Weight loss and gain « Back to Group Discussions

[SunnyMuffin]

Since we haven't discussed it yet, I thought i'd start this one.  I gained 45 lbs with my first pregnancy, lost it all plus an extra 10 lbs so I'm starting this pregnancy off weighing a bit less.  I didnt gain anything for the first 15 weeks but the past week or so I've gained about 3 lbs.  I feel like its going to start piling on quickly now and I better start being careful, especially since I'm starting to feel a bit better and my appetite has returned.  I had zero appetite for about 3 months

[MonkeyPrincess]

Don't be careful by looking at the scale. Be careful by how you choose your foods.

And keep in mind, if you lost 45 pounds, and another 10, after pregnancy, you will likely lose it again after this one.

[dayiscoming2006]

I wouldn't worry about a 3 lb gain if you hadn't gained anything the first 15 weeks. Just eat healthy and when you need to. Don't starve yourself or baby. :) (not that you were going to, but just saying.)

I am already up almost 23 lbs. I can think of no good reason why? I honestly haven't been eating like a pig or anything and my food choices have been pretty good. I started regular exercise a couple weeks ago. I'm doing pilates 2-3 times a week, walking most days and doing cardio 3 times a week. I hope this will slow down the weight gain a little. 

I figure just stay active, eat as healthy as possible, don't eat when I'm not hungry and that's the best I can do. I have lost the weight after my pregnancies in the past, so I'm sure I can do that again. So, if I end up gaining more than I'd like, oh well. Not much to be done about it over what I'm already doing. 

I can't help, but suspect that there MIGHT be more than one baby in there though. I had a really early positive pregnancy test and line progression got dark before I missed my period, very different symptoms this pregnancy, movement starting from like 13-14 weeks and my weight gain is unusual for me. But, we'll see. I would not be surprised either way anyway. I should have an ultrasound soon and then I'll know for sure. If it is just one in there, I'm going to be more disappointed with my weight gain, but like I said, I can't think of anything else to do about it. 

[ashleybrook]

last pregnancy i gained 40 pounds...this time i started out 5 pounds heavier...and started gaining right away--didn't do nearly the vomiting i did last time. i gained 8lbs by 14 weeks when i had my first prenatal and 6 pounds in the 1 month after! :) i was actually surprised by the additional 6 pounds because i didn't feel i'd been that hungry--the first trimester i kept waking up at 3/4 in the morning to eat! but that's the way it goes. i hope i don't gain more than i did last time because by the end i feel like it's so hard to move, to carry all that weight, towards the end of pregnancy i really felt for overweight people...my knees were starting to hurt...and it was just not comfortable. but in reality...i don't feel i have a lot of control. i respect my bodies needs for exercise, food  and rest as best i can--so i put on however much comes on. 

[wrenmoon]

Seems like I gain lb a week no matter what...with my first though I gained over 60 lbs and quit weighing myself when I hit 200... Then my second was 40 some and eventually settled back to pre preg weight. Then I had a weird health thing happen and went down three sizes and to my high school weight (not as cute as when I was in high school) It has since all evened out to down one size from pre preg.

This one I was up 15 or so a few weeks ago but don't own a scale so I don't know where I started. I'm not really thinking about it much except for growing out of my clothes. That bugs me.

[Tenk]

According to my scale right now I've gained 10-11 lbs when weighing naked at home before lunch time or so.  This week will be week 20 for me.  In the past I've gained a lot and I've gained a little.  With 1 baby I went from 120 to 185 and with the next I went from 120 to 144 and the next 130 to 184 and the next 125 to 165 then 135 to 178 then 150 to 170 (she came at 33w5d) and this time I started around 135 and I'm at 146 at 20w  I only have 16w to go so I'm hoping not to gain more than 16 lbs but we'll see how that goes.
 

[heyitskalista]

We don't own a scale and my midwife doesn't check my weight so I honestly have no clue.  I just focus on healthy food choices and eating when I'm hungry.  my body will gain what it needs to! :)
 

[InLove2009]

Well, I lost some weight because I was so nauseous all the time. I am now 2 pounds over pre pregnancy weight. I will be 17 weeks tomorrow. I am not too worried about my weight gain.... I try to eat what is healthy, and only eat when I am hungry (which seems to be all the time lately). But I never eat a lot- I just eat small portions often. 

