So...weight gain...

[Firsttimer7259]

I always thought i would have a fairly active healthy pregnancy. Thats definately not happened. I am 20 weeks now and have already put on 10 kilos (22pounds). I was hoping not to put on much more than that for the entire pregnancy (its the lower healthy range).

I was not thin before but within healthy BMI ranges. Every thread I look at is about people concerned they've lost weight/arent gaining enough. Surely that cant be the majority???!!

My story so far. Fine first 8 weeks, ate lots, but healthy lots and slept lots. Then 6 weeks sick as a dog, slept even more, helathy eating out the window, ate loads of nursery food (not bad) and chocolate/sweets, ice cream anything that seemed ok.

Since 15 weeks, feeling much better but the bad habits have continued. My appetite is no longer as rabid as it was early on, still gaining weight but not as fast as before. I still get tired but exercise (or more honestly a bit of moving about - walking, swimming etc) seems more possible than they did in first trimester.

I am kind of hoping the weight gain might taper off naturally and I feel and look good. I ahve a big bump no denying that (I actually think it looks beautiful) and to be truthful my butt and thighs are up a size but that seems natural and normal for pregnancy (?). I am worried that according to the books the bulk of my weight gain is still ahead of me - and what that will mean in terms of stress and strain on my body from being heavy.

Should I be more concerned about how much I am eating? Did anyone else have the experience where they did a lot of their weight gain early? I know this is quite long but I wonder if anyone out there had a similar expereince adn how it was by the end...

[jardins]

OK my dears: I had my monthly midwife appointment today, which generally went well, BUT I got told off in no uncertain terms for having put on 3 kilos (6.6lbs, I think?) in 1 month. At almost 20 weeks I have put on in total 6 kgs and I am 1m80 tall. She asked me how much weight I had put on in my previous pregnancies and I told her between 16 and 18kg which seemed to reassure here somewhat. Seriously do you think that's too much? I was a little peeved as I am generally trying to eat healthily, going swimming etc. and TBH I feel that I eat less than my children sometimes and they are certainly not pigs!

Lordy lord.

[Kingsroadie]

jardins That's a bit mean of the midwife! 6 kgs so far at 20 weeks and being 1m80 tall really isn't too much I don't think (although obviously I am no expert). Unless you had suddenly put on serious amounts of weight then I am not sure why she felt the need to mention it to you. Poor you.

Funny how different midwives and Drs have attitudes - I haven't ever been weighed during pregnancy and they don't ask. Interesting as I thought rapid weight gain can indicate pre-eclampsia? (suppose your blood pressure would also give that away though!)

Sorry if I pissed people off earlier - as firsttimer said I think it's the amount of weight you put on rather than what you weighed before. I do weigh quite light for my height - I know other people who weigh a stone more but are the same size as me. So it's not that I think I weigh a vast amount now, but rather the change since pre-pregnancy if you see what I mean?

[CantThinkofFunnyName]

Agree with everyone else that says don't worry. However, always wise to watch just how much chocolate etc you eat. It's my downfall too.

As far as previous experiences of bulking out and then losing, here's mine (am 5'2" btw).

DS, starting size 8st, 4lb. Finishing weight 12st (that's nearly 4st increase)!
Within 4 months down to 9st back to fighting weight within 6 months. No special activities but did watch very carefully what I ate (healthy rather than diet)

DD, starting size 9st, finishing weight 11st. Only 2 stone increase. Back to fighting weight by 3 months (but actively went to exercise classes from 6 weeks).

Am now 22 wks with DC3. Starting weight 9st - already 10st 8lb!!! Eeeek

[ReneRusso]

I read this recently about where the extra weight actually comes from.

? At birth, your baby will weigh approximately 3,300g (7.3lb).
? During pregnancy, the muscle layer of your womb (uterus) grows dramatically and weighs an extra 900g (2lb).
? The placenta (afterbirth), which keeps your baby nourished, weighs 600g (1.3lb).
? Your breasts weigh an extra 400g (0.9lb).
? Your blood volume increases and weighs an extra 1,200g (2.6lb)
? You have extra fluid in your body, and amniotic fluid around the baby, weighing 2,600g (5.7lb).
? Plus, you will lay down some fat during your pregnancy to provide you with extra energy for breastfeeding. This comes to about 2,500g (5.5lb).

This makes a total of about 25lb. But of course this is for the average person.
So please don't beat yourself up about it, most of the weight you gain is unavoidable and a healthy part of pregnancy.

