Anyone else struggling not to 'eat for two'?

[MotherOfDragonBoys]

Hi everyone,
I'm currently 13 weeks with baby number 3 and trying so hard not to pile on the weight but I'm bloody starving all the time! I have hyperemesis gravidarum which is finally coming under control in the last few days thanks to different anti emetics and it's seriously ramping up my appetite.
I gained a huge amount of weight with DS1 and DS2. It took me ages to lose it and I felt awful. I've had a 6 year gap between DS2 and this pregnancy and now I'm nearly 40 and terrified I won't be able to lose 4 stone all over again.
I know the only real concern is a healthy baby of course but that's another reason I'm determined not to stuff my face - it's just so hard. I don't ever remember this kind of hunger with the boys, or could that be because I just gave in to it every time???

I'm finally able to get out of bed now my HG is being treated so I've started exercising again which has helped blunt my appetite but it once I start eating I don't think I can stop
Is anyone else struggling with this? Any recommendations for filling foods that help?

No because I don’t want to end up massive after giving birth. That puts me off completely.

Are you drinking enough?

Probably not. I am very dehydrated because of the HG and finding liquids harder to keep down than food, which is adding to the nightmares of ending up huge!

I'm just not letting myself eat too much and making sure I exercise with a long walk and yoga every day. It isn't easy but losing weight with a new born will be harder than not going to the cupboard now, annoyingly.

I'm bloody starving all the time!

Eat.

Yes, I'm reminding myself I don't want loads of weight to lose afterwards! Exercise is really helping as I've always really enjoyed that.

I’m 14+2 and I haven’t put on any weight yet. Don’t really know if I should have. I have a very little bump but my weight is exactly the same. I’ve been eating 3 meals a day and I have had a couple of dizzy spells where the midwife told me to eat every 15 minutes and I’ve been doing that with natural sugars like fruits. I haven’t bought any unhealthy snacks (except a 9 pack of mini twix for desperate times) and with only going to the shop once a week I can’t exactly pop out for chocolate.
Walking for an hour+ once a day when I’m feeling good. I’m very much motivated by not wanting to be absolutely huge after the birth it’s terrifying to me.

I didn't have HG but did have awful morning sickness which I found really disabiltating. My partner couldn't understand why I was stuffing my face when I felt so rotten, but eating starchy white carbs was the only thing that helped. I put a fair bit of non-baby weight on I'm sure (though was size 8 to begin with so not a massive concern).

Now at 25 weeks my food aversions are gone. I guess I'd suggest to stuff your face with healthy foods like soup, salad, fruit and only a little bit of bread etc. That's how I maintain my weight when not pregnant because I love eating and I'm not good with portion control!

@Shmabel - this is exactly what I worry about. I lost half a stone due to my HG which is fine, still ok weight wise. I'm happy to start putting on weight now but at a normal pace. I've spent so long not being able to eat anything that now everything looks fair game...

I never did, don't see the point. A baby does not need as much food as an adult. I put on 10kg throughout my pregnancy, never needed maternity clothes, most of my normal clothes (t shirts and tracksuit bottoms fit the whole time I was pregnant. Then I just got some normal clothes in the next size up. After giving birth my stomach was back to normal within a few days (wasn't still round like I was still pregnant), and I was back in my normal clothes straight away (wore bigger bottoms for a few weeks while my stitches healed and was bleeding).

If you are struggling keeping liquids down still, try ice lollies and ice cubes. It's less of an irritant on your stomach as you don't gulp it down the same way, but should help hydrate you a bit.
If you are hungry then your body is telling you to eat, just try and make it healthy snacks - I know that can be easier said than done though!

HG is a whole other ball game. You have to go with it and looking after others at the same time but making yourself feel worse due to not eating isn't the right way to go.
Average weight gains don't take into account that you might carry extra water either.
The fact you gained 4 stone in each of your other pregnancies may mean that that is what you are programmed to do.
For now every doctor and midwife would suggest that you eat what makes you feel better and keeps you hydrated and probably out of hospital! That will be healthier for you, your baby and your family! If your HG eventually goes you can then work on eating a more considered diet. Good luck!!

Thank you ladies, going to try and make some fruit ice lollies and see if that helps. To everyone else out there that's been through HG and understands what it does to you, I salute you.

If you’re starving, eat! You probably have a deficit to make up after HG.

Just try and eat a decent amount of healthy food (if you can stomach it!) - carrots and hummus, wholewheat toast with marmite, apples, things like that, to keep your nutrients up.

I was really good during my pregnancy. After the baby and during lockdown I have given up. I birthed a baby, I’m breastfeeding a baby, I haven’t had more than 2 hours sleep since he was born!! If I want to eat 3 packets of crisp I am going to. The last thing on my mind at the moment is the size of my hips. Nobody is looking at my weight. They are more likely to notice the sick and milk that are on everything I wear and my hair that has been washed fewer times than anyone would appreciate 😂😂😂
My point is as long as you are happy in skin, enjoy your pregnancy, if you want an extra slice of cake then have it. If eating 6 meals a day keeps your nausea at bay then do what you need to do.

Thank you all for being so kind. HG is evil

I don’t have HG (poor you!) but am almost 11 weeks and have had awful constant nausea that only goes away when I eat. I have been eating healthily (don’t have any treats in the house) but have still put on 2kg so far, I think partly because I’ve also been totally exhausted and lockdown as meant I’m moving even less than normal. I was really unhappy with my weight gain in my last pregnancy but I’m hoping once I’m past the first trimester and feel better I can keep it to the minimum. Also I think we need to cut ourselves some slack!

Everyone here is so much better than me !!! I ate like a pig ( a mix of healthy and not healthy )but kept myself active . I gained 16 kilo but lost it pretty easily after . I lost 9 kilo just by giving birth .

I was so hungry all the time 🤷‍♀️

I’m now pregnant with baby number 2 but I’m only 9 weeks in so we’ll see how I do !

Im definitely eating for two and it would seem those two have very large appetites.....