Third pregnancy-how do I not gain too much weight?

[idigchaitea]

This is my third pregnancy and I am 10 weeks along. With DS1 I gained 50 lbs. and with ^DS2^ (my angel baby) I gained about 45 lbs. I lost all of the weight and then some with DS1 by going on weight watchers, but I have been unable to lose the weight from ^DS2^. I'm not sure if it's because I wasn't able to breastfeed the second time or maybe it was due to all the stress I endured after losing him. Then I was diagnosed with hypothyroidism which didn't help at all.

SOOOO here I am pregnant a year later, and still a little overweight. I want more than anything to be healthy this pregnancy. I want to eat the right foods and the right portions. I want to exercise, but I'm so scared that any exercise I do will cause a MC or something. I'm very nervous this time around.

I'd love any tips/advice on things you've done that have helped you not gain too much weight. Anything helps! Thank you!

[RedOakMomma]

I weight myself every morning. It really helps. I'm starting out about 30 pounds overweight (probably more than that, if you consider what I "should" weight), and I really don't want to gain much during this pregnancy. I weight myself each morning, then make the appropriate diet/food decisions. Things that have helped include not snacking on junk, not eating after dinner, drinking a lot of water but no juice or soda or calorie-heavy drniks, and making sure to eat a lot of protein and vitamin-rich foods.

I'm not dieting...certainly I'm not losing weight, but I am trying to maintain my weight and keep my calorie/nutrition intake VERY healthy.

So far, at 20 weeks, I've gained a couple of pounds. I'm feeling great after the first trimester, and have been able to start working out in low-impact ways (hiking is my favorite).

[chely7425]

I too gained a TON with my first 2 (45 with DS1 and 55 with DS2)... when I got pregnant this time I was actually 5 pounds under my pre-DS1 weight and I REALLY don't want to gain another 50 pounds. I am mostly just trying to make good food choices and drink a lot of water. It has helped a ton that my cravings are for much healthier stuff this time. I also weigh myself every morning.

[Plummeting]

I'm so sorry for your loss, mama. Honestly, 45 or 50 pounds is just on the higher end of normal, IMO, and definitely not "too much". I know ACOG disagrees, but my 1st was delivered at a hospital by a CNM who worked in a practice w/ an OB. I gained 46 lbs w/her and they thought that was fine for someone not starting out overweight. I lost it all within 2 months or so. My second was a home birth w/a CNM and CPM team. I gained 43 pounds and they told me anything up to 50 was fine. I'm 4 weeks postpartum and have lost 26 of it already. I bet anything you didn't lose all the weight from your DS2 for exactly the reasons you suspect. It's difficult to lose that weight when you can't nurse, and adding the pain and stress of a loss must have made it sooo much harder. I can't even imagine.

I know the recommendations are different when you are starting out with some extra weight, but I think if you eat healthily and just do moderate exercise like walking, then you will gain whatever is healthy for YOU, barring any problems like GD, which I know can cause excessive weight gain even when you do eat "right". I can understand why exercise might worry you, and having not suffered a loss personally, I'm not a good person to give advice on how to deal with that fear, so I won't try, but I'm sure someone who has been through it will have some words of wisdom for you. Congratulations on your pregnancy!

[hotharmony]

I am also trying not to gain a bunch of weight and I am also weighing myself every morning.

I also don't eat white breads or sugars and try to limit my overall carb intake.

[LZP]

I'm so very sorry for your loss.
And regarding weight gain, don't be too hard on yourself! I started out pregnancy almost at my highest weight ever (like 3 lbs short of highest ever.) it was NOT where I wanted to start out a pgncy! But, in the first tri, even though I wasnt sick, I actually LOST weight - like 12 lbs or so I think, since I was eating so well, and I guess my body was burning calories more quickly. I am NOT NOT NOT advocating weightloss during pregnancy in the least. But I think that my body did what it needed to do. So far, I'm still under pre-pregnancy weight, by about 5 lbs now, so I guess i've gained 7 or so and I'm 24 weeks today.
Additionally, In the first tri, "they" say that you only need like 200 extra calories per day. I tried to remind myself of that as often as necessary! that's like, one granola bar, or a cup of yogurt with fruit and a few nuts. (for me, I didnt really need to add 200 MORE calories than before, since I was overeating before- hence the previous weight gain!!) so, 200 calories over the proper caloric intake for your current weight I guess.

