I gained 8 lbs

[staceychev]

I was already heavy when I got pregnant, and after my second appt yesterday, found that I've gained 8 lbs in the past month. I'm not a happy camper. The only foods that have been appealing while I've been sick have been bagels and chicken salad sandwiches!

Ugh. I hope that this doesn't continue. I know it's important to feed the fetus, but I really don't want to gain a ton of weight. I gained 33 lbs with DD, and that felt like a really reasonable amount.

[brightskye]

Could it just be fluid retention? Maybe you're having a water retention kind of day. But if it's really 8lbs, well, what can you do? It's so hard for women to be in a position of having to gain weight, no choice about it, AND give them a boatload of cravings and aversions, AND a pile of nausea, and then expect them to stick to a perfectly prescribed weight plan I'm so glad that there are no weighings here in the UK. I'm overweight too and NOT looking forward to piling on more, at all. But... sigh. We can only do the best we can do, eh?

[cocoanib]

As long as you have been eating as well as you can, there is not much you can do. Are you well enough for a little exercise, maybe walking?

I haven't been weighed yet, but I feel heavier. On Monday, if I have gained more weight than I like, I've prepared myself to not get too upset. With ms, I have been eating what I can, when I can and can't feel bad about that.

Usually I workout at least 5 days per week, but all I have done is walk for the past 2 months.
I feel huge, so we will see what the scale has to say on Monday.

[HisBeautifulWife]

I am not keeping track of my weight anymore. I don't want to know. After freaking out over gaining 3lbs my husband told me to stop paying attention to the scale because I knew weight gain was going to happen. He seemed pretty shocked/annoyed that I was freaking out.

So, I don't care anymore....that much. As long as I keep working out and keep my eating reasonable, there is nothing to worry about. Weight gain is going to happen and it's not necessarily fat so it's not like it will be permanent.

[staceychev]

Wow! I wish we didn't have weighings here! I get weighed first thing at each midwife appointment.

I'm hoping that once I start to get some energy back I can start exercising a bit again. I'm rarely one for established exercise routines, but I'm a teacher and I'm on my feet all day, plus I love going for walks. So, hopefully, the next month or so will get better.

[Right of Passage]

So far I gained the most with DS2, DS1 I gained 25lbs, DS2 I gained almost 50 barf (and I'm a fluffy mama), it was all for the baby in the end though I was 4 lbs within prepreg weight by the time he was 3 months.

[HisBeautifulWife]

Can you close your eyes or turn your head and ask that you not be told your weight? For the past few years I've always done that at the doctor if I am in a mood where it will upset me. No one has ever made a big deal about it so I assume people do it all the time.

[DocsNemesis]

I dont get weighed here and I'm in the states. It was optional at my midwives and I decided not to het weighed with this one either.

[staceychev]

Hmm. I should ask, Cari. I was weighed, but my midwife didn't say anything about the weight, so who knows?

[VegMomma]

We don't have a scale. Also, as PPs mentioned, my midwife also doesn't track weight. Like, at all. There's a scale in the bathroom at her office, and if you feel like weighing yourself, you can, but she doesn't ask or anything.

[DocsNemesis]

Yeah, same. They both have bathroom type scales but it was totally optional and not tracked at my other midwives. I dont know if this one normally tracks it or not, but I'll just decline-thats much easier with a midwife

[lunita1]

Well, there's nothing you can do about the weight that's already gained, but I have to be a bit of dissenting voice WRT the idea that excessive weight gain is something we should just try to ignore and not worry about. I think keeping track of your weight gain is a good idea, especially if you're above the "ideal" range to begin with. I think it IS something to treat seriously and work on. If you're starting out overweight, the current recommendations are to gain between 15 and 25 lbs. total. If you gain too much, you increase your risk of C/S & gestational diabetes and actually risk problems with the baby after the birth http://today.ucsf.edu/stories/weight...i-stotland-md/ I also think that excessive weight gain is likely to make your pregnancy less comfortable -- it's hard on your bones and organs to deal with too much weight.

I'm actually starting this (my fourth) pregnancy at the same weight I was at the END of my first pregnancy. That freaks me out. I gained a ton of weight with that pregnancy, too! Especially since I'm starting out in the obese range I really want to keep my weight gain low this time around because I think it's the healthiest thing for me and my baby. That's based on the current research. I'm trying hard to eat healthy, nutrient dense meals and stay active (this part is soooo hard now that I'm exhausted all of the time.) I think moms with morning sickness that prevents them from keeping anything down have a pass for the first trimester -- they've got to do what they've gotta do. But I (for the first time!) am not having trouble with bad morning sickness this time so I am working hard at not consuming empty calories. I have enough back pain anyway, I don't need 35 or 40 more pounds weighing down my frame and making things worse!

