Weight gain - early pregnancy - first trimester

[Rarlos]

I’m so sorry for the self absorbed paragraph I’m about to write. I’m fully aware there are more important things in the world but I am becoming quite panicked and could do with some advice from others.

I’m 8 weeks 2 days. Quite slim, with a pre-pregnancy BMI of 19. I’m really struggling with how my body is changing already, having gained 3kg. I think I’d be more comfortable with the early pregnancy gain if I didn’t see this as a predecessor for a huge weight gain throughout my pregnancy. My trousers don’t fit any more and my confidence is plummeting. How self conscious I feel consumes almost my every thought, if I could lock myself away and throw away every mirror then I would. The gain is all around my midsection, I’m under no illusion that this is a bump. I keep trying to convince myself that it’s bloating and water weight, but if I’m totally honest - I’m having food aversions for everything other than carbs, which can’t be helping my case. It truly feels like a fat gain.

My question is, has anybody else experienced rapid weight gain in the first trimester? Every time I search for an answer, Google tells me I should be gaining no more than 4lbs at the end of the trimester, which I’m already exceeding by far. If anybody has experienced this before, did you manage to get on top of your weight gain?

A lot of women crave carbs in the first trimester and then eating usually returns to normal from the second trimester onwards, so it's completely normal for you to be craving those types of foods.
I put on 5kg in the first trimester and was horrified, but I'm now 38 weeks and have only put on 10kg the entire pregnancy - my BMI pre pregnancy was 23.
My last pregnancy was also very similar, gained a lot in the first trimester and then it evened out. My advice would be to go easy on yourself and don't google because why make yourself miserable and anxious about something you have very little control over. Some women put on hardly anything, some put on a lot but then lose it really quickly after birth.

Hiya, I'm not good with BMI but I'm usually relatively slim ish at 57ish kg and 5ft7. I put on 5kg in the first 10 weeks and felt a bit concerned, but literally couldn't stop myself eating!! Was like the Hungry Caterpillar. I'm now 16 weeks and have put on another 1.5kg/feel much better about it - bump has appeared and I don't feel 'big' (for me). As pp said, I think it will just even out. My midwife said smaller framed people often need a bit more stored up for breastfeeding (if you choose to ofc!) later.

Try not to worry - in the first trimester you do find that you can gain weight rapidly. You’ve gone from nothing to having something growing inside you in the space of 12 weeks. Your body needs extra nutrients to support this, even if it’s in the form of carbs which can help with energy.
You will probably find that it’ll slow down in the second trimester. Most things calm down at this point, and you’ll hopefully find that your cravings reduce a lot so you’re more able to stomach a larger variety of food.
Also, some of the gain will definitely be bloating.
Your weight gain honestly doesn’t sound alarming. It doesn’t mean you’ll carry on gaining weight all throughout pregnancy. But think about what your body is doing in these early weeks. Literally creating a human. Your body will do all sorts of weird things throughout pregnancy. You’ll gain weight one month and then the next month worry you’ve not gained enough. It’s a rollercoaster! 😂

Hi OP. Congratulations on your pregnancy! People on here will tell you simply not to worry about weight gain whilst growing a baby, which is probably great advice. Like you, it’s something that I really struggle with.

I have a pre-pregnancy BMI of about 18, so am usually pretty slim. Am currently half way through my third pregnancy and have managed to gain loads of weight in the first trimester all three times. Despite vomiting 8 times a day. The only thing that eases the nausea is eating, and the only food I can stomach is beige. I can’t run without vomiting, and cant even look at my usual healthy diet.

I emerge from the vomit haze after about twenty weeks looking and feeling awful. I wish I didn’t, and I wouldn’t admit it to many people, but that’s how I feel. I’m glad to have had/be having Spring babies so that I can hide under huge jumpers and coats.

Fortunately, I have found that my weight gain tends to slow down in the second half of pregnancy as I can do more exercise and eat more normally. I’ve also lost weight pretty quickly post-partum, and am hoping the same will happen again. I really struggle with feeling so out of control in my body, but the baby will definitely be worth it.

Thank you so much all. I’m really hopeful I can get this under some sort of control and remain healthy. I resonate with you a huge amount @Bubbaloop, I feel totally out of control with my body and that’s what’s driving me crazy. In my mind, I feel that my weight is going to spiral a huge amount and I get so panicked, which I feel ashamed to admit to others in my life. Fingers crossed for a healthy first trimester and a second trimester weight that slows down a tad..

Both times I've put on the most in the first trimester. In my first pregnancy I gained about 9kg in total by the end and was back to my normal weight and clothes within 10 days or so. Try not to worry, if you keep active and eat sensibly it will probably just even out.

Both my pregnancies have been very different but I do find it levels out - so the one where I put weight on straight away, I didn't gain as much in the second trimester but the one where I was so sick and actually lost weight the first trimester, I more than made up for it in the second!
Also bloating is a big problem at the beginning, as is constipation which won't be helping do up the trousers!