Eating disorder while pregnant

[Xxgoldengirl23xx]

Hi everyone I'm looking for some advise for anyone who may have been in a similar situation. I have a 10 year old daughter, while pregnant on her and after having her I gained a lot of weight , I went to slimming world and developed and eating disorder which led me to become bulimic and I lost a lot of weight. I went from a size 14 to a size 6. I tried my to overcome and for the last 2 years I have been ok , eating normally but still watching what I was eating, constantly weighing myself.
I have now found out I'm 9 weeks pregnant and although I'm really happy I'm already gaining weight like crazy and have an appetite like I have never experienced before. I have gained almost 7 pound in 9 weeks. I am only 5 ft 2 so weight gain shows on me quite quickly.
My partner is reassuring me its the baby but honestly ladies it's nothing to do with baby granted I gave some bloat but I feel huge everywhere. I am constantly hungry. I find myself looking in the mirror and hating my body already, and I feel so guilty. I'm terrified my eating disorder is going to creep in. I guess I'm just looking for some advise for anyone who went through something like this and then got pregnant, how did you deal with the changes to your body.
Sorry for the long rant I just feel I can't talk about this with family or friends without them calling me mad.

Sorry you're feeling this way OP.

I don't have any personal advice however I've been listening to the Better Birth Podcast throughout my pregnancy and I noticed the latest episode is all about pregnancy and eating disorders so it might be worth giving that a listen x

Hi
I’m going through a very similar situation myself. Whilst I’ve never had a diagnosed eating disorder I have always been very mindful of what I eat and constantly worried about my weight/appearance. Before getting pregnant I was on a strict training and diet plan with a coach. I would be in the gym 5 days a weeks and weighing out my food. In the first trimester I felt so poorly that all I ate was carbs and sweets. I like you, put on weight quickly. I’m now 27 weeks and I hate my body. I can’t embrace it like people keep telling me to. However how I have come to terms with it is by telling myself that it is temporary and due to how disciplined I was prior to pregnancy I know I will work hard to lose the weight. Although this hasn’t helped me ‘love my body’ like everyone keeps telling me to the idea that the weight gain is just something I have to get through has helped. I haven’t tried restricting myself as I am not a greedy person so I know if my body is saying eat then I should. Im not sure if this is at all helpful but wanted you to know you’re not alone in these feelings!

I’d recommend you speak to your midwife and/or GP about your previous issues.

Online resources like BEAT, the eating disorders charity might also be helpful https://www.beateatingdisorders.org.uk/

Tommy’s, the charity also have some advice https://www.tommys.org/pregnancy-information/im-pregnant/mental-wellbeing/eating-disorders

Your body probably needs food if you have a huge appetite. Try vitamins(if you havent) just in case it is that though.
I dealt with my eating issues many years ago/grew out of them, but was quite frustrated as I was plumper than usual before pregnancy and felt trapped in current body. Some of my favourite clothes quickly stopped fitting due to the huge bust increase at start of pregnancy and I couldn’t find any modern dresses that flattered new shape(eventually found some nice 1950s style ones), however I did lose some fat due to morning sickness which it sounds like you are spared!
I feel okay now I’m in the second trimester. Doing toning exercises and some cardio , sorting away clothes that doesn’t fit, has helped me feel better in myself.
Btw, If you go to antenatal classes you will see lots of women there are not at all skinny(not sure how they started)!

Fellow recovering bulimic and short person here! I am also early pregnancy (only 5weeks) and feel the same, huge and like a barrel! I also previously had hypothalamic amenorrhea due to the bulimia.

I have just been trying to treat myself with as much kindness as possible, remembering what I have had to do to get my body to feel safe enough to grow a baby and focus on eating well, moving my body and listening to my body's signals. I would try and reduce body checking (I am terrible for this) and weighing yourself. Everyone is different but I have found trying to remove these small habits which end up making me feel terrible help a lot.

I struggled so much during the first 12 weeks as the weight gain (simialr to yours) was obvious on my small frame.
For me it's always been about control and because I couldn't control the weight gain
I started to freak out.
Things did improve as the pregnancy progressed-almost like a visible bump made it ok and it was baby not food. I know that sounds a little odd.
The high for me was a few times I let myself eat 'bad' foods I'd never touched before and it felt good.
It was a struggle but I knew I had to eat well and I developed better food habits.
I was very worried about losing the weight afterwards and whetehr I'd slip
Into unhealthy habits to do so. I'd never before gained 3 stone and it felt a huge.