crazy weight gain/crazy swollen feet/help please

[taffywelsh]

Hi,

I need some help. I just went to the midwives' office yesterday (I am 32 weeks), and discovered that I had just gained 10 lbs in two weeks! I cannot believe this, but the scales all agree. I wasn't really eating more than usual, I simply don't know what happened. This puts my weight gain at 40 lbs already this pregnancy, and I still have at least 8 weeks to go.
How can I stop gaining weight in a way that is healthy for the baby? She obviously needs to grow, but just as obviously I need to stop growing, for her sake and mine. I don't have gestational diabetes (at least I didn't at 28 weeks, can you suddenly acquire it?), and, despite what you may be thinking, I eat pretty well. I am going to stop eating white flour things as much as I can, and sugary things, but the fact is that I don't eat very much of that stuff anyway. I exercise by taking good walks every day and doing prenatal yoga, but I have been so physically uncomfortable--with the extra weight, the ungodly heat and humidity around here, the baby kicking into my lungs and cervix, and my swollen feet--that it is very hard for me to do right now.

Which leads me to my next problem, namely, my feet are insanely swollen. I can't even fit them into a pair of moccasins. It is flipflops only right now (embarrassing at work!). My feet are like softballs and hurt to stand on, and the ankles are like a little rim of puff around the tops of my feet. The midwife suggested elevating them (duh...and not always possible) and taking a long bath (well, there is only a shower in this apartment), and wearing support hose (it is 90 degrees and 99 percent humidity every day). What else could I do? Is there any kind of soaking that could work (midwife said only immersing myself would work, but since I have no tub and swimming is not that easy around here, I want a second opinion!)? My blood pressure is quite low so I guess I shouldn't be worried about preeclampsia...or should I?

I will check out the "plus-size" thread, but I've only been really plus-size for a brief time here so I don't know that I'll fit in. I have never been overweight by more than one pound in my life, and I have a sudden feeling of real sympathy for those who are. It is so hard. All this only started during my pregnancy, but I'm afraid the results will last much longer.

Please help me, I am becoming a perfect sphere and I need to do something about it.
your fat friend,
Taffy

[MarineWife]

Did your midwife mention pre-eclampsia? Those are warning signs. How was your blood pressure? That's the most important thing, I think. If your blood pressure is high, it could be a very serious thing. I'm not trying to scare but want to make sure you are aware.

If she's not concerned about your blood pressure or pre-eclampsia, I suggest you drink a LOT of water. That should help with the swelling. It seems contrary that you'd consume more water to reduce water retention but I guess the body is more likely to release excess water if it knows it will get a continual supply. The other obvious thing to do is exercise. Walking is probably the best thing to do as this point, or swimming. Yoga might be good, too.

However, do not start any exercise if you or your midwife suspects pre-eclampsia or you have high blood pressure.

[MaerynPearl]

Originally Posted by MarineWife

If she's not concerned about your blood pressure or pre-eclampsia, I suggest you drink a LOT of water. That should help with the swelling. It seems contrary that you'd consume more water to reduce water retention but I guess the body is more likely to release excess water if it knows it will get a continual supply.

since you said you have low blood pressure its not likely pre-e, so it sounds like your body is retaining a LOT of water due to the heat and pregnancy... you need to drink more so it knows it doesn't have to retain it!

[expat_canuck]

plus, I would think if you are really that swollen, the fluid you are retaining is probably at least part of your weight gain. if you can get that under control, you might find your weight goes down.

I've heard that watermelon is great for swelling. Because it is so hot here, I've been making myself slushies made from watermelon, ice and coconut water. I drink this most days when I get back from walking the dog in the heat. It cools me off, it's refreshing, and is a great way to get a bunch of water and to keep your electrolytes up. Just throw em all in the blender and enjoy. If I have leftovers, I freeze 'em to make a granita - also delish (just break up the ice crystals that form when you freeze something by scraping a fork across every hour or two - if you screw up and it freezes solid, you can always melt it down and start again....). It's a nice break from just plain old water, too...

[MarineWife]

Originally Posted by MaerynPearl

since you said you have low blood pressure its not likely pre-e

Oops. Somehow I missed that part. Sorry.

[taffywelsh]

hi, thanks for the responses...
My blood pressure is usually around 110/60 (actually, it used to be lower and has risen slightly over the past six months), which I think is low enough to rule out pre-eclampsia. It was still 110/60 on Thursday. Does that number sound ok to you folks? I don't really know.
I just cannot figure out how I went and gained like a pound a day for the last two weeks. Some of it might be swelling, but that is really too much.
Is it safe to try to lose a little at this point? By forcing myself to exercise and eat no sugar etc? I do not want to finish this pregnancy off by having gained 70 lbs or something; if I look at how I've been doing lately it will be even worse than that. I don't even care too much how horrible I look, I just want my baby to be healthy. And, just to be honest, I guess I really don't want to look like this forever.
(I did want to mention, I had a student who gained 125 lbs while pregnant [she had GD], and now a few years later she looks great--she is probably 5'5" and must weigh like 120. She can be my role model, I guess)

[MaerynPearl]

NO don't try losing weight... do NOT pay attention to the weight gain, most likely it IS the water retention (your body can hold well over 10 lbs in water retention alone!)

