Plus size mammas to be?

[bolobear]

I'm a size 18! I'm 202lbs and 5'4". I used to be a lot heavier like size 28. I have been asked many times if I am pregnant since I have a belly but I look pretty ok everywhere else. I worry about how big I'll be or if I'll look further along than I really am.

Are there any other plus size mammas out there? I keep hoping I'm not alone.

Do you really only gain 10-15lbs? I've been eating healthy for years and I have such an aversion to sweets it's crazy. Though I have been craving carbs so it might not be good in the long run. And I used to work out an hour a day - biking 15mph or jogging 6. Now I'm walking 3.5mph and biking 12 because I just don't have it. I feel like I'm just starting to workout again when I was heavier. I might repost the workout stuff in my ddc.

Heather

[aliah79]

You're not alone. I'm 22/24. With my last two babies, I gained about 30lbs each, but after they were born I weighed 10lbs less than I did before. This one is going a little different since I'm on a restricted diet due to diabetes (diagnosed right before conception actually) and with my thyroid and blood sugar meds being adjusted, I've already lost close to 20lbs in the past three months.

I need to start walking now that it's cooler.

Anyway, I never really looked further along than I was, I just didn't show until later...if that makes sense.

Good luck

[Lyss]

I was about 160 when I got pregnant the first time, followed by a m/c d&c and then surgery for uterine scarring when I had to take estrogen. Between being depressed about it and the hormones, I gained 20 pounds. I was 180 with my first, and I gained 45 pounds. I started around 190-200 with my second, and I gained 25 pounds. I was down to pre-pregnancy weight within 2 weeks of that birth. I lost 50 pounds, after, down to around 170, size 12/14. I was down to pre-pregnancy weight within 2 weeks of that birth.

Then, I gained back 45 of the 50 pounds last year, up to about 220, and became pregnant unexpectedly. I actually lost about 5 pounds in the first tri, and I had to stop exercising because of a SCH with a rupture. I just got the ok to start exercising again at 16 weeks. I still haven't gained any weight, although my appetite is picking up. I'm about 217 at 16 weeks, so still down about 3 pounds, even without exercising.

My vice is night-time eating, and the reflux and heartburn of pregnancy keep me from eating. My first pregnancy, I took medicines to control the reflux. Now, I just don't eat much in the evening, and nothing after 8 pm. It both slows the weight gain and also cures the reflux.

I'd love to only gain 10 pounds or so, but I know I don't have a lot of control over it. Morning sickness stripped the veggies from my diet in the first tri. Now we're eating healthy again, but I'm really hungry. I think that starting to exercise again will just add to that. I try to be smart about my snacks, but I have 2 little ones and realize I don't have perfect control over my time to prepare food.

I think it's important to try. I'm going to exercise and make the best choices I can, but if I'm starving, I'm going to eat. That wall of pregnancy hunger is like nothing else I've ever felt.

I wish I could tell the me who got pregnant in 2005 to cool it on all the sweets. I ate like sugar was going out of style, and I had reflux every night.

All the best to you!

[HeatherB]

Another plus-sized mama here. In my experience (this is my fourth), people tend to UNDERestimate my pregnancy because they can't tell if I'm just gaining weight all in the belly or what. Seriously, I've had many times where people couldn't believe I was pg and they hadn't noticed before - at 36+ weeks. That, for me, is a bummer about being heavy to begin with. Also, because of my normal shape, I never get a round belly, but that will really depend on how you carry your weight pre-pregnancy.

I don't tend to measure ahead (though I am this time) and I tend to lose weight in the first trimester and then stay at that weight until sometime in the 3rd trimester when I may gain a few pounds back. Clearly, I'm losing body weight while baby is growing healthily, and by the time I'm a day or two postpartum, I'm about 30lbs under pre-pregnancy weight with a healthy, 7lb baby. Unfortunately, it doesn't always stay off.

I've had no pregnancy complications and am preparing for my 3rd homebirth. Make sure no one tries to tell you that you can't have a normal, healthy pregnancy just because you're heavier than some! And check out plus-size-pregnancy.org for more great tips for plus-size mamas!

