Low BMI, any advice on how to gain weight quickly?

[GemBed]

I'm 13 weeks pregnant and a bit under weight. For the past 8 weeks I have been eating alot more than normal in order to gain weight for my 1st midwife appointment, which is Sunday. I weighed myself today and was really disapointed to find I haven't gained any weight. When I asked a pharmacist if I could take build up shakes he said no as they have added vitamin a.

If anyone knows of any easy and pregnancy safe ways to put on weight they would be greatly appreciated. Thankyou x

Why do you feel you have to put on more weight? As long as you're eating healthily there's no need to worry about whether you are putting on a certain amount of weight each week, especially if you're planning on bulking up with cakes and donuts or body builders powder crap.

Do you mind me asking what your weight and height is? My BMI is only around 18 (5'9" and 8 and a half stone). Nobody during my pregnancy seemed concerned about my weight, and the only additional medical stuff was they gave me extra scans at 26 and 32 weeks (great, more pictures) because they can't measure the fundus height accurately on thinner people (or something like that).

I have had to put on weight on quite a few occaisions in the past. To gain safely I am afraid you are looking to gain about 2lbs a week, probably not more than 3lbs - so its not exactly fast.
I gained weight under the supervision of a nutritionist, but if you don't have that luxury, here is what I had to do:
Every day I had to calorie count and ensure I consumed 3,000 - 3,250 calories a day, but that was based on my starting weight/bmi and on my physical health at the time etc etc. If I didn't meet that target by the evening, I would have smoothies or hot chocolate (full fat milk etc) and nuts before bed to get there. I had three full meals a day plus three snacks. The aim would normally be: breakfast - 450 cals; lunch - 750 cals; dinner - 1000 cals; each snack - 250ish cals. The meals are obviously quite substantial (so maybe toast plus cereal plus orange juice for breakfast) but the I was always told to fill the calories healthily rather than with junk. So rather than, say, chocolate, cakes, biscuits etc, add calories by adding nuts, olive oil, avocado, fruit smoothies, wholegrain carbs etc.
I don't know if you are underweight because you have been dieting/restricting etc, so I don't know if you have "issues" with calorie counting of if that would be triggering to you (if you have a eating disorder or have had one). I have had anorexia in the past, so to calorie count for me now might be triggering but, when I have had to gain in the past, I was calorie counting anyway so there were no additional "triggers".
That said, if you are pregnant, you have clearly been menstruating and, generally, as soon as the body is too underweight, menstruation stops (so, for instance, part of the definition of anorexia is that the person doesn't menstruate). I have NO idea what you weigh/how underweight you are etc, but if your body is well enough to be menstruating and get pregnant, you probably don't need to gain too much - you may for instance just be naturally slim for all I know! Whatever you do, there is no point stuffing yourself with unhealthy foods in order to gain pounds fast - slow and steady is the way!!! If in doubt, I would be honest with your MW and ask her - you may get a referral to a nutitionist if you are lucky!

Just worried because the doctor said it was very low and that the midwife might put me on the consultants ward, which might not be that bad if it just means a couple more scans. He made it sound like a bad thing I'm 5'6 and 8 stone so my bmi is around the same as yours. I think it was 17.7. I wanted to gain weight before seeing the midwife for the 1st time ideally but thats not going to happen now.
Are they not worried about your bmi then?

My post crossed with CuppaTea - exactly! this is what I was trying to say at the end of my very rambling post!

I was also referred to the consultant because of my low bmi history (although its been steady at 20 for the past year or so, so totally normal now) - the consultant promptly un referred me and put me back onto "low risk"!

Thanks for the advice legallyblond I didn't diet or do anything intentional to lose the weight. I just got a bit depressed a couple of years back, never felt like eating and lost a stone over a couple of months. I did try calorie counting to gain weight healthily but found it really difficult to eat enough healthy food to get the calories. I'll see what the midwife says. I've been this weight for a while now and it hasn't caused me problems so she might not be worried.

Hi GemBed
I have a similar problem, I've always been small and slight, when I was pregnant with DS at 12 wks my BMI was around 18. As a result I was referred to the consultant who I saw once - basically she just referred me for an extra growth scan to make sure baby was right size and not affected by my low weight.
All way through pregnancy I got told I was measuring small, but I'm very petite and DS was curled up tightly. Despite being 4wks early he was around 6lbs, a better weight than some babies who go full term. I'm 12wks with DC2 my BMI is 16.6 as I've had problems keeping my weight up over the past year and a half. I didn't even see a consultant this time despite comments from my midwife that they would want to see me. I'm just getting an extra scan at 28wks to check growth.
Last time I started to gain weight at 16/17 wks. And by the end had put on around a stone and a half. Everyone's different, just eat as healthily as you can - try not to worry too much about how much/little weight you gain.

Don't know what my BMI was but I'm 5'3" and weighed about 7 stone when I was first pg with DS1. Although MW did mention my weight at booking in appt no more was ever said about it. DS1 was 6lbs 13oz and put on over a pound the week after he was born courtesy of my breast milk!

As the others have said, just eat healthily and as long as you're feeling OK your baby will be fine.

My pre-pregnancy BMI was 18.5 and at 13+6 I've put on no weight! Prior to conception I was being investigated for infertility (although conceived naturally!!) and all the docs used to get very excited about how little I weigh and used to go on at me to put more weight on. My low weight is just the way I am - always been this way. Anyway. When I had my booking appointment at 11 weeks I was getting really worried about the whole being under weight thing and was dreading the lecture that I assumed I'd get. MW wasn't at all fussed about it. I asked her whether my weight was an issue and she said no - it'd only be if I was overweight that they'd start to be concerned about me and the baby. Had my 12 week scan last week at 12+4 and the baby is bang on average size and looks fine. My bloods fine. All perfectly normal.
If you're not deliberately limiting your food intake (beyond just making sure you have a healthy diet) and if your diet is balanced, I really wouldn't worry about it. There's a lot of pressure from friends, family, random strangers in the street to start blowing up like a Zeppelin as soon as you get the blue line on the test stick. Ignore them - they're probably just jealous. Don't worry! And congratulations!!!

Should probably add, despite my BMI being 18, my baby weighed 10lb 4oz , so it doesn't mean you're going to have a tiny baby just because you're slim!

Fondant Fancies about 100kcal each!

Ribena cartons about 250 kcals each! Although i hate to think what effect they would have on blood sugar.

Good luck.

Gembed - I am the same height/weight as you, it's how I am, and had a perfectly healthy, normal weight first baby (subsequent 2 were underweight, but due to complications unrelated to my size/weight/BMI).

Provided you are eating to completely satisfy your appetite, your baby is growing normally and you feel ok, don't worry about it.

pizza