[Comma2]

First pregnancy I ate whatever I wanted, lots of junk too, and gained 50 lbs. I lost 30 in the hospital, so mostly water, and took off the remaining 20 in the next 9 months without dieting but nursing. This pregnancy, I've gained 20 lbs at 32 weeks, so well less than last time. I think I was paranoid hte first time not to nourish the baby bc of stupid advise ala 'even if you aren't hungry, baby is'. Extended stomach far more than necessary and was hungry all the time and terrified of starving babe. Now I try to eat normal to not overextend stomach and works fine. OAtmeal for breakfast every day and )a lot of) veggie soup for lunch a few times a week keep you in the recommended weight gain. And if not, don't worry. You will loose it when the time comes.

[Momdeguerre]

HI,
I think that weight gain is very individual. Way, way too much pressure on pg woman now to gain as little as possible and lose weight as soon as possible.

I think that, apart from the extremes there is a huge variation of what is normal and still healthy. I don't think you can compare yourself to anyone else. How much and how you gain your weight will be differnt for every woman and proabably every pg.

I am 5ft 11 (can't be doing with all this metric malarchy). I was 10st 7 when I fell pg with DS 1. I ran till I was 6 months pg and swam several miles a week after that and I feel like I followed a really healthy eating plan with the odd treat.

I gained a stone each trimester, my weight gain never increased or slowed, same pace throughout and I was never weighed or criticised for my weight gain (well, by anyone other than me!).

I lost a stone after delivering my DS at 9lbs 1 oz and the rest of the weight had gone by the time he was 4 months.

Am now pg with number 2 and so far weight gain has been slower. Who knows what will be this time!

I think as long as you don't gain too much or too little everything else in the middle is normal and fine.

[dal21]

Hi - weight gain is such an individual thing.

With DS1 and this pregnancy, I gained a stone in the first trimester. Had a BMI of approx 19 when I fell pregnant both times. And I developed hollow legs in my first trimesters - ate non stop. That is way over the recommended about - but I didnt care. With my first pregnancy, I gained 2 stone in total.

No idea so far with this one - as havent weighed myself and wont do so until around 37 weeks for sheer curiousity.

I lost 3/4 of the weight when DS was 6 weeks (was bfeeding but eating healthily), the remainding 7lbs didnt come off until I stopped bfeeding and started running again.

Listen to your body - we are all different and our needs are all different. You cannot compare yourself to other women, as we will all gain weight at different rates/ in different areas. And yes, although a lot of it is down to what you eat, genes play a huge role too!

I simply try to ensure that I have a varied diet with enough of the good stuff. How much I weigh at the end of it is not something I am going to lose sleep over.

[ib]

I gained loads with my first pg - I ate loads to keep the ms at bay, then got into the habit too.

My midwife told me that though the weight was fine (I was thin to start out with) she was concerned about the rate of gain because it might lead to gestational diabetes.

In the end I didn't get gd - but it took a good 2.5 years for all the excess weight to come off (didn't weigh myself any more in late pg, but just after the birth I was 9kg heavier than pre-pg, and a couple of years later still a good 5kg).

Given I now know that I don't tend to lose weight bf, I'll try not to gain quite so much this time - which seems to be happening by itself, as am now 11 weeks and despite having an obvious bump I haven't gained any weight at all, despite much worse ms than first time round and consequent constant eating.

[QTPie]

Hi

As others have said different women gain weight at different rates and some gain a LOT more water (and so weight) than others.

So I don't think that weight gain, in itself, is an issue. BUT I do think "weight gain through junk food" is, but that is me. Pregnant women (like anyone) have a choice as to how they run their pregnancy and how much "unnecessary" excess weight they put on (if that makes sense). We are all going to put on weight (unavoidable), but we have quite a lot of control regarding the extra "unnecessary" weight...

I think that if you keep the extra "unnecessary" weight down, then you MOST PROBABLY make pregnancy, childbirth, bouncing back after birth and loosing weight after birth easier on yourself.

Extra weight carried during pregnancy CAN make you more prone to things like SPD, back pain, diabetes, pre-eclampsia.

Many MWs are promoting "active" births (so walking, squating, all fours etc) as a quicker and better way to labour. Being active during labour has to be easier for a woman not carrying an unecessary extra stone or two...