Now I feel like I can't stop eating, but I dont feel guilty about it if it's a healthy choice, and not the fudge walnut brownie i'm wanting.

re: exercise. well. I've never been one for exercise, but want to be healthy and strong when it's push time! But since I also had a loss before this pregnancy, I too was so scared to exercise. I told my nutritionist and my MW about the fear, and basically said, "I won't do it yet." But both responded, "no problem." seriously. they understand that the stress of fear and anxiety might outweigh the benefits of the exercise. Now that I'm well into the second tri, I'm JUST starting to walk further distances, maybe even jog, and get into a P-N Yoga and other workout DVDs. But, if i start feeling like it's too much I stop. I have no guilt about that. I'm not a lump on the sofa, but I'm not out there running either.

I think as long as you're focused on eating a balanced diet, and like PPs have said, heavy on nutrient-dense foods and not so much on the refined sugars and junk, your body will do what it needs to do to serve your baby well. Walking works wonders to condition the muscles and heart, and is low impact. start small with no guilt.

sorry for the novel. the moral: Do your best and your body should work out the details if you're eating well and doing some light to moderate exercise WHEN YOU'RE COMFORTABLE WITH IT! (some avid exercisers might disagree, but I really think the stress isnt worth the benefit.)

and, congratulations!!!

[MaerynPearl]

My midwife would rather I try not to gain excessively because I am very near to the cutoff for BMI that would unfortunately risk me out of a homebirth with her (yes, its a very stupid rule, but its one she has to follow or risk being unable to do homebirths)

so basically I was told not to worry about gaining weight OR losing it... and just eat healthy and stay active. I'm supposed to not even watch my weight, which I had to explain to my doctor when I went back to her (thank GOD my doctor is absolutely awesome and was the one that talked me into a homebirth in the first place, she is more than willing to help me follow my midwifes rules... like getting me a couple of tests we don't need in Illinois that we do need in North Carolina) so my doctors only reaction was that she would rather I watch my weight at home and let her know if I suddenly drop or gain a large amount. Im fine with that and love that my doctor trusts me that much

In all, because of morning sickness the first trimester I have lost 18 pounds. We are confident baby is perfectly fine though as I was still able to eat a bit here and there (and was very comparable to what I went through with DS only with him I couldnt eat at all)

Since that weight loss I have slowly gone to a stable weight but very visible tummy gain!

Im not saying everyone should do this, and I am also not advocating weight loss in pregnancy... but I do advocate the same as my midwife, eat healthy and stay active... it will help you feel great and if you do gain weight it should mostly just be pregnancy weight.

[Adamsmama]

I gained appr. 40 with 1, 60 with 2, and 30 with 3 ... the major difference betwen 2 and 3 was with 2 I was eating out a lot, very high fat/high salt and high sugar foods. Most of my weight gain was fluid retention (feet, ankles, hands and face) ... and he was almost 10 pounds. With 3 I was cooking mostly at home, eating lower fat/calories and if I was really hungry after dinner I would snack on something like cereal that would get my "sugar" craving without eating something loaded with sugar and fat -- like cookies or cake that I was really craving.

[sanguine_speed]

[Kindermama]

Stay away from refined flours and sugars. Eat whole grains, fruits, veggies, nuts and seeds. Also eat lots of protein...lean meats and raw dairy!

I gained 75 lbs with my first and the only negative effect was a ton of stretch marks!

[sanguine_speed]

[BarnMomma]

I gained 40lbs with Ds and I'm NOT going to do that again. It was too much for me.

