Obese and Pregnant: Weight Gain/ Maintenance

[AlreadyThere]

I am currently 8 weeks and obese (BMI well over 30). I was overweight before I had my first baby last year, and it tipped over with me gaining 10kg in the last year since giving birth.

I have seen a few posts on YouTube where it is suggested obese women can have healthy babies without gaining any weight during the pregnancy.
Anyone experienced this and how did you do it?

I am keeping active and trying not to eat junk(even though it is hard with the first trimester cravings and aversions)

I would be happy to gain maybe 5kg in total but it seems like such a mission.

Any tips?

The guidance on how much weight you will gain in pregnancy depends on how overweight you are pre-pregnancy.

https://www.nct.org.uk/pregnancy/food-and-nutrition/pregnancy-weight-gain-whats-normal-stones-and-kg

This says you should expect to put on 5-9kg if you are obese before pregnancy.

I'd suggest sticking to around 2000 calories a day to begin with focusing on getting in a good level of protein and vegetables for all the nutrients. Later in pregnancy they do say you need around 200cals per day extra (can't remember exactly when this is from, best to ask your midwife).

The other thing that always helps me with weight maintenance is making sure I am more generally active - so not specifically exercise sessions, but getting up and walking around, making sure I get my steps in.

Definitely speak to your midwife about your concerns too. They'll likely have helped lots of people in your situation. I'm overweight and my goal is to not put any weight on during first trimester, perhaps up to 3kg second trimester, and up to 6kg third trimester (so around 9kg total).

Eat for maintenance and focus on nutrition rather than calories.

I was so nauseous in the 1st trimester that I lost a stone. Then the diet changes following gestational diabetes + really bad heartburn made me lose some more weight in the 3rd trimester (not recommended!)

I actually ended up lighter post pregnancy than I started (no bragging, it all went back on with the jaffa cakes that got me through a colic baby).

Me! I worked very hard during the first 12 weeks to get my BMI down to 35 before my booking in appointment (so I could use their midwife-led service). Tbh I was so sick it wasn’t that hard, I barely ate. Then I maintained for the rest of my pregnancy. It just needed willpower and eating the right things.

I put on a lot of weight with my first, with my second I was overweight to start with but I didn’t put on any weight whatsoever until the last few weeks. It wasn’t intentional, just tried to make sure I was eating well and was active in work.

im currently 33 weeks pregnant. I was 12 stone 10lbs when I found out I was pregnant in Nov 22 ( unplanned ) and I was actually on a weight loss journey to get back to 9 stones.
however with Xmas and a wedding I stopped the journey and I gained a few pounds so when I weighed myself again just before my first appointment in Jan 2023 I was 13 stone 5lbs. This put me in obese category at bmi 31.
I did put myself on a diet during the first trimester and I managed to get myself down to 12 stone 6lbs
however as soon as I reached 17 weeks pregnancy, instead of losing 2lbs that week I lost 1lbs then the week after my weight stayed the same. I would have continued trying to maintain that weight but from 20 weeks onwards my appetite was insatiable I just couldn’t stop.

By May (26 weeks pregnant ) I was back at 13 stones 5lbs.
And over the last couple of weeks I have just gained weight. I kept saying I’m going to watch what I’m eating but again I just couldn’t help myself.

By 30 weeks pregnant I was 13 stones 10lbs and I told myself I really need to reel it back in as I did not want to go over 14 stones.
I ate okay, indulged but nothing crazy and a week later I had gained 6lbs and I’m currently 14 stones 2lbs.
the last 2 weeks I have been maintaining at 14 stones 2lbs and the plan is to maintain this until baby is due in Aug.
im back to ‘dieting’ where I’m watching what I’m eating, ensuring I’m having high iron foods and more fruit and veg.

hoping this works and I maintain the weight.

around the 36 weeks the baby puts on half a pound a week until due date so I’m guessing I’ll perhaps see a bit of gain then but hopefully I can counteract it with a slightly reduced calorie intake.