[zeeohee]

Kalista, I'm with you. No scales here and I asked not to be weighed at the midwife's. Getting stressed out about gaining too much/too little is probably not going to change what I do...I eat when I'm hungry, even if it's often, I exercise, and other than that, heck, I'm growing a baby over here, so I need to not worry about it. 

I struggled with an eating disorder as a teenager, so I admit it is a little bit triggering to be growing out of my clothes at such an alarming rate, but not having to see or think about the numbers involved helps me enjoy it as "growing a baby" and not "oh my god, I have never seen the scale go that high".

[CountryMommy]

By week 16, I had already gained 7lbs and was pretty nauseaed during first trimester. I will be 21 weeks at my OB appt next week and feel like I have gained a lot of weight since my last appt. I don't keep a scale at home so I really don't know where I am at exactly.

During my first pregnancy, I started off a little underweight (114lbs - 5'6") and gained a full 35lbs. I ate well and was very active for my entire pregnancy. I never fully lost all the weight though (and what I lost went off slowly)  I went into my second pregnancy at 120lbs and gained 19lbs by the end even though I wasen't as active. I still ate well. That pregnancy was easier and I lost the baby weight a lot quicker. Now for this pregnacy, I  started off at 117lbs and am hoping to keep my weight gain to a minimum (but not an unhealthy minimum)

Weight has always been sort of a sore spot for me too so I can't keep a scale at home or I will obsess about it. My mom has always been super underweight (NEVER over 100lbs and 5'6") and was highly critically of my weight gain while I was in high school.(I was 130lbs at one point) I have a much healthier attitude towards weight now as an adult but it does still play on my mind especially when I am gaining steadily during pregnancy.  

[heyitskalista]

Originally Posted by zeeohee 

Kalista, I'm with you. No scales here and I asked not to be weighed at the midwife's. Getting stressed out about gaining too much/too little is probably not going to change what I do...I eat when I'm hungry, even if it's often, I exercise, and other than that, heck, I'm growing a baby over here, so I need to not worry about it. 

I struggled with an eating disorder as a teenager, so I admit it is a little bit triggering to be growing out of my clothes at such an alarming rate, but not having to see or think about the numbers involved helps me enjoy it as "growing a baby" and not "oh my god, I have never seen the scale go that high".

That's why I don't look at weight too.  I get so bogged down in the numbers and it causes a lot of stress.  I find it very easy to slip back into the mind set I had in high school and that's so not healthy!

[dayiscoming2006]

Well, when I told my midwife I always go over 200 lbs with my pregnancies, she kind of got big eyes and said maybe I have some gestational diabetes that they don't catch on the tests. Which, I don't think so. So, I think she's got me more concerned about it than I would otherwise be. I think I'll talk to her about it at the next appointment. Well, I know she'll weigh me and see how much I gained in this last month(quite a bit) and want to talk about it anyway. But, I'm just going to tell her I'm doing the best I can. My blood pressure is good and I feel pretty healthy, so oh well. 

She's not very clinical overall, but just with a few things like that. She has a degree as an RN, so I think some of that comes into play sometimes. But, for the most part she is very alternative and great fit.

[nicoled80]

Wow I'm in the same boat.  I gained about 45 with my first pregnancy and was about 10 pounds under my pre-pregnancy weight by the time my son was 1 (though I gained that 10 back after I stopped breastfeeding him at 2).  This time, I was miserably sick during my first trimester.  I lost 10 lbs in my first trimester.  I'm 16 weeks and just gained back a couple pounds this week.  I've been weighing myself a lot because while I had morning sickness so bad, I could visibly see myself shrinking as I lost an average of 1.5 pounds per week.  My midwife says the weight loss is nothing to worry about.  I've gotten it into my head that I need to gain weight and have been eating too many sweets in the last week (got a sweet tooth with all the gatorade and juice I had to drink to try to get rehydrated).  I gotta get that sweet tooth in check.

[MommyKlein]

I feel so much better reading this thread.  I normally go from 130 to almost 200 when my babies are born.  With my last pregnancy I planned on having a homebirth so my midwife said that I should really watch what I eat so that the baby wont be so big and that I wont gain as much weight.  I still went over 180.  This time around my diet has completely changed and Im only eating whole foods and nothing starchy as it causes so much inflammation in my muscles. I will be 17 weeks on Saturday and I've only gained 2 lbs so far.  I was really worried but now that I read this I feel so much better.  

