Overeating during pregnancy

[KizboBaggins]

Hello! This is my first post and it's a bit hard to explain. I'm 14+5 weeks pregnant. I've always been slim and athletic, pre pregnancy BMI around 20. I've always kept physically fit (still trying to) but I also vaped for a long time, then stopped quickly once I found out I was pregnant.

I'm really struggling with a few things. I've gained 8lbs and am already the heaviest I've been in my life. I can't stop weighing myself multiple times per day even though midwife and DH say I shouldn't.

I ate a lot during first trimester, because nausea plus giving up nicotine = snacking. I feel I've probably put too much non healthy weight on. At Christmas of course I overdid it too. Now I've got into this bad routine of counting calories and eating healthily during the week, but on weekend evenings I just lose it completely and binge eat crap (tonight after tea I ate a bag of popcorn, a greggs cookie and half a huge box of Maltesers ) now I'm guilt ridden...

I feel I'm stuck in this cycle of obsessing over food, controlling it, then bingeing. It doesn't feel like a big enough deal to speak to the midwife about though... DH and mum think I'm probably overthinking it and should just eat what I want. "You'll lose it all after anyway" is what they say.

Although I'm uncomfortable about putting weight on I'm still so proud of my little bump and want more than anything to be a good, healthy home for my baby for the next 6 months.

Thanks for reading my long rant! Apologies if it's lacking a bit of purpose just wondering if anyone has been through anything

Honestly first and second trimester were rough.
You do need to try and relax 8lbs is not a lot and restricting is really going to exacerbate things which you see yourself. Stop restricting.

I ate weird stuff a classic day up to 20 weeks could be :
cinamon graham's, tangerine
Toast with butter and ham
Wine gums
More toast with butter and ham
Dinner (spag bol) and ice cream

Once I hit 20-×4 weeks I found I could handle veg again.
I gained a lot early doors am 35 weeks now and gained about 14lbs total. 10 of which were up to 16weeks

@Totalwasteofpaper thank you I know you're right, I'm making this situation a lot more difficult than it needs to be...! I'll just try and relax a bit and stop feeling so guilty.

You've also made me want to go buy cinnamon grahams... haven't had them in years!

Congratulations on your pregnancy!
I’ve had similar ish experiences, though at different times of my life. As a teenager I had anorexia and would weigh myself obsessively and calorie count etc. As a recovered adult I was nervous about regressing when I was pregnant with my first as I knew my body changing might spark things off for me. So I decided to be positive about it. When I first got pregnant I looked up the “healthy” range of weight gain for my BMI and saw that as a goal to achieve a healthy pregnancy, not a bad thing. Then I decided I’d only weigh myself once a week, no more. I stuck to this and due to nausea snacking but no vomiting, I gained a little more than expected in the first trimester. But I didn’t then gain as quickly in the second so it evened out overall. I didn’t limit my diet, but I genuinely didn’t feel ravenous in pregnancy, pretty much had my normal appetite. I’m now on my second pregnancy and haven’t bothered weighing myself at all as my scales are broken and things have followed a similar pattern of lots of snacking in first trimester, normal appetite in second, and my maternity clothes from last time fit so I’m guessing I’m in the same ball park overall.
I would definitely speak to your midwife again or GP even about how you feel - if you feel unhappy about your eating patterns, feeling guilty around food etc it’s something they would want to know about and support you with. Your mental health in pregnancy is just as important as your physical health!

[quote KizboBaggins]@Totalwasteofpaper thank you I know you're right, I'm making this situation a lot more difficult than it needs to be...! I'll just try and relax a bit and stop feeling so guilty.

You've also made me want to go buy cinnamon grahams... haven't had them in years! [/quote]
Heat the milk first! About 60 sec in microwave
Bloody delicious!!!

On a serious note we stocked up on cherries blueberries tangerines and things as well as granny smiths as they were nice and easy to snack on.
Also lots of kids snack size treats - it's a treat but even if you have two or 3 it's not a king size snickers iyswim.

And again, relax! Once you get more of a proper bump it's cool.
I always thought I would HATE pregnancy and how it changed my body.
I have surprised myself totally by actually quite liking it so far although the emotional roller coaster and anxiety and insomnia that I never anticipated? that I hate 😂😂

@Peelspeelspeels thank you, it's great to hear from someone who can empathise. I went through similar when I was younger, not quite as bad as anorexia but a borderline disorder I think. Pregnancy has definitely triggered similar feelings again. Just with the added guilt of potentially harming baby.

My appetite is back to normal in the second trimester, which I think makes it worse because I have no excuse. I have no more nausea and if anything I'm one of the lucky ones because I feel pretty great, but I still binge...

I think I might take the batteries out of the scales for a while. It's exhausting thinking about it all the time. And I probably should talk to the midwife. It's hard because I've always found if I mention anything about food or my weight I just get shut down because people see me as slim so in their eyes I couldn't possibly have a reason to complain. That just adds to the guilt.

Congratulations on pregnancy number two by the way! You sound like you've got it totally under control!

@Totalwasteofpaper thank you! Just speaking about it has actually helped a lot. Things always seem worse when you lock it all up in your head don't they...

Oh yes, this morning I cried whilst walking the dog because I saw a really pretty bird so I'm right there with you on the emotional rollercoaster 

Ah good! Also talk to your partner and tell him what support you need.
I had to give fairly clear directions but my DH got it eventually and had been really good with meal planning and cooking for us.

Do talk to the midwives or consultants if you feel it's a bit much at any point.

@DigitalDoula this is the third old thread that you have revived with the purpose of promoting a website, probably yours???