If you want to avoid extra unnecessary weight, then don't worry too much about the scales, just focus on your pregnancy lifestyle - what you eat and how active you are. Pregnant women NEED to eat (and to eat regularly), but - in all honesty - they don't NEED lots of chocolate, crisps, cakes, "full fat" soft drinks etc (it is often habit rather than anything else). Being "active" can just be as simple as regular brisk walking and maybe the occassional swim.

But it is all down to choice... don't "resign yourself" to putting on loads of extra unnecessary weight JUST because you are pregnant. You will always put on weight during pregnancy, but you can certainly control that unnecessary bit, IF you want to...

QT

[GuernseyFrench]

I'm starting to worry I haven't put on enough weight yet!
I'm 17 weeks and put on 2 pounds but I was about 1 stone over weight before been pg.
And I do eat a lots mostly healthy but also a bit of chocolate and toast and butter
The baby is growing fine (as far as I am aware).

GF

[flyingcloud]

Firstimer I'm like you. 19 weeks today, I have a huge bump (first-timer also!) and I got through the first trimester morning sickness by eating.

Now I'm in the second trimester I tell people that I don't feel pregnant I just feel hungry.. all the time.

However, like Jardins (hi Jardins, glad to year you are well and pg is going normally. How was your move?) I am in France and I get told every appointment to watch my weight gain.

I have no doubt that I am going to struggle post-birth as I have put on a lot of unnecessary weight (even some of my maternity clothes are tighter than they were when I bought them!)

I have put on just under a stone so far btw.

[jardins]

Hiya flyingcloud it's nice to 'hear' from you. How's it all going?

I oscillate (spelt right?) between thinking that it's good that the French midwives, etc. put pressure on us not to put on too much weight - it really makes things easier afterwards - to finding it irritating. I really feel my body is dictating here how much weight it wants to put on.

Sigh.

[Firsttimer7259]

So I am now almost 21 weeks and have put on another 2 kilos. Even tho I am being more sensible about the junk. I discovered on the FSA website that the recommended weight gain for women is 10-12kgs for the whole of the pregnancy. I have now put on 12 kgs for half the pregnancy. But I am oddly calm about it.

I am still worried about the strain of the weight on my body. I canfeel it in my joints. I am a bit less worried about the other health impacts of being overweight - mainly because on reflection a lot of this weight seems to be my rapidly growing bump. I have almost a comedy bump at the moment. Its huge. I went to see my GP on Friday and even he said 'are you sure its not twins'. I am getting this alot as I really look almost ful term. The rest of me is actually ok. A bit bigger but not off the rails.

I dont know Jardins how I would feel abut having direct pressure put on my by doctors and others to keep my wieght in check. To some degree obviously it works but some somewhere I want to be in shape because I like myself and not because I am mean to myself. I have been mean to be thin in the past and that doesnt really work for me, also it feels miserable. But then if you are miserable about how you look often you comfort eat or defiance eat...i dont know...

Anyway I have started being more active in the hope of building up my strength, not just for the birth but also because of the sheer tonnage it looks like I will be hauling around fairly shortly.

Oh and...I had my 20 week scan today and am just bowled over. The baby is beautiful and healthy and somewhere I am just overawed at my body: I made that! How amazing am I?!!So I am not really u for giving myself a hard time about any of this right now.

[Kingsroadie]

Congrats on scan firsttimer - it's so exciting isn't it?

Just popping on with a further update - am now 28+6 and had midwife appt today with GTT etc. Mentioned I was still putting on weight at about 2 lbs a week and she asked how muhc I had put on overall. I said about 23/24lbs - I think around 10/11kgs or so. I said "it's a lot isn't it?" She just replied, "well yes it is". So a steady gain of 2 lbs (or thereabouts) per week since the end of first trimester. She looked at me and said "2lbs a week?" but then didn't comment further. Then I asked what I could do about it. She said stop eating fatty foods. I said I don't apart from an occasional bit of chocolate or something and told her what I do eat, which is all healthy and not massive quantities(if I were stuffing my face with fat foods then obviously I would know why I was gaining so much weight !)

Anyway she told me to go to pregnancy pilates or yoga (which I already do). She then told me I didn't look fat so it must be fluid (yet seemed surprised at the 2 lbs per week gain...) and that I shouldn't diet in pregnancy. Basically she was very unhelpful when I asked her what I could do yet managed to make me feel like I was gaining too much compared to most people. So I felt pretty good after that

[Zola78]

I haven't read the entire thread but I would say not to worry too much. I always put a lot of weight on at the beginning of my pregnancy. This is my fourth pregnancy and by the end of the 1st trimester I had already put on 1/s a stone. My weight gain does just taper off.