[emilyfaith]

This makes me feel better.... I have been gaining about a lb a week too. My diet is good , much better than with my first pregnancy.(when I gained 40 lbs) I have been more worried about it this time, also wondering about twins b/c Im measuring a few weeks ahead or GD. I think some of the weight gain has to do with my lack of physical activity though. I was running and working out alot before the m/s and since then have been fighting off the cold and flu for about a month. I feel like any extra energy I have now has to go to dinner, laundry, work ect.. Looking forward to warm weather and more light for exercising. I have been walking lately and it feels soooo good. I just keep reading these mainstream books and websites that say " you have probably only gained 8 to 10 lbs so far"  ha ha ha ha. yeah right, those books also say icecream is a good source of protein and calcium. ironic.

[CountryMommy]

Well I just had my 21 week appt last night and have gained 7lbs in the last 5 weeks so my total weight gain is 14lbs to date. I am trying not to focus on numbers but I have to admit that I am a little bummed. I knew I had a big weight jump since my last appt but I really didn't expect to see that much. I only gained 19lbs total during my last pregnancy and had a pretty quick delivery even though baby was posterior so I was really hoping my weight gain would follow as it did that pregnancy. The OB was really nice, she mentioned the weight jump but didn't make a big deal out of it, she said that she would expect me to gain 25-40lbs by the end of this pregnancy. Its hard but I am trying to focus on growing a healthy baby and not think about the scale so much.

[cinderella08]

I am 18+4 and down 34lbs so far.  I'm overweight to begin with and can afford the loss though - baby is healthy, active, and growing right on track!

[harmonious]

Question about weight gain - would love your input, especially from those who've been pregnant before. 

Do you seem to gain all over, or just in your belly?  Is this something that is different for everyone and dependent on genetics and the pregnancy, or is it diet/nutrition driven?  I'm guessing a bit of both, but this is my first pregnancy so I don't know what to expect.  I've gained a ton in my boobs - went from 32D to 34DD (at about 14 weeks) and then to 34 DDD (by 18 wks).  My belly is growing, but I think I'm also just getting a bit thick in the trunk area, as well as a bit in the butt & thighs. I'm really not sure if this is due to some dietary choices, or if it's just inevitable with pregnancy. 

Partially I'm curious, especially as fewer and fewer clothes are fitting from my regular wardrobe, but partially I'm wondering if it's going to be worth the effort of converting my regular jeans into maternity jeans, as they are getting tight in the thighs/hips, and if that is going to continue to happen, I'm probably better off just buying a maternity pair somewhere than taking the time to convert them.  If I just need to lay off the bagels and clean up the diet to rein it back in, and it's not the pregnancy, then that is another story :)

So far, I'm up about 10 pounds, and am 19 weeks today.

Thanks!

[talldarkeyes]

I like to look at pictures of fertility goddess statues every time I need a reality check about my body during pregnancy. Every person gains differently but yes, a lot of weight in the breasts, butt and thighs. I look at it as food storage for breast feeding. At my twenty week appointment I was still below my weight at six weeks but had gained about a lb. a week since the month before. A gain of a lb. a week is normal and my midwife said that a growth spurt around twenty weeks is also normal. I lost all of the weight and then some while nursing but then became TOO thin and nearly lost my milk supply since I was pretty much starving myself. I have paid dearly for not eating enough during that time, so I say "just eat". Now isn't the time to worry.There are many symptoms of GD not just weight gain. If you are worried about it,find out the other symptoms and talk to your provider.

[dayiscoming2006]

It can be quite normal. 10 lbs up isn't bad for 19 weeks. I'd probably buy regular maternity cloths, especially ones with a little stretch - stretch denim, stretch work pants(if you need) and yoga pants or something if you would like something to lounge in. I use yoga pants all the time. Some don't like to do that, but to each their own. I probably wouldn't bother converting the other pants because you said they are already a bit snug and really, you only get bigger at this point. Doesn't mean you'll be huge, but your not likely to shrink. :) It's perfectly normal and good. Eat healthy, stay active and you are fine. I'm up in weight quite a bit more than I hoped for and there doesn't seem like much I can do to curb it, so I'm just doing what I suggested you do, eat healthy, stay active and I know when I'm done being pregnant, the weight will eventually come off. I've always had a really good milk supply and always been a bit overweight during nursing.