You take care of the swelling and you will probably either gain nothing next time, or actually have supposedly-lost some weight, while all you really lose is the water retention!

[MarineWife]

That seems ok to me but I'm not a medical professional. I wouldn't try to lose weight by majorly cutting calories and/or excessively exercising. If you have been exercising throughout your pg, you can continue. If you haven't, then easy things like walking or swimming would be ok. You can certainly look at your diet and see if you've been overeating a lot lately and maybe cut back on that but don't cut calories below what you should be eating. Here's an excellent guideline for what you should be eating every day. Bradley Childbirth Pregnancy Diet

[Just1More]

It doesn't seem to matter what I do, I gain about 60 pounds in each pregnancy. This is my fourth!

It comes off every single time.

Don't worry about your weight...really...your body will do what it needs to do.

Focus instead on the positives. Eat healthy. Drink at least a gallon of water a day. Eat cucumbers and watermelon. Rest as much as possible. Stay out of the heat if you can. Make sure you are getting plenty of iron, and take your multi-vitamin

You'll be okay.

[tinynyota]

I don't have a bathtub either, but for ankle swelling my prenatal yoga instructor recommends getting 2 plastic tubs or buckets and filling one with ice water and one with hot water - not boiling, but nice and hot. Immerse your feet in the ice water for as long as you can stand, then dunk them in the hot water for a bit, then back to the ice water. Repeat. (maybe do this near a sink or shower so you can replenish the hot water.) I haven't tried it yet, but many other ladies in the class swear by it for swelling!

[BlackSheepPDX]

Listen carefully: The weight gain is directly related to your swelling. There is no question that you are retaining water which is yielding your swollen limbs. This is NOT a calorie issue.

Are you drinking enough? The rule of thumb is to take your weight in pounds (for example 160 pounds) and drink half that number in ounces (so you would drink 80 oz) per day. This means water, and non-caffeinated beverages/soups/juices. If you're in a very hot environment, you could easily need more.

Your BP sounds fine. Other signs and symptoms for Pre-e are:
Swelling or Edema
Proteinuria (protein in your urine, should be checked by your midwife at each appt)
Sudden Weight Gain
Headache
Nausea or Vomiting
Changes in Vision
Racing pulse, mental confusion, heightened anxiety, trouble catching your breath
Stomach or Right Shoulder Pain
Lower back pain
Hyperreflexia (heightened nervous system muscular tone, twitching/spasticity)

[MaerynPearl]

Originally Posted by BlackSheepPDX

Are you drinking enough? The rule of thumb is to take your weight in pounds (for example 160 pounds) and drink half that number in ounces (so you would drink 80 oz) per day. This means water, and non-caffeinated beverages/soups/juices. If you're in a very hot environment, you could easily need more.

My midwife says that should be the VERY minimum amount I should drink any day (and for me its a gallon) and try to drink as much more than that as I can.

I dont particularly like plain water, but she said adding lemon juice (no sugar) or making it into Red Raspbelly Leaf tea (no sugar) still counts.

FWIW I was afraid of trying the RRL tea but OMG its actually really good! I drink about a quarter gallon each time I make it... so if I make it at least 4 times a day Im good

[JTA Mom]

Preeclamspia can be signaled by 'classic' high bp--aka 140/90...

OR a certain amount of increase over baseline: rise of 30 mm Hg systolic (top number) or 15 mm Hg diastolic (bottom number) blood pressure.

So, if you are usually 90/60 and suddenly getting to 120/75, you've got an issue even though your bp is still within 'normal' range.

Also, are you feeling any rib pain at all, or intense heartburn? Those are also signs.

Ami

[babyready]

I had this very same experience with my first pregnancy. I had actually been very sick and had gained VERY little weight for the first seven months and then in my eighth month I would have crazy weight gains like this. And the swelling increased. They weren't worried because my weight gain was still below normal but it was amazing how much that fluid added weight. I gained 30 pounds that pregnancy and it was almost all fluid put on in the last six weeks (had the baby at 37 weeks).

And I DID develop Pre-e. Definitely watch how you are feeling and if things start feeling "off" then talk to your provider. Pre-e can progress very quickly, so I would definitely keep an eye on it. The bad swelling would concern me but I'm not a medical professional, just someone that has BTDT.

Good luck and don't stress about the weight. Especially if it is fluid, you will lose it quickly.

[taffywelsh]

Hello all
thank you so much for writing. I really appreciate the advice, especially that related to hydration. I have been trying to drink a lot, but surely I've been failing. I usually have about a litre of iced tea (herbal pregnancy mix--no sugar), a 40oz bottle of water, and assorted other non-caffeinated drinks. But, I bet it doesn't add up to enough.
I will try anything! And don't worry, I'm not starving the baby...unless she needs sugar to live!