Pregnancy Weight Gain

[Cheapkate]

I was 247lbs when I got pregnant with my first (and only) child just 6 years ago. I gained over 60lbs, so yes I tipped the scales at over 300lbs. I ate more healthy when I was pregnant then I ever did my whole life, even when I've dieted I've never eaten as good. For me it was all water weight, within 5 weeks after having my son I was weighing in at 220, yes 27lbs lighter then before being pregnant. Whatever you do don't deprive the baby of food, worry about your weight after the babies born. I think the normal weight gain is 25lbs. Eat, be healthy and don't worry about numbers, it's the last thing you need, enjoy being pregnant, and enjoy eating for 2, good luck!!!

[cpnsgirl03]

I am about 22 weeks and I already gained 15 lbs so far...just got my monthly checked up done yesterday and my doc said I'm on the right track...she said normally people gained 25-30 lbs..and I confess, I crave ice cream so I eat that often although I try to limit myself to small portion every time. Enjoy and don't get too worry about it :)

[tinabohio]

I was told to gain between 25-35 pounds with my first. I started at 122 lbs (at 5'2") and ended at 190+ lbs. By the time she was 6 months old I was in my old clothes and weighed slightly more than before her but not by much. Turns out I had preeclampsia symptoms, rapid weight gain and such, without the two worst symptoms until the very end. Doc said I could have done nothing to stop it. I weighed just under 131 when I got pregnant with #2 and I gained 44 pounds exactly. I did try to eat healthier than with #1 because I did not want to gain as much and I did whatever I could to try and not end up with pre-e again.
My new doc I have now (hopefully I will be using him as an OB soon), he goes by the individual. He goes more for food and portion control than the numbers on the scale. He said he like to go by the person because some people just are naturally going to gain more. I have a friend who gained 100 pounds with her first! She gained a like amount with her second even with her eating habits changed to near perfect. Her OB said it's just how her body works! My neighbor actually lost 20 pounds at the beginning of her pregnancy and ended up being 40 pounds over her PP weight by the end.

My aunt did say that going by the gestational diabetes diet she gained less weight (and prevented having GD in her second pregnancy), so maybe that could be an option if it starts to stress you. Stress can do bad things to your baby, so try not to stress about your weight gain.

Sorry for the long and possibly hard to deciper post. My 2 year old is streaking through the house and I am barely containing myself! Nothing like a nakey booty dance!

[mom2Isaac]

Originally Posted by tinabohio Sorry for the long and possibly hard to deciper post. My 2 year old is streaking through the house and I am barely containing myself! Nothing like a nakey booty dance!

Those are the best though!

[AllytheArtist]

I walked 2 miles a day and only gained 17 lbs during preg., and most of the weight happened right at the last month since I have to have bed rest due to high blood pressure. Since I had been walking, when I delivered... I pulled that baby out in no time! woo-hoo!

[mama22qts]

If you are overweight before you get pregnant, you really should be gaining TOPS 25 lbs.

Your doc is probably concerned with the following:

1. Being overweight can make for a much more difficult birth if you are not in good physical shape.

2. Being overweight puts your baby at risk for being overweight at birth.

3. Being overweight increases your chances for pre-eclampsia.

4. Being overweight increases the likelihood that you'll have ppd.


Please don't think that because you are pregnant you cannot exercise well and hard. I ran two miles a day right up until my 8th month with my first child and was fine. I had my two children back to back (13 months apart) and was down to my prepregnancy weight within 3 months of having my son.

If you don't feel comfortable starting an aerobic exercise routine, weight training is great too, and there are exercises out there just for pregnant women. A great resource is fitpregnancy.com.

At your stage in the pregnancy, the baby would get what it needed from you if you didn't eat anything extra and stuck to 2000 cal/day.

[judymd]

I am overweight and was overweight for my pg, and given my history of gestational diabetes, my endocrinologist suggested no more than 15-20 lbs for me.

She said when you're overweight and pg, its just really hard to control your blood sugars and all the complications that go with GD and babies in utero. She was pretty aggressive, she said I should gain about a lb a week during the last trimester.

If nothing else, I was forced to really think about what I put into my mouth and I tried harder to eat more carefully.

The best part of it was that after DD was born, I was back to my pp weight within a couple weeks.

[mrsjschultz]

I tend to agree with everyone else. Eat as healthy as you can and try not to think of it as eating for 2. You really only need an extra 100-200 calories a day for baby and that's not that much extra...

I gained 50+ with DS eating what I thought was o.k. Looking back I wish I would have curbed my appetite. I was still up 15-20lb's when I got pg again with #2 and DS was only 5 months old.

I am trying very very hard to watch what I eat and trying to remain active.

Like MrsP said: "It's also really tough to lose it afterward. First time moms are often surprised at how much of the "baby weight" actually belongs to THEM after the baby is born."

She is SO right.

[hiding57]

I didn't regain my prepregnancy weight until four months with my daughter. But I ended up gain 30 pounds total (40 over beginning of pregnancy weight) and I lost all but five pounds in the first two weeks (breastfeeding helps with this, as well as being too exhausted to eat.) The last five pounds I didn't lose for four more months though!

[judymd]

oh yeah, that's true, I forgot that bfing really helped me lose the baby weight!

I swear its better than any diet.