Lack of pregnancy weight gain by 16 weeks

[YogiRunner80]

Hello, I'm almost 16 weeks pregnant and haven't yet gained any weight. My body shape has changed and belly getting bigger though feels more like bloating than baby bump. I didn't have morning sickness so it's not that. I'm eating about the same as pre-pregnancy (maybe a bit more) in accordance with NHS guidance. I was very active beforehand, running c. 30k a week, walking a lot, yoga. I'm still active but doing quite a lot less than before. My BMI has stayed at about 18.4, so just on the low side of normal, though I've been the same my whole adulthood. I'm tall so maybe baby has room without me growing too much? Or could be I'm just losing muscle?

I’m pretty sure the majority of pregnancy weight gain happens in the 3rd trimester? I can’t remember any significant weight gain until well after the half way mark in any case. I found 12-20 weeks the hardest part of my pregnancy in some regards because all my horrible 1st trimester symptoms had gone and I wasn’t far enough along to feel any movement so it was just as if I’d gone back to how I was pre-pregnancy! If you are concerned you could contact your midwife but think it’s perfectly normal.

I don't think I'd gained anything by 16 weeks either... I'm nearly 29 weeks now and have gained 5kg and look like a small truck.

It's a weird bit of pregnancy; and I was hoping it'd be better when the midwife appointments started but due to short staffing, mine have been pretty short and not much more than a urine test and bloods occasionally; but I've only been weighed once in all that time and they weren't fussed. Don't worry about it

I wouldn't worry at this stage. Some women, especially with first babies just don't change or show that much. Maybe you got really good abdominal muscles.

I lost 2 stone due to morning sickness and never regained any weight! I was very fat to begin with though 😳

Thank you all! Yes, second trimester is weird because I barely feel pregnant any more. Seeing midwife again next week so will check she's not concerned. As I'm 40 (and therefore geriatric) I probably will get more f2f appointments than I otherwise might.

That's normal too and yes it is kind of weird when you've spent the first trimester feeling awful and suddenly don't

I’d count yourself lucky! I was very active before & my body changed completely even in the first trimester. So far 25weeks and put on 16kgs! If you’re not building muscle it’s possible you’re losing a bit of muscle & baby is then adding that weight if you get me. In any case deffo consider yourself lucky!! Xo

Seems normal, so don't worry.
I was about 30wks before it was even noticeable that I was pregnant. Barely put any weight on and had no pregnancy symptoms at all. A few weeks before the end I suddenly became huge and got loads of stretch marks :(

Only difference is that I was overweight rather than optimum weight (I assumed I'd grow to the size of a whale due to that).

I'm 20wks with my second and the difference is massive. I feel huge already. I felt absolutely crap in the first trimester but now I don't even feel pregnant.

I was 35 with my first and am 37 with the second pregnancy.

22+5 and I haven't gained any weight, gp has no prob with it☺️

Hi @YogiRunner80 I didn't put on any weight until I was 17 weeks. Then between 17-25 weeks I put on 8kg. I'm 28 weeks now and haven't put any weight on for three weeks, yet my bump is growing larger every day. I'm expecting to put on more in my third trimester, but it does seem to come in fits and starts, and the weight shifts around from me looking a bit chunky all over, to a bump growth spurt, and repeat!

The easiest way I've ever found to lose weight is to get pregnant! I've ended each pregnancy weighing less than I went into it but never vomited from morning sickness even once. Unfortunately it all returns after the pregnancy!

I'm not unique in this - I know pregnancy gets a lot of the blame for people putting on weight but it turns out it doesn't work that way for a significant proportion of women. Growing a baby is hard work and your body has to use a lot of calories to get the job done. Not everyone gets huge while pregnant so don't worry about it.

Muscle weighs more than fat indeed. And its early to gain weight generally baby is still small.. I'm 1 week ahead of you dont look very different yet apart from not being able to button jeans anymore . Dont worry about it

I'm 23.5 weeks have only gained 2lbs. I'd gained 1lb by 17 weeks and I've gained 1 more lb in the 5 weeks since.

I found it quite anxiety inducing as it made me thinking the baby wasn't growing as she should be but she's perfectly fine and I've been reassured its normal. I think you just hear a lot about people immediately gaining half a stone or more within the first 12 weeks and assume that's what happens to everyone.

I will say though that I'm not slim, I am a size 16. I would think that you probably have a high metabolism from all the exercise you are used to doing?

I hadn’t gained anything before 20 weeks. Bmi was around 18.5/19.

Then gained 20kg in the next 20 weeks before Ds was born. He weighed 4kg and I had lost 12kg within 2 days of birth so a huge amount of baby related stuff. The other 8kg came off quickly in a few more weeks so I assume lots of water weight.

I only put on 1 and 1/2 stones and only weighed 9 stone at full term
Baby was 8lb 6oz so I was practically at my normal weight after delivery
At 20 weeks I had actually lost weight because of hg
This had no effect on either of us

Thank you all, that's really reassuring! I guess baby is only about the size of an avocado this week. I think for now I can make the most of fitting into my normal clothes and generally being able to do most of what I could pre-pregnancy :-). It's so weird the different rates at which pregnant women grow, almost regardless of prior weight, fitness, etc. The thing that got me worried in the first place was an article that said athletic women generally gain more weight as they have low fat to start with - need to stop reading this stuff, it'll drive me mad!

Hi YogiRunner80

Its true that those on the low end of normal BMI may gain more weight than those starting out at a higher bmi. But it doesn't mean that you necessarily will, your metabolism is unique to you and your body has an individual response to pregnancy and all the associated hormones.

In my case, I am of normal weight but higher end bmi than you and did not gain anything until 18 weeks. I lost 1 kg early in pregnancy which returned later so now at 20weeks I'm up 2 kg (4.4lbs) on my pre pregnancy weight. My shape had changed before I gained any weight from around 16 weeks noticeably so.