75lbs gained in first 6 months of pregnancy.

[RoxieBrown]

I’m a bit worried about my pregnancy weight gain. I’m just entering Week 27 and I’ve already gained around 75lbs. Am I going to be pushing 100 by the time she arrives?!

For full disclosure I’ve struggled with my weight for years. Pre-pregnancy I was 220lbs which means I am now circling the dreaded 300lbs mark...

Dr is useless and uninterested. Just says I need to be careful and sensible, but it’s obviously not that easy!!

Did anyone else gain a whopping about of weight?
Am I putting my daughter at risk piling on the pounds like this?
Am I ever going to be able to drop the weight post partum?!

You don't need to eat more during pregnancy, not until later on anyway.

@Viviennemary sadly not unthinkable, 6 weeks after my son died my GP told me to 'get a hobby' ... now that's unthinkable🥴 sadly quality and care varies greatly!

@RoxieBrown I'm sorry to hear of your struggles OP, advice I would give is that don't be too caught up in feeling baby may not be getting the nourishment they need because you are actively trying to lose weight, losing weight doesn't have to involve eating less, it's just about wiser choices and ensuring you are getting a good amount of exercise in, your baby will get way more nutrients from a balanced evening meal than they will from a burger and chips at McDonald's (as delicious as they are). That's not to say you can't treat yourself every now and again, but do take time to look at your relationship with food, you may notice there are positive changes you can make to help. Research is key, take control & try to get a more balanced, healthy lifestyle. Best of luck!👏🏼

It sounds from your last post that you’re not bothered about losing weight as you still managed to get pregnant whilst being overweight. The amount of weight you’ve put on is extremely high and most certainly is putting both of you at risk. Unless you drastically reduce your food intake now, you’re just going to get bigger and bigger. Has your midwife any idea of just how much weight you’ve gained?

@Soontobe60
I’m sorry if it came across that way, I was and still am very desperate to lose weight, but I fell pregnant and it wasn’t top of the list anymore.
I’ve struggled with my weight my whole adult life and I am truly disgusted at my current size when I look in the mirror.

I can see from these replies that weight gain to this extend level is not only unusual but also a risk and of course I want to do what’s best for baby.

However it is not easy to lose weight, if it was that easy then I’d already be a size 10 - and not over 21 stone with painful stretchmarks and bad knees.

@RoxieBrown Just for you to compare and this is not a boast, it's factual.

I put on just over 14lbs (one stone) with each pregnancy.

My first born weighed 7lbs 6 oz and the 2nd child a few ounces less.

Both were full term and healthy.

I was back to normal weight immediately afterwards.

You need help. Losing weight now will help your baby. It's putting a huge strain on your heart and lungs to be carrying that amount of weight. Likelihood is you might get high BP and that will bring a lot of other problems.

You really need to be thinking about this now. You haven’t even reached the point in pregnancy where we’d expect to see a more significant (relative) weight gain. Hardly anything you’ve put on right now is baby/fluid/placenta. Well under a stone. At 6 months your baby probably weighs no more than a couple of pounds. If you don’t start to eat more mindfully now then you absolutely won’t do it with a new born and the time and sleep deprivation etc that’s goes alongside that.

Your current weight is massively unhealthy. But you know that. You don’t need me to tell you, but it is also unhealthy for your baby, Your risk of developing gestational diabetes is huge and that brings even more risks for your baby, it will make your labour or caesarean more risky for you and there’s an increased likelihood of a poor outcome. I can’t say it loudly but kindly enough, do something about this now, don’t wait for the weight to have an effect.

And it won’t fall off. It never does.

The 'safe' and advised weight gain for obese ladies in pregnancy is 11-20lbs in total (I know this because I'm a fat preggo lady atm and consultant led for high BMI).

My midwife told me that managing your weight in pregnancy is absolutely critical, and it's completely safe to change your eating habits as long as you're eating sensible foods. She described babies jokingly as parasites - they will take everything they need from you and if anything leave the mother deficient in vitamins if you're not eating the right foods.

I'm sorry to say but I think you're making excuses for yourself. 'It's not as easy as that' well actually it is, eat better and move more. Eating healthy foods and moving more isn't a fad restrictive diet. 'I'm worried about actively trying to slim down it's catch 22' well really you should be significantly more worried about the weight you've put on, not about losing it. I don't think you're looking at it from the right point of view.

