Too much weight gain 26 weeks pregnant

[PrinnyPree]

Hi everyone,

Looking for a bit of advice and reassurance

I'm 26 weeks pregnant and have put on 26 pounds already, looking at the NHS website it's saying that's what I should put on for the entire pregnancy.

I stated with a BMI of 25.3 (I'd already put on a few pounds before I got pregnant due to various factors, main ones being quitting smoking before TTC, coming off anti depressants and my Father passing away) I'm 5'5" and 37 years old this is my first pregnancy.

Basically I probably put too much on during the first trimester, constantly grazing was the only way to stop the nausea.

Just wondering what I should do now? Should I start monitoring my calorific intake? Obviously not diet but try to slow down my gain, and try to make sure I don't exceed 2000 cals a day? I feel so tired and unfit, I was fairly fit before the pregnancy (used to jog and go to a bootcamp class, neither of which I do now) and now I feel like I've aged 20 years, it's a 20 minute walk to work (best part of a mile) which I do 5 times a week there and back (but I'm huffing up hill), and I also do pilates once a week. My weekends can be pretty sedentary. Perhaps I should try to take up swimming.

Sorry for the ramble, any advice would be greatly received.

I don't know what the official advice is, perhaps worth talking to your midwife. Personally I have probably put on similar amounts of weight and started off with a reasonably similar BMI. You weren't overweight to begin with, so I wouldn't be that concerned. Where I live, the midwife doesn't weigh you after your first appointment so I imagine they are not too bothered. I only weighed myself recently at 37 weeks and was shocked by how much I had actually put on as I don't think it is that obvious (maybe it is a huge baby!). If I was you, I would not weigh yourself and just focus on eating as healthily as you can and exercising when you can. But you just have to take it as it comes, and listen to your body. It is also worth remembering that the getting out of breath thing is not necessarily being unfit, your lungs are squished, you have a lot more blood and a constant higher metabolic rate. Your body is already being pushed before you set off up the hill - so don't beat yourself up about it. It could be worth checking with the midwife that you are not anaemic because that can make you feel quiet a lot more breathless and sluggish. I don't think calorie counting is a good idea, you need the calories and it might just make you obsess over it. Hope you feel better.

I've been the same op all the way through I'm now 33 weeks and gained nearly 4 stone was the same with my other 2 pregnancys I've spoken to midwife a few times about it but because I was at a healthy weight at booking there not conserned .
But I'm really trying not to gain much more because of the hard work it will be to lose as I'm a bit older now 34 so won't come off as easy/ quickly although I have alot of fluid plus more blood placenta and baby adds to it I have pgp as well so exercise is really hard but past few weeks I've cut out junk and been going for walks when kids go to school in on mat leave now as well.

I don't know how other people get on, but trying to restrict my food intake or control my weight gain during pregnancy has never worked for me. I gained exactly the same amount of weight both times (3 stone) and lost it all without any difficulty both times (I'm in my mid 30s). It feels to me like my body knows what my babies need and I just had to go with it. I wouldn't stress too much and just enjoy it.