Losing weight (due to healthier lifestyle)

[Nightbeforeslothmas]

Has anyone lost weight during 1st trimester not due to morning sickness - but healthier lifestyle?

Before pregnancy I was definitely knocking back too much wine (though eating healthy food).

I'd estimate the calorie reduction is about 2400 a week, or at week 8 equivalent to 5lbs. Haven't lost 5lbs but I am skinnier and now fit into clothes I couldn't.

Everything I read says absolutely no weight loss - but I'd have to eat a lot to replace the dead calories.

Before I can ask GP or midwife at a future appointment, has anyone had this? Is it really that bad?

Hi @Nightbeforeslothmas

Hope this will help a little bit. When I got pregnant I was classed as being high risk due to having a high BMI. I definitely didn’t eat and drink as well as I knew I should be. During my pregnancy I really tried eating a healthier diet and drinking more water etc. I was weighed at my booking appointment and again at a growth scan I had a 28 weeks. By that point all I had gained in weight was 2lb but the baby was estimated at weighing 5.5lbs already so I had lost weight. Like I said I’m not sure how useful this is as I’m assuming you’re in your first trimester. Definitely speak to your midwife/gp to get a second opinion and advice on diet etc but I think if you are eating a nutritious diet and taking your vitamin all should be good. I gave birth to a 8lb 11oz baby girl at 39 weeks and 2 weeks later weighed less than my pre-pregnancy weight. The midwives and my consultant were never concerned by it. Hope that gives you a bit of reassurance but defo so get a second opinion if worried. All the best 😊x

Really useful context, cheers!

Like PP I have a higher BMI so it might be different for you but at my 28 week midwife appointment I actually weighed 2KG less than at my booking appointment at 10 weeks so I know i have definitely been losing weight throhhj all trimesters so far! Midwife wasn't concerned.
They say not to actively try to lose weight so don't go on any specific like keto diets or anything and don't go hungry but I do think it's fairly normal for people to lose weight in the first trimester due to a range of factors like sickness or choosing healthier options for baby. I was told not to worry as baby will take everything they need!

Sorry for such a long reply- hope it helps!

I was a healthy size 12/14 but with each pregnancy I lost a noticeable amount of weight. (4 children)
I stopped drinking and most of my crap eating comes with drinking...
Plus first one I gave up the things the UK tried to make you think are dodgy but I love (cured meats/ soft cheese/ sushi). All the others I ate these, but still lost weight as I think you're still doing all you did before, plus creating a human, plus not drinking and eating hangover food 😂

I loved how healthy I was each time! No wobbly bits at all! I did triathlons through the first two pregnancies as well and did really well compared to non pregnant times 😬 I need that motivation now 😆

It wasn’t the first trimester but I got a gestational diabetes diagnosis and adjusting my diet meant I lost weight easily - I ate far fewer carbs, of course hardly any sugar and was generally more focused/aware of my food intake so it happened naturally. My midwife was a bit concerned but said it was normal for some GD patients and they just needed to keep an eye on it. GD was a tricky balancing act because you couldn’t have as many carbs - but having no carbs at all meant you risked ketosis - so finding that middle ground to keep your blood sugar levels down is tough!

but all was fine. Baby was a normal weight with no complications due to my weight loss. And I enjoyed making up for lost time when my GD went away 😄

It might be it all changes in your second trimester anyway but just mention it to your midwife if you’re worried.

I don’t understand why this would be a problem. It’s very very common to lose some weight in pregnancy for all sorts of reasons - nausea or sickness, no longer drinking, managing gestational diabetes through diet. Your body will always prioritise nourishing the baby and the health benefits of giving up 4+ bottles of wine a week will be dramatic.

You need to remember OP that the calories you were previously consuming had zero nutritional value and were in a form that was probably doing some harm over time. This isn’t comparable to a calorie deficit where you are restricting your intake of important nutrients. There will only be benefit for your baby and your long - term health.

I don’t own scales but I felt like I lost weight because of no wine. But I wouldn’t worry, if you’re eating well that will benefit you

I lost weight in first and some of second trimester as like you I was being more healthy and trying to keep active (not aiming to loose weight). Second trimester i gradually gained weight and then carried on in 3rd (as is normal with growing baby and growing bump). I was weighed again at 36 weeks and midwife commented that i hadn't put that much weight on and that i might loose weight over the pregnancy - but she was not concerned at all . Bump is growing well when measured. If you feel healthy and everything is going well, i wouldn't worry. Baby due any time now!!!

@Nightbeforeslothmas yes with my last pregnancy my maternal weight at the end of pregnancy was not much more than before I had him. I started eating much healthier I was bad for eating a lot of sugary snacks and drinking coffees before pregnancy. I'm pregnant again now (only early on) but already feel my trousers a little looser from the same good choice changes. No harm as long as you're still eating enough. Especially if you weren't a very low weight before pregnancy.

I did after getting gestational diebetes diagnosis in third trimester - huge reduction in sugar and white carbs and I lost two kg

It depends how much you weighed to begin with. I was a little underweight (BMI 18.5) when I got pregnant with DC2. It amazed / relieved me that despite having hyperemesis I steadily gained weight and put on a stone in the first trimester. In total I gained three stone and two weeks after the birth was 10 lbs more than I had been to begin with (after a very stressful period of time).

With DC1 I started a stone higher and gained a stone less. Unless you were underweight to begin with I would have faith that your body knows what it's doing.