If you don't think your weight gain is entirely down to your diet then I'd speak to your midwives and GP again to rule out a medical condition. I know PCOS can make weight loss harder (I also have PCOS) but it in itself doesn't cause uncontrolled weight gain. Has anybody discussed metformin with you?

Have you had a hba1c blood glucose test or a glucose tolerance test yet? Do you have GD?

I think I sound like a cow in my response and I'm sorry in advance, I'm not trying to be mean but this is about your health and your babies health.

@IHeartHarryStyles Thank you, I hadn’t thought thought about it in terms of Baby’s weight gain still to come. I started gaining early and just assumed that was normal.

I guess if I’m being honest with myself I probably used being pregnant as an excuse to let myself not worry about my weight for a while.

Obviously that was really foolish and look where I’ve ended up!

My fiancé even commented that I looked like I’d eaten my pre-pregnancy self and I laughed it off, but now I’m wondering if that was his way of trying to bring up my weight gain.

Haven't read the full
Thread but you definitely need to speak to your midwife. I gained 15lb max in my whole pregnancy.

I was about 18 ish st when I got pregnant with twins. The midwife gave me a referal to slimming world and I maintained my weight more or less during pregnancy. Could you join SW? Could you ask your MW if they still do the referal scheme (its about 6 free weeks)

It really helped me. I lost weight when I had the babies! You do need to do something. Good luck I know how hard it is

@RoxieBrown better late than never, you can make a great start now, but please don’t put it off another day. It’s hard but being overweight is even harder, you can do this for you and your baby.

There is also a lot of sound evidence that overweight mothers (during pregnancy) set the 'obesity clock' then for their child. Something happens to the baby in the womb that makes them far more likely to be a fat adult, starting with rapid weight gain after they are born and continuing on this path.

I had borderline hyperemesis with both mine and at 6 months had gained virtually nothing . I remember having to tell people I was pg at 6 months. I wish I could have gained more.
Sounds like the pcos is definitely a factor here OP.

@RoxieBrown I second what someone else has said - have you considered joining Slimming World? They have specific adjustments for pregnant women which means you'd be in no danger of harming the baby, and there are lots of things you can eat in unlimited quantities which means you feel less food deprived :-)

My BMI was 32 when I became pregnant. I lost some weight initially due to severe sickness and nausea as I just went off so many foods. But once that settled I just ballooned as i also developed SPD which made it difficult to keep active. I actually stopped weighing myself because I couldn't face knowing. Not once did any of the professionals speak to me about my weight, I only ever got weighed at booking in! I even went from consultant led to midwife led. GD tests came back fine.

Anyway the first time I weighed myself DS was 2 months old and I was 3 stone heavier than pre pregnancy. So I must have put on at least 4-5 stone.

I lost another stone in the first 5 months then another 2 stone the following two years and he's coming up to 3. So I'm about back at pre pregnancy weight. It's been slow due to severe, disability related sleep deprivation but even with that it's still possible.

I hope to continue as COVID is a worry as I'm still just above BMI 30.

I would ask for some support on how to at least maintain your current weight as much as possible. I'm a bit sceptical about slimming world because of the free high carbs like pasta, potatoes etc. It's all sugar. Carbs are my enemy and I suit a Mediterranean style diet much better. High protein and healthy fats. Lots of veg. Limited carbs. Much tastier too.

I just wanted to update you all that I gave birth to a healthy baby girl at the beginning of October.
No issues with her birth weight thankfully!

Unfortunately my post birth weight is currently at 309lbs which I am disgusted at. Almost 90 pounds more than when we conceived!

At least I can try and focus on starting to lose some weight now!

Congratulations on your baby OP! Good luck with the weight loss.

Sorry op but that is a lot. I've put on around 2 and a half 3 stone and I'm now 26 weeks. I have been really really ill. Its a catch 22 because ill eat and it makes me feel better but then about an hour and a half later I vomit but its mostly liquid that comes up. Then I get faint and have to eat again. I have been stuffing my face so you must be putting away an awful lot of food to have put on that much weight?

Ah, should have checked the date on the thread. Congratulations. Good luck with the weightoss.

Congratulations with your healthy baby girl! Good luck with the weight loss, it will take a while but just keep persevering and you'll get there.