Anyone else GAIN WEIGHT during first trimester?

[Celticqueen]

Please tell me I'm not the only one. I'm 10 weeks, and am at 115. I started at 100. I don't understand- I've eaten generally healthily, whole grains, yes, I have the occasional red licorice craving with Dr. Pepper, but that's RARE. I did notice I wasn't exercising as much as I used to be, but what can I say- I'm TIRED. I'm sick. Why am I gaining so much? Should this be alarming?

I keep hearing about women losing weight in the first trimester. I must admit I'm quite jealous of these women- despite morning sickness, I am VERY hungry when I'm not running to the bathroom. I just can't believe I'm gaining so quickly.

Should I diet? Should I limit my carb intake and only eat protein and veggies? I'm really ready to start running every day and not eat as much because of how horrified I am...

Thoughts?

[Sharlla]

uh yeah, my butt was in maternity clothes at week 9. none of my clothes fit me at all.   of course i ended up gaining 130ish lbs during that PG lol 

[ursusarctos]

I gained about 15 lbs in the first tri. I was constantly starving, so I ate. Then I gained about 15 more by 28 weeks. After that the weight gain has actually slowed down quite a bit (I'm 33 weeks now) even though it's supposed to increase in the 3rd tri. My appetite has sort of fallen off now that my stomach is so squished so I'm glad I gained weight earlier. If you're mostly eating healthy food, then listen to what your body is telling you - if you're hungry, you need to eat!

[Jaimee]

In my first 2 pregnancies I didn't gain anything in the first tri, but with #3 I have already gained 7-8 pounds at 16 weeks! Chantelle- this is your third too right?  For me a few things are different this time around.  I weaned dd when I got pg with ds, but this time I've kept nursing.  And b/c of that I couldn't take anti-nausea meds.  I feel like I've eaten more to quell the nausea and support the nursing.  Plus I know that it's easier to gain with subsequent pregnancies since the fat cells are already in place and there is generally less time for exercise/self-care. 

At any rate, you're not alone and I wouldn't diet.  Maybe just cut back on excess sugars and go on walks if you can.  If you're going through m/s you gotta eat what you gotta eat and do what you gotta do.

[Abraisme]

Ah ha ha ha, YES!  I'm 17 weeks and I've already gained 18lbs.  I had gained 15lbs by the end of my first trimester.  This is my 3rd pregnancy and it's the same every time, it's just what my body does.  I gain 45-50lbs when I'm pregnant, it doesn't matter how healthy I eat or how much I move.  Luckily, it all melts off pp with breastfeeding and a little activity.  :)

My theory is that my body needs the extra weight to breastfeed.  I have always started off thin and lost the weight within 6-7mo pp.  I think that you should listen to your body and eat when you're hungry.  You are also starting off quite thin and probably need the extra fat to grow a healthy baby.

[zuleicamoon]

Yeah, my first 3 pgs I gained at least 10lbs in the first tri.  Went on to gain about 40lbs with each by the time I delivered.  Had no issues getting back to pre-pg weight in a reasonable amount of time.  With my current pregnancy, I had gained about 5lbs at my 9wk visit, but at my visit yesterday at 13wk I'd dropped a couple of those.

I personally wouldn't diet during pg.  Your body knows what it's doing with regards to weight gain, as long as you are putting in a good balance, so trust it. 

[LLtheTinkerbell]

Yup. I'm not sure how much I gained exactly but I let myself eat whatever I could manage that was "reasonably" healthy during the first tri, whenever I wanted. This meant I ended up eating a lot more than pre-preg. For awhile all I could stomach was cereal, and I'd eat three bowls of it at a time if I could. Also found that as long as my stomach was full the nausea was abated somewhat. 

I continued to gain throughout this pregnancy, 5 lbs at every midwife visit I think (once a month until 32 weeks) but plateaued after gaining 40 lbs at about 34 weeks I think, which is where I sit today at 5 days past my EDD. 

Every BODY is different, comparing ourselves to how other women's bodies gain or don't gain during pregnancy (or while not pregnant for that matter) is generally frustrating, depressing and altogether not too useful, IMO. I and I also agree with this: 

Originally Posted by zuleicamoon 

I personally wouldn't diet during pg.  Your body knows what it's doing with regards to weight gain, as long as you are putting in a good balance, so trust it. 

In other words, don't worry!!! :)

[SuburbanHippie]

I gained 10 lbs a month during the second, third, and fourth month of pregnancy.  I do have GD though so that would be why.

[Snugglebugmom]

Unless you are unusually short, 100 pounds is a very low weight. It's likely that your body is trying to build up a fat store quickly, to be able to provide nutrition for the baby. I understand it must be unsettling to see the scale go up so quickly, but it seems to me that your body is very adept at taking care of business. The rapid weight gain will most likely abate further on, your body just needs to build up a buffer now in case there are leaner times ahead, because it is growing a tiny human.

It can be a pain in the butt, but when you think about it, it's a pretty cool mechanism! 

[Celticqueen]

Originally Posted by Snugglebugmom 

Unless you are unusually short, 100 pounds is a very low weight. It's likely that your body is trying to build up a fat store quickly, to be able to provide nutrition for the baby. I understand it must be unsettling to see the scale go up so quickly, but it seems to me that your body is very adept at taking care of business. The rapid weight gain will most likely abate further on, your body just needs to build up a buffer now in case there are leaner times ahead, because it is growing a tiny human.

It can be a pain in the butt, but when you think about it, it's a pretty cool mechanism! 

Good point. Well, I am 5'1, so that IS short, but I suppose not "unusually" so :) I grew up trying to explain to people that 95 pounds on a 5'1 girl is NOT too skinny. That's how much I weighed in wedding pictures and I looked maybe slightly underweight but definitely not scary like my highschool years when I was at 80 pounds! Yikes!

That makes sense about the body wanting to compensate for my lack of "fat" by packing it on, so to speak

[Mizelenius]

No, do not worry, and do not be envious of losing weight!

I am normally 100 lbs when not PG (though this last PG left me with an extra 3 lbs) and your height.  I normally gain weight easily in the 1st tri and quickly, but about 30 lbs total.  I keep 10 lbs on for a yr while nursing and then it comes off. 

This time my ms is bad and I have lost weight, now I am about 99.  I hate it.  I hate this ms and I would rather gain and not feel so helpless all of the time.  I think I was hungry one time this week and when I ate I threw up.

[Celticqueen]

Ok, well I am really glad I am not the only one to be gaining weight as quickly as I am. Previous poster brings up a good point- I suppose this is better than being miserable :( Feel better soon!!

[erigeron]

I gained at least 10 lbs in the first trimester. I wasn't nauseous, had no trouble keeping food down. I was hungry! And felt lousy. So I ate, and most of it was healthy. And while in hindsight I should have tried to find a way to cut back on the candy (I went through 3 or 4 bags of Jolly Ranchers), when I was sucking on hard candy I didn't feel lousy. So, *shrug*. I maintain I did what I needed to do and if my body hadn't wanted me to gain weight, it wouldn't have insisted I eat so much.