Is there really any way to "keep the weight down"?

[Benji'sMom]

I know when I tell my doctor I want to try for a VBAC, she's going to tell me to keep the weight down and try not to have another 8 lb baby (not that I had CPD the first time, she's just one of these doctors that thinks an 8 lber is "too big.") Anyway my question is not really about the VBAC, that's why I'm not posting there. The question really is, um, how do you "diet" during pregnancy? I mean, is there really any way to keep the weight down? It sounds impossible to me. I go back in forth during pregnancy from no appetite to huge appetite, I have no control over that. I mean, when she tells me to keep the weight down, what does she expect me to do? :

ETA: This is sorta pregnancy related, sorta birth related, I don't know if I'm in the right forum, sorry!

[KKmama]

I just want to offer a . I'm a tall thin woman. I gain at least 35 lbs/pregnancy (I stop paying attention after I hit 35, which is ~40 weeks into my 42 wk pregnancies). Both of my boys were over 9 lbs. I think the weight I gain is just the weight I need to gain to make the big, tall kids I'm programmed to make. And the 2nd one was a successful VBAC. The key to success in VBAC is preparation and support, not an itty bitty baby. A "larger" baby doesn't necessarily have a "larger" head, and that's what counts.

[mightymoo]

I got the same crap. (DD was born at 10lbs 8oz by c/s for a lot of reasons, not her size) Generally what I was told was to avoid processed sugar as much as possible, eat healthy. So the idea is not to diet, but eat well. Naturally this means you'll put on the amount of weight that is right for you and your baby, so don't worry about how much weight you gain.

Maybe I'm biased but I don't think an 8lb baby is 'big' - average is 7.5 pounds, how can a baby that is 8oz heavier be 'too big?'. A 7lb baby must be too small! I would be a bit worried about this OB. Studies have shown that you have a higher chance for a c-section if your OB *thinks* you have a big baby than if you *actually* have a big baby.

[Storm Bride]

I think your doctor is insane.

I gained almost exactly the same amount of weight with ds and dd. I ate almost the same foods and got about the same amount of exercise. Ds weighed 7lb., 12oz. and dd weighed 10lb., 2oz. I think the difference had to do with two different fathers (both babies weighed close to what their fathers did at birth). There was nothing I could have done to keep dd's weight down...except maybe starve (literally).

[Artisan]

Let us all repeat together: ***FAT IS SQUISHY!!!!****

Big babies are not harder to birth. It's not the body fat that makes them hard to push out. You can have a giant-headed 7lb baby.

My first was 10lbs. Small tear. Guess why? Because fat is, you guessed it, SQUISHY!

So, to answer your question, no, I don't feel there is an appropriate way to keep the baby "small." I mean, yeah, you can avoid sitting and eating six bags of Cheetos every day for nine months. But otherwise, if you're eating reasonably, I am a *firm* believer in the fact that your body will gain what it is going to gain and your baby will be the size it is going to be.

My second baby weighed 8lbs, 9oz. I did nothing differently, gained about the same amount of weight, ate what I liked. Born at the same gestational age. She's just a smaller person.

Why are you going to this woman for your care? She is already undermining your confidence, and you're newly pregnant.

[runes]

I thought the doctors were supposed to practice evidence based medicine.


I don't think that there are any research studies that have proven in any way that babies size is linked to mother's diet, or that babies size can be influenced by mother's diet. maybe ask her for some references? that'll probably throw her for a loop.

sounds like she's using scare tactics to try to get you to have a c-s. can you find a vbac friendly practitioner in your area? good luck, mama!

[MamaTaraX]

Sounds to me like the dr. is saying to "keep baby's weight down", not mom's, and that's fairly impossible. Malnutrition aside, that is, and even then, I've seen some women starve themselves in pregnancy and birth 7+lb babies. Babies grow to the size they want and need to grow too and mother's weight gain has minimal to do with it. Some women will gain 80 lbs and have 5 lb babies and some will gain 15 lbs and have 11 lb babies. There's no real way to keep a baby's weight down. They could tell you to avoid getting gestational diabetes, I guess *shrug*
Namaste, Tara and Rythm (due 1/06)

[Belle]

Originally Posted by reader

Big babies are not harder to birth. It's not the body fat that makes them hard to push out. You can have a giant-headed 7lb baby...Why are you going to this woman for your care? She is already undermining your confidence, and you're newly pregnant.

: ITA. I'd find somebody who's more supportive of VBAC. I was very sick during my entire pregnancy and I only gained 10lbs. I had an 8lb 2oz baby at 38 weeks. Not a huge baby or anything, but she was a good healthy weight. Before she was born I was worried she'd be too small, because of my lack of weight gain. Now I don't think what weight you gain has anything to do with how big your baby's going to be.

