pregnancy after anorexia

[jsh7809]

My lovely sister in law recently got pregnant as well (yay cousins!!). She struggled with anorexia really severely as a young teenager, and although she has been much better for close to 15 years, maintaining a healthy weight and eating habits, she confessed to me what I was worried about - that it is still really scary and hard for her to think about gaining weight and her body changing so dramatically through her pregnancy. She is overjoyed to be pregnant, and I know that she'll do what's best for herself and the baby's health - but I was thinking that maybe there are some supportive books/ blogs/ websites/ tips out there? I haven't had experience with this myself so I'm not sure what I can do other than offer my support, but I'd love to be able to point her somewhere so she doesn't have to go through that alone.
I know that even for me - not an eating disorder survivor, just a woman in the modern world - it has at times been really scary and overwhelming to see how dramatically my body has changed. It's like a 2nd puberty but more pronounced!
Any ideas, mamas?

[MaerynPearl]

She may find it beneficial to get with a dietician or some other professional in that field to make sure that all the weight she gains is from pregnancy... and that she gains all the pregnancy weight she needs. Having a previous eating disorder it can push you both ways, knowing theres no way to avoid the weight gain, to develop an overeating disorder... or out of fear of the weight gain to go back into undereating.

As well, look online and see if there are any support groups in her area for this.

When you have already had the problem in the past it is sometimes very tough to fight it off through changes like this and the more support she can get, the better.

[lovingkindness]

This might be difficult for her but as someone who has previously struggled with an eating disorder I strongly recommend getting on the scale backwards.

I just explained to my doctor my past (you wouldn't even have to do that, though) and asked them to put a note on my chart that I did not want to hear ANYTHING about my weight unless it was a serious problem. Every time I got on the scale I reminded the staff that I did not want to know.

I recommend this to ALL women! I have no idea how much I weighed before, during, or after either of my pregnancies. Our culture focuses so much on the weight stuff that it has been so wonderful not to know. I am free to focus on things (like my precious newborn!) rather than regaining my pre-pregnancy weight.

[AFWife]

Originally Posted by lovingkindness

This might be difficult for her but as someone who has previously struggled with an eating disorder I strongly recommend getting on the scale backwards.

I just explained to my doctor my past (you wouldn't even have to do that, though) and asked them to put a note on my chart that I did not want to hear ANYTHING about my weight unless it was a serious problem. Every time I got on the scale I reminded the staff that I did not want to know.
.

This is a really good idea.

The thing that helped me (another that struggled for years with bulimia) was to remember that I would lose most all of the "big" in the delivery room. That, and the decision to breastfeed (calorie burn!) was a HUGE help.