Weight gain

[RachaelLaurenDaisyStone]

I was wondering if there was any mums out there dealing with eating disorders during pregnancy? I've gone from 8stone to 11stone!!!!! And I'm only 13 weeks. I am eating the same foods and portion sizes and excercising. I also work 18 hour days on my feet. The only difference is less intensive work outs and I'm eating everyday. I can't cope with being this big as I've never weighed this much in my life. I've been struggling with anorexia since I was around 9. Visibly it's only a bump on my stomach, but I'm noticing that my thighs now touch. I'm so stressed out by this, more stressed to think that any cortisol or other levels of hormones from the depression and stress might be harming the baby. Anyone in the same position???

Stress will not harm your baby, so don't stress about being stressed!

Do seek help for your disordered relationship with food and seek that help now, before the baby arrives.
Eating 'every day' is NORMAL, some weight gain in pregnancy is normal and chances are you will get bigger and heavier before you have this baby.
Aim to eat healthy foods and address you anxiety issues surrounding size and food - do you have a MW you can talk to? Access to a perinatal MH team??
There's help out there but you are going to have to find it.
Best of luck with your pregnancy

Hi love, I'm not in your position so I can't speak from personal experience - I did have anorexia in my teens however, so I can sympathise.

Do you have any contact either in the past or currently with mental health services? I know anorexia can come under this but most don't see the community mental health at any stage - I was a one off amongst those I knew.

If I'm being honest, I think the best piece of advice I'd give would be to speak to your GP or midwife/nurse - the impact the weight gain is clearly causing you unwelcome stress and other emotional triggers, and if you are tempted to skip meals/up exercise to counteract the weight gain you could possibly be looking at detrimental impact to your unborn baby. I imagine they may ask you to have an appointment with someone from the Community Mental Health Team, but it's more likely to be nutritionist or dietician than anything like a psychiatrist so try not to worry.

They can at least monitor your stress, look at proactive ways of reducing it and help you manage the thoughts of necessary weight gain during pregnancy.

I hope that helps OP, and for you x

There's studies into mums with emotional issues during pregnancy and High stress situations that cause hormones in the baby's like the increase in cortisol. I'm just so worried! Thanks for your response x x x

Hi thanks for the support. I've been involved with mental health units since I was about 11 I have a care team and recently started seeing the physciatric midwife services. But they only tell me it's fine. With nothing to compare to I just wanted to see how much others gain and how they feel xxx like real other pregnant and women who have had children xx

Yes, there are studies, but what you really want to know is how is your stress affecting your baby and nobody can answer that. So, stop stressing about the stress and address what is making you stressed, that's what I meant.

My thighs have never not touched and I don't have a diagnosed ED, but have always been an overeater and I have struggled with the physical changes of appearance that go with pregnancy.
It's not about that it's affecting you, but how much.
You days sounds full, over-full, AND you are worried, so trust that feeling and speak to somebody who can help in RL, MW or GP would be my suggestion.

Thank you xxx what's an RL? Xx

"Real Life"

I don't think that comparing your weight gain with anybody else's would be helpful or healthy tbh - we all start at different weights, everybody's body responds different to pregnancy and what ever weight you are is less important than the fact that it is affecting you so much.