Weight gain?

[DaisyRose]

My first pregnancy I gained 21 pounds and was back in my regular clothes in three weeks. My second one, I gained 27 pounds, which really felt like too much. I had to wear some transition clothes for about six weeks.

This pregnancy (I am only 5 weeks) I've already gained a pound, and I'm worried about gaining too much weight.

Have other people found that they gain more or less weight with subsequent pregnancies?

I should probably add that I don't believe in the 25 - 35 pounds weight gain guidelines, because that can include gaining as much as ten pounds of fat stores, and I already have 10 pounds of fat stores, thank you very much (courtesy of baby #2). :LOL

I'm not an overweight person, but I am ten pounds heavier than when I had my first baby, and I really don't want to add another ten.

I'm thinking I need to just increase my daily exercise once this terrible fatigue passes and try to keep my weight gain reasonable that way?

[todzwife]

I am in the same boat...and if you want an exercise buddy count me in! I think if we eat well and exercise we'll be ok. Pregnancy isn't a time for dieting, but I don't want to be a huge cow either! :LOL

[Plady]

I'm with you guys! I need to get into some sort of exercise routine that I can maintain and I'm hoping that the maddening food cravings will start to subside. So far I haven't actually gained any weight but last time I gained a good 50 pounds and it took serious effort to get it off. I don't know if I really have control over this but I'm willing to try!

[Heavenly]

I don't know how much I would have gained with my son. I was at 24 lbs at 32 weeks but then I developed preeclampsia and gained 20 lbs of water weight in 10 days and he was born by emergency c-section! I lost the weight pretty quickly. With Olivia I ate like a pig and gained 65 lbs! Yep you read that right. : I was still 10 lbs over my pre-pregnancy weight when I conceived this one and I was already 25 lbs overweight. I am hoping to not gain too much this time but I am not going to stress over it. As long as you are not pigging out and trying to eat healthy you will gain what your body needs to. Back in the 70's they told women not to gain more than 15 lbs and there were a lot of small and undernourished babies. I'd rather get fat myself and have a big healthy baby. My daughter was a nice healthy 8.5 lbs.

[DaisyRose]

My first pregnancy, I swam an hour, five days a week, and I did some yoga and low-impact step in addition.

Second baby, not a chance! I had no time, so I bought a pedometer and made certain to get at least 10 000 steps every day, even if I had to drag dh and baby out for a walk after dinner. I logged many, many miles with my wagon and stroller, but I still ended up with ten pounds of fat at the end of it all.

Which I have not taken off, although I'll take the blame for that. I haven't exactly busted my butt trying.

I bought a treadmill (used) and put it in front of the TV down in the basement. I want to walk briskly for at least an hour a day. But when?

That's what's killing me. I can't get up early and walk before dh leaves for work because I'm just too tired. Throughout the day, there is no way I can get an hour uninterrupted. And by the time dh gets home, I'm bloody tired again!

Most of my fatigue was gone by week 12 the last two times, and I had high energy pregnancies after that (except for the fainting on the floor thing :LOL ), so I'm hoping I can get up early then.

The pedometer is a great thing! It really reminds you to be active. Walking isn't aerobic exercise, but it's still great exercise.

Any one else get hassled by HCP's about not gaining enough weight? I'm refusing to be weighed this time, because my babies were 7 lbs 12 and 8 lbs 11 and I refuse to be tormented over slow weight gain : . I think HCP's pressure women into gaining too much weight, and that's really hard to get rid of, even with breastfeeding.


Anyone else feel that way?

[mama2gracie]

the amount of weight you gain doesn't matter as long as its positive weight gain. as long as you are eating healthily, you can assume that any amount of weight you gain is necessary for your baby. excerise is also important - it helps with excessive weight gain and, probably more importantly, it helps you train for your "marathon"!

okay, that was my 'i'm-almost-a-Bradley-instructor" answer. now, my fellow pregnant woman answer?? i gained 45 lbs with my first and felt like a cow - it was gone in about 2 months, but i was very upset about my weight gain. i am hoping chasing a toddler around this time will help with that.

i think healthy eating is very important in helping with excessive weight gain, preventing pre-eclampsia and keeping us low risk in general. that being said, i had almost an entire Totino's pizza for lunch. :

[MrsMoe]

As long as weight gain is reasonable, why obsess about it? You are pregnant, not in a bikini contest.

[DaisyRose]

MrsMoe, it's not about how I look at all.

I'm much more interested in health and energy. Even carrying an extra ten pounds has a dramatic impact on my energy and how "light" I feel on my feet. For example, running up the stairs to check on the baby and then running down into the basement to throw in a load of laundry can either leave me totally breathless with aching knees (when overweight) or I can do it in a snap and feel nothing (when not carrying excess weight).

I'm also a diehard babywearer. I refuse to allow my own lack of fitness to be a reason to deprive my child of a complete in-arms experience. Again, exercising and not gaining a lot of excess weight keeps me fit and healthy and allowed me to carry my baby til she was just shy of 30 lbs and didn't want to be carried anymore.

I could give a big old's rat butt if I fit into a bikini. I want to be healthy, strong, fit and lean so I can care for my new baby the way I want to.

I totally agree that as long as you are eating healthy, whole, natural foods, you'll probably be all right. That said, it is entirely possible to overeat even really healthy foods. I'm addicted to sunflower seeds, and will eat them on everything, but at 171 calories a quarter cup, it doesn't take many sunflower seeds to add up to hundreds of excess calories, and pounds.

[MrsMoe]

You sound very very healthy! I wouldnt' worry, seriously. You are a good eater and active.

baby 7-8 pounds
breasts 1-2 pounds
muscle around womb gains 2 pounds
placenta 1.5 pounds
blood increases 2.5-3 pounds
water weight 5-8 pounds
fat 5-10 pounds

Low End Total 24 pounds (with only 5 pounds of fat and 5 pounds of water weight)
Mid-End Total 33.5 pounds


Everyone is different. Some women loose a lot of weight in the first trimester due to morning sickness. Some have fluid retention issues. Some gain a bit more weight due to increased appetite. Weight gain due to fat (within limits) is not unhealthy, in fact it is good for breastfeeding.

[Jlcampbellkidz]

Gained 55 lb. with my first DD. She was 8lb. 4 oz (3 weeks early) Lost 30 of it before I got home from the hospital but never really lost the other 25. Gained 25 with my DD#2 she was 9lb. 7oz (1 week early) and lost all of that and about 10 more pounds since her birth 10 months ago. Still seem to be shedding a few more pounds which is fine by me. I am not the best healthy eater but I could be worse. Right now I am having a hard time finding time to eat anything so I take what I can get.

Mama2gracie: Yum a totino's pizza sounds yummy. I think I might even have one in the freezer. Now I'm hungry. :LOL