[heathenmom]

Me me me! This is my third plus-sized pregnancy. I do show much later than thinner moms, which is a little sad, but c'est la vie! I was dx as t2 diabetic after my last pregnancy (for which I was dx GD). Everything is very well controlled so I don't expect any complications this go-round. DD#2 was born at home unassisted and we'd love to have another peaceful uc birth with this babe ... we'll see how it all goes.

[jeminijad]

I'm a size 16... 185lbs, so kind of on the cusp of plus size. Full disclosure- I usually hover around 170, so am a bit bigger than normal. I just never lost the baby weight w/DD.

I don't find it to be a problem with my health, but am nervous in case of running across a fat phobic practitioner. Being weighed during appointments is torture... why do they have to say it out loud!?

[solejean]

Another plus size here. I was 240 with my DS and only gained 13 lbs that pregnancy. He's now 2 and I'm expecting #2 and I'm down to 185 sz 16/18. I'm hoping to keep the weight gain down this time too. I had GD last time and this time as well. Makes it difficult, but my DS was 6 lbs 10 oz at birth so with good control it works out. I continue to exercise during pregnancy - I walk abou 2 miles a day at a fast clip.

It does suck being plus size and pregnant - no one knew I was pregnant with my DS - they probably just thought I was putting on weight. I hope this time I actually look pregnant at some point since I'm about 65 lbs less this time.

[spargel]

I'm a size 16/18, 199 lb pre-pregnancy mom to be. At 25 weeks, I've gained a grand total of 0 pounds! Shortly before I got pregnant, I started eating really well. When I got pregnant, I gave up wine. Now I probably eat like a normal person would! My doc says that I'm going great, the baby is developing normally, on target for size and weight, so all is well. When I saw her on Monday, she said to expect to gain some in the 3rd TM - hopefully 10-15 pounds. I recently read an article in Fit Pregnancy that they are starting to recognize that no weight gain may also be an good goal for obese women to help prevent preeclampsia and GD. I'm hoping to gain no more than 10 total. It helps that my only cravings have been for fruit and low fat cottage cheese! I also exercise every day, so that probably helps too.

What I'm most excited about is that I'm finally being recognized as being pregnant. I was very jealous of skinny mamas and their cute bumps. I figured that I would just continue to look fat. Nope - I've got an awesome bump now and I can see that I've lost weight in my face and arms.

[cappuccinosmom]

Haven't been pregnant in a while, but just wanted to pop in and let you know I've had three healthy pregnancies as a very obese woman. I also had two miscarriages, but neither was weight related.

Anyway, I tend to lose, then gain very slowly, and then at the end (between 39-42 weeks) gain huge amounts. It's frustrating to me, the wieght gain. But it hasn't hindered my births at all. I stay active and try to eat healthy and that's all I can do.

For showing, I was surprised to find out some people weren't aware of my pregnancy until I was 7-8 months along. I guess they just thought I was getting fatter, even though my baby bump was pretty obvious. Oh well. In the long run, it doesn't really matter what other people think.

[CherryBomb]

I gained a bunch of weight after back to back losses, so I started this pregnancy out at 230 (I'm 5'7"). I was hoping to gain 10-15, but it's been more like 32 pounds. Which is actually the least I've ever gained (last pregnancy I started at 170 and gained 50 pounds).

My bp is always perfect, no GD or any problems. I gain weight really weird, nothing one month and then 6 or 7 pounds the next month! Which of course prompted the nurse to ask me one month if I was eating, then accuse me of gorging on cookies and pop the next month I just gain in spurts, and I lose weight the same way. I had an easy vba2c last time and expect to have another one. I was very active my last pregnancy (working out 3-5x a weeks and walking nearly every day, also doing prenatal yoga) but I just could not find the energy this time, and spending most of my pregnancy over the summer didn't help (I can't stand the heat!)

[heathenmom]

Originally Posted by CherryBomb

Which of course prompted the nurse to ask me one month if I was eating, then accuse me of gorging on cookies and pop the next month

Why do they do that!? With my first, the nurse basically accused me of pigging out on junk food. My husband set her straight with a quick list of a normal daily menu, which contained not a BIT of processed food or sweets.