My friend recently put on 50 lbs with her last pregnancy. However, the baby was a whooping 12lbs 3 oz and she lost over 40lbs in 2 weeks. So some of us are just prone to put on weight.

I know it's hard but just think of the beautiful baby at the end! I know this is hard bvecause I have struggled with each pregnancy but once you've had the baby with a little dedication you can lose the weight. It's soooo hard being pregnant: wanting a beautiful baby but also wanting to retain your 'looks' in terms of your body. It'll all work out

[Kingsroadie]

Thanks zola78. I know - I am finding it IS hard. I just want my body back! Weight gain has shown no signs of tapering off so I really hope it does. Am just annoyed as am eating healthily and not eating that much either. It must just be my body storing it all up and water too. Needless to say midwife didn't even check my notes to see my pre-preg weight and height which she probably should have done as it would have given more of an indication as to what I should be gaining.

Wow -seriously hope my baby isn't anywhere near 12lbs! , I was hoping for under 8...

It's just a bit frustrating really!

[Dragonfly73]

Thought i would throw my hat into the ring on this one.

A little over a year ago i was nearly 140kg (about 300lbs). I had a gastric band put in to help me lose weight and at the time i conceived i was down to 78 kg (roughly 12 stone something). When i found out i was pregnant i had my band defilled so i can eat normally and between then and now i have steadily gained weight. As of today i have gained about 10kg in the past 7 weeks.

At least 5 of that i was expecting as it happens almost immediately after a defill and is mostly fluid. My band is a life saver and i love it but as well as restricting food intake it can also restrict fluid intake. As soon as my band is loosened every drop i drink get retained by my body.

The other 5 kilos i think is mostly a result of my body having been in starvation mode for some time (i was taking in about 500 cal a day) and now being offered access to a normal amount of calories is laying away stores for the next "famine" as it sees it.

I am trying not to worry too much about it and just stay on the straight and narrow food wise. I haven't been an angel but i have been pretty good in terms of my food choices. Salads and vegis are the order of the day with the very occasional naughty treat.

I dread to think what the midwife/ob is going to say about it when i next see them. They have very little experience dealing with bariatric patients and i am almost considering having my band refilled half way to give me a little restriction just to see if i can stem the weight gain now and head off the lectures before they happen.

i have to admit i do hate reading how someone lost 3 kilos in the first trimester as i start to look like i ate all the pies again but i am determined to not obsess about it. I am hoping that as my body gets used to normal eating again the weight gain will taper off to normal levels. I am hopeful that i can stay under the 100kg mark for the whole pregnancy.

[Firsttimer7259]

Goodness Dragonfly. That sounds like complicated stuff. Good for you to lose so much weight, must have been a huge change and scary to have surgery etc. I guess your body must feel confused after the 500cals a day. Good luck with staying on the straight and narrow.

I decided that from now on I was going to judge my progress on the quality of what I ate, try not to eat when not hungry and otherwise leave the overall weight gain to the gods. Part of me wonders whether the 10-12 kgs per pregnancy guideline is seriously intended...it just seems so little. I sometimes feel that when you scrutiise the eating guidelines in pregnacy books etc and add up the different foodgroups you are supposed to eat and the calorie guidelines something doesnt really square up. Its almost like they give you this impossible plan just to scare you inot following half of it.

[NewbeeMummy]

I find it odd that you're getting told to watch your weight, pre pg I weighed about 7 stone, was slim, but I was very aware most this this was down to being active and basically burning more cals than I ate in a day.

When I found out I was pg I ate more, because I felt if my body was telling me to eat I obviously needed to eat, I tended not to eat much junk food, maybe a slice of cake or choccie bar once a week. By 5 months I gave up most of my sports, running due to a bad knee that was getting worse due to the extra weight, Mountain biking due to teh fera of falling off and swimming because of work commitments meaning I spent more and more time working away from the office (and my local swimming pool).

I'm now 35 weeks and have put on over 3 stone, I feel huge my joints all hurt and my arches in my feet have collapsed due to the excess weight (apprently) but every time I see the MW of GP and raise that fact I'm concerned about my weight gain, they just tell me it's normal and not to worry.

So how can some people be told off for gaining 3kg's when my 3 stone is considered acceptable?