So this time aroudn this is what I'm doing:

-Having one meal. As in 1 breakfast, 1 lunch, 1 dinner. We preggers tend to double our meals.

-I'm starting the day with a nice big breakfast full of protein. Usually sprouted grain toast with peanut butter, an egg, some fruit, decaf tea or coffee, and a yogurt.

-Lunch is smaller, usually a salad with more protein or soup or a homemade sandwhich. (2 slices sprouted grain bread, one layer olive oil mayo, arugula or spinach, sliced meat-leftovers, havarti cheese, jam)

-Dinner is small. Usually a salad again and a very small portion of whatever I made for dinner for my family.

-I'm also planning my day out so that I'm never starving. When I get too hungry, I'll overeat or eat what's quickest to make. I like to eat right before I get hungry.

-Soup saves me. I make homemade soup full of veggies and some kind of protein and it's a cinch to heat up.

-Drink water when you have a craving.

-Don't give in to every craving.

-keep a stash of cut up veggies around for snacking


So far so good.

[BlackSheepPDX]

I think most of the advice in this thread is good, but there are a couple of things I want to disagree about.

1) Weighing yourself DAILY and critiquing your progress is not productive. Your daily weight fluctuations are relative to your hydration level and your bowel contents NOT changes in your body fat, which is the "weight gain" you're concerned about. A daily value judgement of what you can eat based on what you weighed that morning is a fast way to a path of disordered eating, body dysmorphia, and unnecessary anxiety. I'm saying this both as a health care professional, and someone with personal experience with developing extremely stressful and unhealthy ideas about food as a result of a weight based sport.

2) While I don't say entirely "don't worry about it" I do say, if you are making healthy, well balanced food choices on a daily basis, as a lifestyle, your body will do what it is going to do, and THAT I think is not worth fighting too hard against. I exercised very regularly, ate well, and gained 35 pounds during my first pregnancy. I'm getting no more exercise than walking, and the very rare jog this pregnancy, I'm eating the same, and I'm so far within about 3 pounds of my weight at the same time last pregnancy, consistently slightly under. Why? I don't know. My body has a pregnancy plan, and I'm not going to argue with it. So my point is, make the good food and exercise choices (walking is enough for those who are worried about it, but I FIRMLY advocate walking vs being completely sedentary, pregnant or not) , both during and after your pregnancy and your body will respond appropriately. Confounding factors like thyroid imbalance DO need to be addressed, because they will affect body composition. Calorie restriction serves only to slow the metabolism and confuse the body further.

I think TRUE excessive weight gain is a reflection of either poor food choices (like the "I'm pregnant, I can eat WHATEVER I WANT" kind of attitude that is a whole other rant for me about society, body image, and women's attitudes) or metabolic problems. One is under your control, and one may not be. In either case, making healthy food choices, and getting some measure of physical activity is the best approach.

[RedOakMomma]

Originally Posted by BlackSheepPDX

1) Weighing yourself DAILY and critiquing your progress is not productive. Your daily weight fluctuations are relative to your hydration level and your bowel contents NOT changes in your body fat, which is the "weight gain" you're concerned about. A daily value judgement of what you can eat based on what you weighed that morning is a fast way to a path of disordered eating, body dysmorphia, and unnecessary anxiety. I'm saying this both as a health care professional, and someone with personal experience with developing extremely stressful and unhealthy ideas about food as a result of a weight based sport.

This may be true for some, but after 20 years of struggling with my weight, being accountable every morning to my scale is the only thing that has helped me. And I certainly haven't developed unhealthy ideas! I think most of us know our weight will go up and down a couple of pounds depending on if we've pooped and if we've had a lot/a little to drink. It's when you see a trend over a few days, or a "new" weight that's seems to be stuck up 5 pounds from your usual weight when "you" (I) start to say...hm...I haven't been making the best choices, or hm...maybe I've been caving in to too many cravings this week, or eating out too much. Time to reign in.