[orangebird]

If the doctor says that he is an idiot. Don't do anything differently. Eat healthy, like you would do anyway, but don't do things to try to keep your baby small, that is just dumb. I can't believe doctors even try to suggest it. I would refuse any more ultrasounds so he can't start thinking the baby is "too big". Go for the VBAC if that is what you want, how can he stop you? Don't schedule a c-section and come to the hospital when you are well into labor. Or is it more complicated than that?

[captain crunchy]

If the doctor says that he is an idiot. Don't do anything differently. Eat healthy, like you would do anyway, but don't do things to try to keep your baby small, that is just dumb. I can't believe doctors even try to suggest it.

I completely agree.

That is absolutely ridiculous!! It is one thing to advise for the mama to try to have a healthy diet and not gain too much ...but it sounds like the doc meant to try to keep the baby's weight down and I heard that is impossioble???? --Unless of course you want to take up smoking 2 packs a day and drinking, I hear that produces underweight babies *sheeesh*....

I am no doc and maybe I am wrong, but I have always read everywhere that the baby takes what it needs from you first and leaves you the rest...so what the doc said would be a moot point... you would be the one winding up hungry all the time while your baby grew whatever weight it was going to be anyway ya know? (unless you were taking DRASTIC measures, which I know you are not going to do!!)

Just another stupid thing from a doctor..

Good luck on your VBAC!

[Noelia430]

Remember that your body and your baby were made for this. Keep in mind that your baby may have a "big" head but that head is made to mold and fit through the birth canal. I wouldn't try anything "radical" that may claim to grow your baby small. Just eat healthy and take care of yourself and your baby will be just the right size for you.

An 8 lb baby is certainly not big. If your doctor is not supportive of your choice then be prepared to find someone that is.

[carrietorgc]

first, aside from your dr's silly weight concerns...

i have gained hmm 31 lbs so far with baby #2 at 28 wks - I generally eat what i want, but at this point am cognizant of limiting refined sugars and processed carbs, juices, that sort of stuff (i'm sure the twix bar I just had helped TONS). my midwives arent' concerned about the weight, but those were their suggestions when I expressed concern about my gain.

anyway, good luck with the hoped for vbac!

[Benji'sMom]

Thanks mamas! I think I just needed some support. This OB has always been my OB. I haven't seen her yet about this pregnancy, but what happened was I have a friend with a baby the same age as Ben. We go to the same OB. She was pregnant with her #2 (but ended up having a mc ), but while she was preg w/ #2, this doctor told her she could have a VBAC but keep the weight down (I guess the Dr. was saying keeping mom's weight down will keep the baby smaller?) So I'm sure the Dr. will say the same thing to me when I go there. The reason I'm planning to stick with the same Dr. is that she practices at a hospital that does VBACs, which is actually out of town from me. The 2 hospitals in my town won't allow VBAC at all. I could go to another doctor at her same hospital, I guess, but I might hear the same crap anyway. I'm really at a loss of what to do because my options are limited. My hospital choices are limited, and not all doctors at this hospital will even do VBAC so my doctor choices are limited to. And the only midwife around here practices in my town at the hospital that won't do VBAC, so it has to be a doctor and not a midwife.

But I think I'll take your advice ladies, and just eat my usual healthy pregnancy food and just show up at the hopital when the baby is crowning!

[MilkOnDemand]

I second all the great info by the PP's. FWIW, I'm just shy of 35 weeks, haven't gained a pound, and in fact am down by 6 for the pregnancy. I eat a very healthy diet due to insulin dependent gestational diabetes...but best guesstimates right now have baby at 7-7.5 lbs....so here's a case where mom has NO weight gain, but baby takes what it needs & grows to the size he/she is going to be, kwim? With my previous pregnancies I gained 63lbs and had a 7lb 7oz baby, and 29 lbs for the 8 lb 0oz baby.... I don't think there is a *way* to keep baby's weight down, nor would it be healthy for either of you. Enjoy your pregnancy, eat well, and try to avoid an unneccessary c-section

[Electra375]

There is a new trend out there to c/s fat mothers b/c fat mothers can't birth babies!!! I was the heaviest w/ my hba2c, I stopped looking at the scales at 235lbs and guess I probably put on another 10 before delivery. I was 220 and 230 w my c/s, in that order. Babie were 9.9, 8.15, 9.1.

My evidence that fat woman have no problems birthing when healthy, is that I have a very large woman who is a friend of mine and she has 4 children, all vaginal births the last one at home. And her babies are little 7lbs ers.