[Kingsroadie]

newbeemummy - I suppose different GPs/midwives have different opinions on what is "healthy weight gain" and "too much"?

Mine were all telling me it was normaland not to worry etc until I told this midwife exactly how much the other day and she then said (as I droned on about above), "well yes that IS a lot".

Given you weighed only 7 stone pre preg that would indicate to me you were very slim (obv I don't know how tall you are but even if 5ft that is still light - I was 8st 5 at 5ft 6 which gives a BMI of 19 so I imagine yours must have been that or lower) and so maybe they think you "needed" to put on three stone. I can't explain this phenomenon - it seems every time I saw a midwife they dismissed my worries until the last one I saw who said it was a lot of weight (who incidentally I had seen before at 21 weeks and she told me I was normal )?!

Anyway bloody confusing of them and unhelpful I think!

Dragonfly poor you - I imagine that, having been in "starvation mode" your body is now storing everything it can at the moment, which you have said I think. Anyway I hope it all goes okay for you!

[NewbeeMummy]

Kingsroadie - I do know my BMI previously was in teh underweight category, so maybe you're right in that they felt I had to put extra weight on, but I am dreading them suddenly turning around and saying - that is a lot, why didn't you push us to do something about it.

I guess you can't really win with these things.

[Kingsroadie]

I know - I think we can't win! Whenever I mentioned it before hey said "well your BMI was only 19" (which isn't underweight but just in the normal range I think) and also "well you don't look like you've put that much on" and other such helpful comments! Until the midwifeI saw the other day decided to cahnge her mind and tell me, in fact, it was a lot of weight. I have decided to ignore them actually as I know I am not over-eating or eating a lot of crap so my body must just be doing what it needs to. Also, having spoken to other friends who have had babies I am around the same weight gain-wise so fingers crossed all will be well and it will come off easily!

[flyingcloud]

Back on this thread - wondering if Jardins is still about.

I'm 177m and I have put on 5Kg in the last six weeks and I have just been given a rather upsetting telling off from the consultant who I am seeing. I have been told that I have put on way too much weight and that I really need to be careful and I am now at risk from GD. I am really quite upset by it as I don't know what to do - I can obviously start being a lot more careful about what I eat and try and take more exercise, but will I really be able to stabilise my weight at 20 weeks pregnant?

I do eat a little bit too much and I don't do enough exercise, but I feel great - I haven't felt this good for a while, and I don't feel fat. I just feel really nicely pregnant.

[jardins]

Dear FlyingCloud - I've just spotted your post today! I'm glad you're in touch seeing as we are in a similar boat! It's crazy isn't it how naughty you can be made to feel about doing something so natural? As you may recall the 3kgs I'd put on between my monthly midwife visits met with very raised eyebrows indeed. The trouble was, I wasn't really pigging out on food and felt that a lot of it was fluid retention. Or maybe I'm completely stupid! What do you know, my next visit is scheduled for 1st Oct and I have been almost obssessive about not putting on as much. The trouble is I've noticed that my body is pretty much dictating what I do and do not eat. So far I've put on 1.5kg (with a week to go). The strange thing is that I have just lost about 800g FOR NO CLEAR REASON! I honestly feel my eating habits have remained virtually unchanged. One thing that has improved is my digestion since I decided to drink a glass of prune juice mosts morning. (Yukk but by Jove it's a god send that stuff if you suffer from constipation!). Could this be the reason for losing weight? However I am aware that something weird could happen in the next week where I put on 1kg in 2 days, or something.

So far, at 22 and a half weeks I have put on 8 kgs.

I can really imagine how confused you must be feeling. If it's any consolation during my last pregnancy I got reprimanded by my very jovial and rotund male gynea for putting on too much weight at the same stage. In the end I put on 18 kgs in total but like you I am tall and I was VERY slim before that pregnancy. 6 months after stopping breastfeeding I was back to my normal pre-pregnancy weight although I did have to be careful what I ate for a while. It was worth it though.

Let me know how you get on. I'm with you on this one. How else is your pregnancy going?

[flyingcloud]

Hello Jardins, lovely to hear from you. Thank you so much for your kind reply.

I have been trying a bit harder, but I do find my hunger is sometimes out of control. I would benefit from eating smaller quantities but more frequently I think. I will definitely try the prune juice, it sounds like it could be, er, helpful in more ways than one!

Other than that I feel great and pregnancy seems to be going fine - is this your first baby in France, I can't remember? I hope yours is going well too.

Best of luck and thank you so much again.