[AmandaMama]

I'm also up to almost 8lbs. weight gain. I started out at the top of my "comfortable weight" (I usually flucuate about 5 lbs) and so I'm already growing out of my pants! I even bought a belly band this week and I highly recomend them! As far as how I feel about it...of course I don't want this weight already but i have also been wiped out w/ms and zapped of my energy (so no exercise). I am just hoping for this to pass so I can get back tomy usual routines.

[staceychev]

Mandy... I'm glad I'm not the only one.

I had a friend over today who gave birth 8 weeks ago (and looks great BTW). She said that she gained a lot in the beginning and was worried too, but really leveled off after the first trimester and her weight gain didn't end up too bad.

[zonapellucida]

OMG nine here!! I wnet to Wic yesterday and almost dropped to the floor!!!

[Geigerin]

I'm nearing that number. However, I have been eating fewer calories than normal because of the nausea. My meals are more frequent but very small. I've also stopped running, so I should be losing muscle mass. Maybe it's just water?

I also have a very tight and showing (at 11 weeks?!) belly already. I'm starting to think we're having twins.

[Right of Passage]

Originally Posted by lunita1

Well, there's nothing you can do about the weight that's already gained, but I have to be a bit of dissenting voice WRT the idea that excessive weight gain is something we should just try to ignore and not worry about. I think keeping track of your weight gain is a good idea, especially if you're above the "ideal" range to begin with. I think it IS something to treat seriously and work on. If you're starting out overweight, the current recommendations are to gain between 15 and 25 lbs. total. If you gain too much, you increase your risk of C/S & gestational diabetes and actually risk problems with the baby after the birth http://today.ucsf.edu/stories/weight...i-stotland-md/ I also think that excessive weight gain is likely to make your pregnancy less comfortable -- it's hard on your bones and organs to deal with too much weight

I find this interesting because when I limited my weight gain, thus depriving my self and baby food, I ended up with a c-section. When I didn't limit my weight gain, but ate healthy and enough to satisfy hunger, I had an amazingly different pregnancy felt so much better and my blood sugars always looked fantastic. That was a VBAC as well. : Just goes to show you that everyone is different and as long as you trust your body (in most cases) it's going to lead you to exactly what you need.

[lunita1]

Originally Posted by Right of Passage

I find this interesting because when I limited my weight gain, thus depriving my self and baby food, I ended up with a c-section. When I didn't limit my weight gain, but ate healthy and enough to satisfy hunger, I had an amazingly different pregnancy felt so much better and my blood sugars always looked fantastic. That was a VBAC as well. : Just goes to show you that everyone is different and as long as you trust your body (in most cases) it's going to lead you to exactly what you need.

Well, statistics of course can't tell you how an individual situation will pan out -- they tell you your odds, and the odds are better for an overweight or obese woman and her baby if she limits her weight gain during pregnancy. Also, I would never advocate depriving anyone of food, pregnant or otherwise. If a person is overweight or obese at the beginning of pregnancy, this means that they are already consuming more calories than is healthy. Cutting down to a normal quantity of food (or actually eating more, higher quality food) or simply not eating the extra 300 calories needed during pregnancy isn't going to deprive *me* of food, anyway. I suspect it is the same with MOST or at least many obese women like me.

-Kristy

[Carley]

I just wanted to give you a big huge I'm envious of anyone who doesn't have weight issues during pregnancy. It's really sad that it becomes an area of focus - it doesn't help those darn celebrities & their stupid pretty pregnancies : Who the heck knows how much is "ok" anyway? I only know one woman who has 30lb pregnancies. I don't know if it's eating disorder related or what, but she is borderline sickly looking... like Nicole Ritchie prepregnancy!

Anyway!!!

[Right of Passage]

Originally Posted by lunita1

Well, statistics of course can't tell you how an individual situation will pan out -- they tell you your odds, and the odds are better for an overweight or obese woman and her baby if she limits her weight gain during pregnancy. Also, I would never advocate depriving anyone of food, pregnant or otherwise. If a person is overweight or obese at the beginning of pregnancy, this means that they are already consuming more calories than is healthy. Cutting down to a normal quantity of food (or actually eating more, higher quality food) or simply not eating the extra 300 calories needed during pregnancy isn't going to deprive *me* of food, anyway. I suspect it is the same with MOST or at least many obese women like me.

-Kristy

I hope you didn't think I was attacking you for what you said. I just pointed out what lead to my limited weight gain, me depriving myself, not that limiting weight gain is deprivation for others just my given situation. With no science to back me up just a general feeling, I think regardless of the amount of weight you gain it's important where the weight came from. Had my second pregnancy weight gain been from a general consumption of empty calories it would have lead to a terrible birth experience, but it was a high protein diet full of fruits and veggies :. I think the superior diet lead to the better birth.

I know as an overweight woman I worry about my size all day every day, in a very negative way. IMHO I don't think pregnant mamas should have these thoughts, as long as we're eating the good stuff most of the time (and keeping the indulgence to a minimum, like you said it's about eating right!) no one should worry about their weight gain(unless a problem is suspected). We're growing another human being and that sometimes means some extra weight!