My sister struggled with an eating disorder, so I know the risks and warning signs, but I have to say (as a happy, healthy, fluffy mom) that my morning weigh-in has been one of the best developments in terms of self-image and self-control I've had in the last several years. When I get out of the habit, it's usually because I'm not wanting to face-up to my own overeating. When I get back in the habit, I begin to respect my body again and make the choices that make myself healthier. Weighing in every day helps me meet my goals and stay honest. It works!

[Loving1]

For starters, I started this pg. 15 pounds over my healthy BMI weight range.

I weigh myself once a week using my Wii Fit board at the same time while wearing the same outfit for a realistic tracking system.

I gained 7 pounds in about 4 weeks at the beginning with cravings & the inability to tolerate a lot of vegetables.

Now I keep a food journal to make sure that I'm making healthy choices and to keep my tendency for eating unhealthy snacks in check. I eat about 4 or 5 small meals because I tend to fill up quickly because of the other stuff happening in my tummy and a few snacks everyday. I try to have a serving of veggies with every meal and I have a heaping salad - mostly greens - almost everyday. I never allow myself to go hungry and always keep a low-cal healthy snack at hand whether it's a few boiled egg whites, some apple or grapefruit slices, a 1/2 cup of yogurt, etc.,. That has kept my weight in check & I have gained about 4 pounds in the since February.

[Italiamom]

My tips:

Ditch those refined sugars! If you can't swear off sweets entirely, set a sweet goal (i.e., I can have a dessert, but only once a week, etc.)

Hit the veggies, and use those to satisfy hunger when a craving hits. If you're really needing a snack, snack on veggies first (carrot sticks, salad), to satisfy hunger.

The tip to always drink water before eating, is a good one. Sometimes dehydration will mask itself as hunger, and pregnant bodies need sooooo much water anyway. So at the very least you'll be providing your body with much needed hydration before you snack

[ema-adama]

I need this thread. I wanted to get my BMI down to at least 25 before conceiving, and it is 25.4, so I am almost there. But I am 6 weeks pregnant....

I have cut out all sugar and processed food from my diet 2-3 months ago, but recently have started craving coffee and chocolate, bread... things that I know are not good for me. I started eating lots of dates in the last couple of days, and I am going to have to get that under control

I really like the advice here on this thread. And I totally hear the poster on cultural messages for pregnant women being allowed to 'finally' eat whatever they want, and let themselves go.. that happened to me with my first pregnancy, and I really do not want that to happen again. I am going to look at the dynamics that allowed me to eat wahtever caught my fancy...

[bjorker]

Originally Posted by BlackSheepPDX

I think most of the advice in this thread is good, but there are a couple of things I want to disagree about.

1) Weighing yourself DAILY and critiquing your progress is not productive. Your daily weight fluctuations are relative to your hydration level and your bowel contents NOT changes in your body fat, which is the "weight gain" you're concerned about. A daily value judgement of what you can eat based on what you weighed that morning is a fast way to a path of disordered eating, body dysmorphia, and unnecessary anxiety. I'm saying this both as a health care professional, and someone with personal experience with developing extremely stressful and unhealthy ideas about food as a result of a weight based sport.

I absolutely agree, and I want to thank-you for saying this. I really think the above is very, very important. I respectfully but highly disagree with the advice to weigh oneself daily, and you nailed the reasons why.

[MaerynPearl]

Originally Posted by ema-adama

I have cut out all sugar and processed food from my diet 2-3 months ago, but recently have started craving coffee and chocolate, bread... things that I know are not good for me. I started eating lots of dates in the last couple of days, and I am going to have to get that under control

Cravings tend to have reasons... if it is nutritional, many websites out there will tell you healthy alternatives to those cravings (as your body is going to crave the most obvious source of whatever it is needing) if it is that your body is still coming off an addiction to it, it can be much harder. Craving both coffee and chocolate sounds very much like you are still coming down off of caffeine.

[sanguine_speed]