[Eresh]

I would strongly suggest checking out wellroundedmama.blogspot.com. She has some great resources with actual facts about plus-sized pregnancy and birth (vs all the scare stuff out there). And regarding weight gain / loss, the recommendation to gain 10-15 lbs is not based on science. The blog I linked has a good article on that if you can find it.

[Liora]

Fat chick here!

I'm a size 22. I lost weight with my first pregnancy. I didn't try to I just did. This time with twins I think it is really important to gain weight so I'm eating a TON and lots of full-fat stuff like whole milk. I'm 240 right now so it is kind of scary to think I'll be closer to 300 when I deliver but I'm not going to let it get me down.

There will be a season of my life to lose weight and focus on my own body but this isn't it. This is the season to nurture my babies with my voluptuous body!

[lyterae]

I'm 5'3 and started out this pregnancy at 180, I'm currently up to 198. I gained 50 lbs with my dd, so I'm just hoping to be on the lower end this time... I'm trying very hard to not focus on the numbers and just make sure I'm eating well.

[gummibears]

I'm not sure if I qualify as plus sized or not. I weighed in at 166 pounds when I had pregnancy confirmed. I was about a size 14-15.The previous winter I was at 180 pounds and a size 20 or so. (160 or so is the upper level of healthy for me, so anything over that is overweight)

I'm seeing on a pregnancy chart online here that it's telling me if I'm 166 to start when pregnant then I'm gonna be around 199 ending and that's healthy for baby. So, I don't know if it's off or not, but that's about 30 pounds, which is what I was told to gain with DS when I weighed 135 years ago. Doesn't really seem right, does it? I've not had any prenatal care yet they won't see me for 2 more weeks here, so I've got nothing else to go on. Except that I've gained at least 4 pounds already... roh-roh!

The way I see it is that I can lose the weight later. I was heavier all these winters and I wasn't eating for two. So long as my health is fine, I will eat as I want to and know that I'm nurturing my baby in the process. Thin is OUT when pregnant.

[myk]

i was 220lbs when i was TTC, but i gained on the month i conceived, and when i first got a +hpt i was 230. i gained RIGHT AWAY up to 245.. but that was because i had horrible morning sickness and ironically, the only thing that could keep it at bay was to eat. not healthy stuff either. sigh.

in the second trimester i lost weight, but baby's fine.. i'm about 242 now, after having gone down to 238. i hope to be 255 or less when baby's done but i'm not sure that's realistic. i'm just entering my 3rd trimester.

[gummibears]

Originally Posted by myk

i was 220lbs when i was TTC, but i gained on the month i conceived, and when i first got a +hpt i was 230. i gained RIGHT AWAY up to 245.. but that was because i had horrible morning sickness and ironically, the only thing that could keep it at bay was to eat. not healthy stuff either. sigh.

I find eating helps, too. So I'm eating like mad. I go between good foods and bad, but man, I'm gonna be big at this rate, LOL. It's a far cry from my last pregnancy when I vomited 2xa day for the full first trimester.

[meg007]

I started out this pregnancy about 40 lbs overweight. At home, I weighed 184, the midwives have me at 190 for my first visit. Now I'm 20 weeks along, and at my appointment a few days ago, I weighed 203, and the midwife TOTALLY gave me crap about having gained 13 lbs and said I should only gain 15 the whole pregnancy and I "really have to start taking this seriously." I was so angry, and still am, actually.

[poppiesinjuly]

I'm plus sized and preggo.

I'm an 18/20 prepregnancy. 5'8" 230lbs.

I've gained 0 pounds so far at 27 weeks. My belly is getting rounder, but I guess the rest of me must be getting less round. My doctor doesn't seem concerned that I haven't gained anything.

[annaconda]

Good to know there are healthy round mamas out there... I'm starting at a size 14/16, I'm a muscular fit yoga teacher and I work out. I haven't entered the OB practice yet but I did have a rough summer emotionally and gained about 8 lbs. That sucked.

However, pg, I'm eating healthier and not drinking at all and so I know my intake is good... tracking food, watching portions etc. We'll see how it goes!