthy way.

Oh to add any success stories of being plus size and losing some weight while pregnant would be very welcome!

Yes, if you're obese now then you should be aiming according to NHS for a 1 stone weight gain maximum. If you just try to stay the same weight for as long as possible that would be a good start. I'm 11 weeks and so far same weight (BMI 29 so a smidge off obese)

I don't think you should lose weight but keeping it the same/only gaining a little bit is fine.

You shouldn't really try to diet whilst pregnant. However, there is no harm in shifting to a much healthier diet. As long as you are not restricting your food intake in any way you should be fine.

I believe the advice generally is that you can stabilise your weight if obese before pregnancy - i.e. you may not actually gain very much weight during the course of the pregnancy, essentially losing fat and gaining baby/placenta/water.

If you're eating well, and just cutting out the rubbish (though let yourself have the odd treat!) then you're just being healthy and you may well lose weight as you do it. If your BMI is over 30 and you stick to a normal amount of calories a day (or whatever the equivalent is for WW) then you will lose, as you will be eating less than the amount your body will need to maintain its current weight.

Basically as long as you're being healthy and not starving yourself, you'll be fine.

After the 20 week mark I don't think it's advised to try and actually lose weight though, so you can try and maintain weight, rather than lose it after that stage.

I've read on here that there is a slimming world for pg women, so that might be worth looking into.

Loads of women lose weight in the 1st trimester - especially if they were drinkers beforehand. :)

Just to reassure - I won't be following WW I'm just going to use my common sense and eat slightly better.

I just know that if I continue to eat the way I have been I will probably lose weight. The changes I intend to make just include cutting down on the treat food, changing to wholemeal, eating my 5 a day and generally continuing to cook from scratch but choosing healthier options. There will be no restriction of calories or fat, no food diaries and so on. Its just been a wake up call about my destructive eating habits.

RobotBananas - lol I can imagine about the drinking! I do know what you mean about it probably being ok to lose a small amount up to about 20 weeks then just stabilise my weight so in fact I'm losing fat but gaining baby weight in its place for the third trimester.

Its easy to plan eating healthier now too without all the mad cravings and also not really been hit by morning sickness yet.

I'm considered obese and now 36 weeks pregnant. When I booked in I had a bmi of 40.9 and was referred to a consultant whose advice was to gain no weight at all, the aim being that when I deliver baby I'll be lighter than when I began the pregnancy, I've followed the advice I was given and have lost weight earlier in the pregnancy exactly how you have described, not by dieting but just making the right food choices, it would be daft to eat more than your body and baby requires just to fit into the "you can't lose weight when your pregnant box". Not dieting, making healthy choices is the right attitude.

My bmi is now 36 and my hcp's are very happy with me.

I would make healthy food choices and then talk to you midwife about it at your booking in appointment, you haven't said what your bmi is so my situation might not apply to you.

Your situation really does apply to me cantdecideonanewname! I didn't include my bmi because I'm somewhat embarrassed to find myself almost back at square one after having lost 3 stone. my bmi is currently about 45. Almost exactly the same as it was when I fell pregnant with ds1. I then lost weight before conceiving ds2 and it was more like 39 so I was discharged from consultant care early on because it was under 40 and I wasn't treated as high risk.

I'm just thinking if I can get my bmi back under 40 its going to reduce the risk of my pregnancy. I just want to do it sensibly though just as you describe and the main idea is to eat healthily, any weight loss is a bonus.

I agree with that. If your focus is on eating healthier and not restricting your intake then you should be fine. It's dieting that you should avoid - you shouldn't ever be in a situation where you think 'right, all I can eat for the rest of the day is lettuce because I've used all my points' or whatever.

I'm 29 weeks pregnant and I haven't gained any weight - just stayed the same as I was pre-pregnancy...which if I'm honest, is about 1-2 stone above my "ideal" weight

I was worried that I'd gain lots of weight when pregnant as usually I just need to look at food to put on but eating healthy for the baby is obviously doing me some good!

My BMI was 37 at 8 weeks PG.

The consultant told me (st Thomas') that ideally they would like me to lose 2lbs a week until 20 weeks and then maintain that weight for the next 20 weeks, which would equate to really losing 1lb a week for the rest of the PG.

To be honest I was surprised how pushy they were about this (I'd thought dieting was a big no-no in PG) but they were really confident that for me that was the safest thing to do.

The advice was basically to:

1. Cut out all biscuits, chocolate etc that are empty calories ie they provide no nutrients

1. Cut out on all processed food that are high in fat/sugar and salt i.e. cook from scratch, eat boiled spuds rather than chips etc

1. Watch my portion size on the food I am eating.

Congrats on your PG, hope this helps.

Hello thecake

I currently have a beautiful 11 week old baby and during the pregnancy I managed to lose 2 stone.

It all pretty much came off by 31-32 weeks and then I gained 2-3lb of it back up until I gave birth at 42 weeks.

Since the birth I have lost another 10lb and think I will be losing about 3lb this week as I have officially started dieting again.

I checked everything with my consultant who assured me that as long as I am eating healthily losing weight is not an issue at all. He said that the baby will take everything it needs before I get anything so not to worry about it at all.

Armadale - That is surprising how much they pushed you I was under the impression it was a no no as well. That's why I asked here as I doubt the midwife or even the consultant are likely to agree if I ask to lose weight as the nhs don't recommend it. The advice suggested is pretty much what I intend to do but I won't be going completely without the odd treat. I already cook from scratch most of the time I just need to choose healthier recipes.

JaquelineHyde - Firstly congrats on the birth of your beautiful baby! That sounds like a prefect amount to have lost. I don't want to lose an extreme amount of weight but just enough to take my bmi closer to being under 40. Reassuring to think about the baby getting the nutrients they need first. I'm going to do the same eat healthily and see what happens.

Feeling reassured reading the replies and motivated to make the changes for the better. I just don't think the way I have been eating is healthy for or baby so its got to change!

You can follow slimming world whilst pregnant - it's the only 'diet' that that has the go ahead from the midwives.

But basically it's what you say. Limit the junk food, eat plenty of fruit and veg. Good luck!