WWYD...concerning TTC....

[Trishas Tribe]

We currently have three children. Caleb is 6, Jermiah 4 and Grace is 21 months. They are all about 2 years apart. I LOVE being a Mama. It is who I am and have always wanted to be.

There are definately days that I could lose the bickering, but that's life : )

Anyway, we know we want one more baby. There is part of me that would love to go ahead and start trying right now. However, I am about 40 pounds overweight right now and can't fathom adding more weight to my body. I also don't want to loose all the weight just to gain it back with the pregnancy. Does this make sense?

I know this may seem silly to some, but I am really concerned about how I will feel postpartum if I am even bigger than I am right now. Has anyone else been down this road? My mom has been very sick this last year and I have neglected myself and not been eating properly.

I know that I should probably just take the next few months and get myself healthy for me and the baby. WWYD? Wait or just go ahead and TTC?

[umbrella]

Hmmm.

Well, honestly, many women who are somewhat overweight, find that if they eat healthily during the pregnancy, they don't necessarily put on much weight, if any at all.

You need to eat well so that you nourish your body, but you wouldn't need to take in extra calories like a woman normally would, as your body already has a good storage right there.

My mother was overweight all of her life, and never gained in any of her three pregnancies, and we were all healthy, large babies at birth.

Being at a heathy weight is especially best to enable you to get pregnant to begin with, but I think if I were in your shoes, if I felt the time was right otherwise, I wouldn't worry about necessarily losing the weight first. I would just get back to my healthier lifestyle while ttc. Chances are it would take a few months anyway, and you could already be back to taking better care of yourself by then.

[Glittergal]

ITA with umbrella. Also some things that I'm sure you've considered but, what were your other pregnancies like in terms of weight gain? Is this extra weight still from the last baby or from something else? It is true that for most women who start off overweight, if they eat healthy, they may gain little to no weight and still have a healthy baby. Also, you didn't mention this, but is fertility an issue for you? Can you afford to wait? Maybe you could sort of do something in between like begin an exercise routine and start modifying your diet/decreasing portions, and do the "not try but not prevent routine" for awhile? I think that is what I would do. But like umbrella said, if you feel the time is right, do it! Good luck, keep us updated.

[Trishas Tribe]

Thanks ladies I just ordered the book "The Makers Diet" and am really trying to revamp my whole appraoch to eating. I started each of my three pregnancies about 20 pounds overweight. Ever since my 3rd baby was born 21 months ago I have maintained the same weight I was discharged from the hospital at after I gave birth...grrr!!

It is mainly my lax eating styles and the hectic year. I have just lost focus of taking care of myself. I really appreciate the input.

Fertility has never been an issue for mw at all. All three of my children were conceived within 3 cycles. Actually two of them were in 2 cycles.

I think I will give myself a couple months to get in a good groove nutrition wise and then just go for it.

Here's to a happy healty me and baby to be