After Christmas I noticed I had put on more weight than I should, so I took out my WeightWatchers materials and did WW for 8 wks and did not gain a pound during that time. In the last month before birth though I packed it on big time and quickly, my urge to eat over came my ability to say I've had enough.

I did WW and became a Lifetime member between ds1 and ds2. I was asked to leave meetings when they discovered I was pregnant w ds2. The leader was nice enough to tell me that I should continue on my Maintance points until 20 weeks at which point I could then add up to 6 points as my pregnancy progressed. I failed to follow her advice, but did maintain a good weight until January w ds2.

If you have never had to count calories or watched what you eat, it can be almost impossible to do it while pregnant. You need to know how much you eat prior to your pregnancy to assess what is normal for you and then add the equivalent of a serving of dairy and a 45 calorie bread sandwich.

Good food choices in controlled portion sizes with limited refined flours, sugars, etc should give you a good place to start. Of coures, my craving foods while pregnant are donuts, brownies, cookie dough and ice cream -- all of which would be fine in moderation, but I can't eat just one brownie, I eat the entire pan in a day and a half!!!! :

Being overweight, actually catagorically obese, I believe that if you eat healthy food choices, measure your portions and count calories, points, etc it isn't what the medical profession calls 'diet'. They say 'diet' and think restrictive, fad, single food choice, not enough total nutrition etc. For me, I have to write down what I eat, measure portions, plan ahead for 'treats', and put a qualifying number next to my meals to ensure I do not over eat -- it's the only way I can maintain a healthy weight, if I fail to keep tabs, I gain weight very quickly. Maybe I'll get it right the next time I'm pregnant.

Considering the new trend to c/s fat mama's, I would make an effort to stay w/in the weight gain guidelines.

[applejuice]

Why would you want to do that??

[lorijds]

I think the doc is at best not communicating well.

That said, I do think it is reasonable to encourage a mama to eat healthily (which, like many noted, would mean limiting refined sugars and processed foods, and concentrating on whole grains, quality proteins, fresh fruit and veggies). But if the doc was wanting to give some nutritional advice, to say he was lacking is an understatement.

Just eat healthily. And enjoy your pregnancy!

Lori

[leosmama20]

I personally don't think that diet is directly related to fetal birth weight. Well, unless you are completely starving. With my first, I delivered and my pre-pg weight due to severe hyperemesis, and my baby was almost 10 lbs~! I actually lost about 30 lbs in my pregnancy. So, sure, you don't want to eat a bunch of crap, but some of it is definitely genetics.

[Viola]

Originally Posted by Benji'sMom

I go back in forth during pregnancy from no appetite to huge appetite, I have no control over that. I mean, when she tells me to keep the weight down, what does she expect me to do? :

I would be really wary of any doctor that told me to keep my baby's weight down. That would scare me. My first baby weighed 9-5. I had been exercising throughout pregnancy, but then gave it up in the last trimester. Then I gained a lot more weight in the form of water, and I felt so bloated that I figured I should start walking again, so I picked it up again in the last month. I had gained about 10 lbs up to the third trimester, then put on another 14.

Then with my second baby, I exercised throughout my whole pregnancy, doing aerobic exercise and light weights. Eventually I gave up the strength training, but I kept up with the aerobic walking. Like you, my appetite came and went. Some days I just plain wasn't hungry and could go for hours without food, which I can't do when I'm not pregnant. It was actually nice. Then other days I'd be really hungry and eat a good meal and feel satisfied. I ate to my appetite and it worked well.

I had read somewhere that women who exercise strenuously tend to have slightly smaller babies, although that might have been WTEWYE and I don't know how accurate some of the info is. I wasn't doing strenuous exercise, but I was definitely getting my heart rate up there. I figured if nothing else, exercise would help keep GD at bay because my doctor told me I was borderline for that in my first pregnancy. I figured if the baby was a little smaller than my first, that would be fine since my first baby was plenty big enough.

I ended up not having much bloating, which was great, and no carpal tunnel like I had in my first pregnancy, and that was even better! I gained about 12 lbs altogether in the entire pregnancy. Guess what? My baby ended up weighing 11-5.

So, really, I don't know how you could do anything, at least not in a healthy way.

[moonstarmama]

I have an idea (just a inner-voice thing, not sure if this is true) that is is sugar and refined flour that are giving people such big babies nowadays. One thing that (I think) supports this theory is the whole gestational diabetes thing--yhat spikes in blood sugar lead to large babies. Whether it's true or not, couldn't hurt to cut out the simple carbs and still eat all the good stuff.

Good luck!