Weight gain stopped

[Sara1988]

Hi all,

Not so much worried as curious.

For context my bmi is high (36) and I am 27 weeks. Have gained 9kg so far but nothing for two weeks.

So my questions are:

• how much did you gain during pregnancy? (Can't believe the average is only 10-12kg)
• did weight gain speed up or slow down towards end?

I'm 7 months PP with my first baby. I started with a BMI 34 and ended up at 1 week PN with BMI 28, which has dropped a bit more with BF. This was entirely unintentional! I had awful sickness and heartburn throughout but didn't lose weight in pregnancy, just maintained/slightly increased my weight (think I was 4kg more than starting weight at term) and then postnatally obviously got lighter. My DD was born at 41+5 a very healthy 8lb 8oz so as long as you are eating healthily and midwife or obstetrician are checking babies growth and no concerns I wouldn't worry too much about your weight. I am a midwife too and can tell you from professional experience everyone's weight gain is very individual in timing and amount! Best wishes for a lovely rest of your pregnancy.

with such a high BMI it’s actually not unusual to not gain very much weight, or to lose weight.

Yes this.

As above, high BMI ladies often don't gain more than a few kilos. I was a healthy BMI with both of my kids and put on about 7kg each time. It was basically just the baby plus placenta and extra fluids.

I started pregnancy with a BMI of 32 and so far (28 weeks in) I am more or less the same weight as I started off. Not on purpose, I've been exercising probably less than usual as I've been tired but I had nausea for about 20 weeks and now I'm at the point where baby is squishing my insides enough that I can only eat small meals! And obviously I've been making an effort to eat reasonably healthily but not trying to lose weight at all, it's just how it's been. Plenty of time yet for me to get bigger but thought I'd share as I was surprised when I weighed myself recently.

BMI was just over 35 at booking. I’ve gained 8lbs the whole pregnancy, I’m having a c section Thursday as my baby is apparently weighing 8lb 11 at 38 weeks 🫣🤣

@FTMaz I don't think the 'such a high bmi' was really necessary.

@malimoon I've noticed I feel full more quickly too actually. I have put on weight but stopped since 25 weeks. Partner pointed out that the weight increase would mean more calories to maintain so perhaps that's effected it too.

I'm 21 weeks and already finding I can't eat normal meal size portions. I'll not be surprised if my weight gain slows down or stops.

I put on ~3kg when I was pregnant... I think the spectrum of what is normal is quite wide.

You said yourself it was high….its a fact.

seems odd to me that you would be worried about not gaining more weight. Women with a healthy BMI put on more weight because their body will store fat for use during pregnancy and for breastfeeding afterwards if you already have this fat then your body doesn’t need to more. As some other posters have said they have gained hardly any weight or have lost weight. You should be aiming to do the same. Sorry if you find that offensive.

@FTMaz I specifically said I wasn't worried. Thanks for your input.

Gained 10 kilos in both pregnancies, lost those both times within 2 weeks pp. A bit faster the first time because I had serious water retention issues by the end of my pregnancy (including hyperamnion) so a lot of my extra weight was water. A relative who is obese lost around 15 kilos, as advised by her midwifes.

Yes, 10-12 is the healthy average. Extra fluids + baby and the whole infrastructure are around 8 kilograms.

My BMI at booking in was 33 - I'm now 28 weeks and I've gained about 4lb since then. But I've been ill a lot and generally find I have a lot of mild food aversions, so am not eating many of the things I might usually enjoy.

It's a fallacy that you should stay the same or lose weight in pregnancy if you have a higher BMI. The Mayo Clinic guidelines (figures via the Institute of Medicine and National Research Council) say that with a BMI over 30 you should still be looking to gain 11-20lbs which I guess covers the weight of baby plus fluids etc.

For myself I'm focussing on eating regularly and sensibly. Not denying myself but focussing on proteins, wholegrains, good fats, plenty of fruit and veg etc etc. I want to give baby all the nutrients they need and to make sure my body is as strong and healthy as it can be for birth and post-partum.

BMI in the 40s and have lost weight this pregnancy. My 1st pregnancy I stayed the same so ended up lighter after delivery then I was at conception.

This pregnancy i'm about 5kg down (25 weeks).

It's all different, as long as baby is growing well your weight has very little bearing.

BMI was 21 and gained 20kg during both of my pregnancies.
I never checked every week as I always put on most in the first trimester (10kg by the time I was 12 weeks). The weight gain slowed down after that.
You will gain more if you are slim.

@ladycarlotta I haven't been restricting at all, just trying to get more Fruit and veg, which is why I was surprised to not have gained recently. But agree it's nonsense to think people with higher bmi would not gain any weight.

@Katherina198819 also put on most of it before 12 weeks and slowed down since

My BMI was very high when I got pregnant so I got advised to loose or at least keep the same. I lost a few kg during the first months and then stayed at that level until the last 1.5 months and ended up giving birth early so not sure if it would have got higher in last weeks. My weight stayed the same as I was consistent with healthy eating and waking but I did notice if I had takeaway etc it was a bit higher at my next scan.

My bmi at booking this pregnancy was 28 and I'm now 25 weeks. I've gained 2kgs since I was 12 weeks pregnant and no concerns whatsoever. Growth scans ok so far. I don't want to gain masses so I'm trying to eat healthily as the weight will be so hard to lose post partum.

I gained 35 kilos total. Started off 60kg ended up 95kg. Lost 10kg straight away, then 15kg. I'm now 10kg heavier than before my pregnancy but this feels right for my body.

apparently you gain the most in second trimester so you may simply be slowing down/evening out now.

From memory I gained about 10lbs or thereabouts in my first pregnancy. BMI went from 28 to 30 I think. Came back down okay though currently back at 30 again and gradually working my way back down again- child is a teen now so not baby weight anymore lol

With my first pregnancy my BMI was about 38 when I found out I was pregnant. I lost weight in the first trimester due to no appetite and some sickness and when I gave birth I'd put on 1 stone 2lbs (which I think is 7kg) from my starting weight.

This time around my BMI was 39 when I found out I was pregnant, I'm now 20 weeks and I've lost 11lbs so far (5kg). Again due to sickness that was worse than last time and lack of appetite some days.

I think it's different for everyone in terms of weight gain but as I've started both pregnancies with a high BMI I've been advised not to put much weight on, however my weight has never been monitored or measured after my first booking appointment so I think they just say this as theyre supposed to say it rather than because they're going to keep tabs on it.

It’s not nonsense to think at all…as you can see from this thread many women with a higher BMI lose weight or stay the same and as ladycarlotta says the weight gain expected is only that of baby, placenta etc. in your case you’ve already gained the maximum recommended weight and still have 13 weeks to go.

If you'd read @ladycarlotta comment properly it reads 'It's a fallacy that you should stay the same or lose weight in pregnancy if you have a higher BMI. The Mayo Clinic guidelines (figures via the Institute of Medicine and National Research Council) say that with a BMI over 30 you should still be looking to gain 11-20lbs which I guess covers the weight of baby plus fluids etc.'

Do you not have a hobby or something you could be doing instead of arguing with other women about their weight?

Exactly….the weight of baby, placenta, fluids…which is what I said.

I’m not arguing, based on the replies you’ve had you’re only acknowledging the ones telling you it’s fine to keep putting on weight. Your BMI is well into the obese category but you seem to want to continue gaining.