Pregnant and watching weight

KarlieK

Hi all!,

First off I just want to say I'm not being silly with my diet as I'm currently pregnant and not willing to take chances with baby's health.

However, I am struggling with the weight gain.

Just last year (from approx Aug 2013-May 2014) I lost 28/29lbs for my wedding and was feeling and looking great. I took up exercise, ate healthily and never felt better.
After the wedding I put on around a stone :-( and since getting pregnant in August 2014 I've put on approx 20lbs so I'm now 10lbs heavier than my heaviest weight!!

For my height and original weight pre pregnancy I've bn told to put on no more than 25lbs (or do my best to stick to it) so I'm wondering if anyone has any tips on how not to tip the scales with that remaining 5lbs I have to play with in the last 12wks of pregnancy? I'm just over 28wks now and due April 10th!

:-) thank you in advance!

jens85977

Hi there! I had a baby five months ago. I have a hormone imbalance and really struggle with my weight generally, but was able to keep my weight gain within the limits my doctor wanted while pregnant by balancing carbs and protein at each meal. Watch your added sugar and when you eat fruit or whole grains make sure you pair it with some protein (cheese, peanut butter, etc.). It helps keep your blood sugar level. Congrats on your pregnancy!

KarlieK

Thank you very much! We are both delighted but my waistline is not!!

I went shopping tonight and made an effort to think ahead and buy things for the rest of the week that are ok in terms of low carb/high protein.

Here's hoping it makes a difference x

Wilmore1983

Hi,

I hope we get some more Pals on here. I am 10 weeks and using MFP to monitor my weight gain during this pregnancy. We have to stop the "eating for two" mentality. It's more like
"eating for one and a third" LOL.

What's your favorite healthy snack @KarlieK? Mine is tortilla chips and salsa

And congrats!

Flipmutt

Hey There! I wanted to chime in I am 30 weeks preggos and have been struggling with my weight gain. I was at my highest at 190 pounds and was able to lose 55 pounds before getting preggos. I was down to 135 pounds and by the end of first trimester I had already gained 20 pounds! My doctor was not concerned at all and I am now 10 weeks away from my due date weight in at a whopping 195 pounds Still Doctor is not concerned. I wanted to see what others have done to slow down the rapid weight gain. My fear is that I will struggle losing it all afterwards. I wanted to use MFP to help track calories and hopefully jump start my post baby weight loss in April. Maybe we can lose weight together once our little ones get here! Congrats BTW

joverw50

I am 8 weeks with my third and have taken a break from MFP but since I'm up 10 pounds already I think it time to get back to tracking. I really don't want to jump back up to 200 pounds as I did with my second. Feel free to add me as a friend too.

dreamertiff1

I'm so happy to find this thread! I'm 10w pregnant, I'm a plus size girl to start with, super healthy, just have struggled with insulin resistance and PCOS my whole life... Lost some weight and maintained it before getting pregnant, my doctor told me to do nothing different with my diet, just let the weight gain happen, her goal is for me to gain 30 pounds... At 10 weeks I've not even gained 4 lbs, but my clothes feel like I've gained 20! Just trying to have a healthy pregnancy and not gain anything 'extra' just what the baby needs! I'm wishing healthy pregnancies for you all!

JayRuby84

I gained 50 pounds during my pregnancy with my son 6 years ago and by the time I gave birth I'd reached 200lbs. For someone used to being between 135-150, it was a huge hit to my confidence. I commend you for taking care of yourself and trying to stay healthy. That's the key....just make healthy choices and you 'll be fine.

PlumpKitten

The old advice of "You're eating for two" is generations old. It apparently dates back to the post-WW2 era where people were smaller, diets were leaner and many women did ridiculous things to stay thin in pregnancy - like chain smoke, crash diet and take "water pills." It was also before the obesity epidemic.

I had a great ob/gyn who said that, in this day and age, it's outdated. Of course you should be getting enough nutrients like calcium and folic acid. Of course you need to gain weight. But there are few people in developed countries who are really lacking in calories or fat.

The whole idea of "You're pregnant! You're supposed to drink milkshakes! It's good for baby!" is misplaced.

I had 2 kids and gained 40 lbs in total. I'm having a hell of a time getting the last bit of that weight off, even though my younger child is more than a year old.
In retrospect, I wish I watched my diet a little more carefully while pregnant.

Congrats by the way! And good luck

PlumpKitten

As for advice, I think the only real way of doing it is tracking calories - the same you would when you are not pregnant. Just add an extra 200 calories a day - which isn't much. Eat a healthy balanced diet - and then add an extra yogurt, fruit, nuts and you're OK.

elleykat

Focus on making healthy eating choices, and cut out sugar and processed carbs as much as you can. Eat lots of whole foods - meats, veggies, fruits. Cutting out processed crap should help make sure you're taking in enough good nutrients for you and Baby, while not adding extra nonsense and fluff to your form. I'd actually only gained a total of about 8 lbs during my pregnancy, but after my son was born and while breastfeeding the carb cravings hit me REALLY HARD and I gained 15 lbs in 5 months! UGH.

enterdanger

Congrats on baby.

Be careful trying to limit weight gain at the end of your pregnancy, that is when a ton of development occurs and when baby puts on weight to support them outside the womb. I gained a lb a week for the last month with both my boys and my doctor said that is how it should be.

My kids just turned 2 and 4 and I've lost all my baby weight and then some...I still have 40lbs to lose since I was a big girl when I got pregnant. It will come off.

SingRunTing

The guidelines I've seen are eating at maintenance calories for the first two trimesters, then maintenance +300 calories for the third trimester. However, that is a general guideline and might not be the best advice for everyone. I would suggest asking your OBGYN to refer you to a dietician (not a nutritionist) who specializes in pregnancy to help you come up with a plan.

PlumpKitten

Also - just a warning. The weight gain takes off like a rocket the last trimester. (In my experience, so does the hunger). So you want to start being careful now. Once you're 6, 7 months into pregnancy and already gaining too much - it will be too late to stop that momentum. And it's not like you can compensate by crash dieting at the moment that your baby is growing fastest.

I used to have yogurt, whole grain bread, and / or egg-white omelets with veg for breakfast. Normal salads / sandwiches for lunch. Lean protein like fish, chicken, and veg for dinner. And rice. (I am Asian, it's a staple for us). Since it's hot where I am - and pregnant ladies need calcium - I'd snack on fruit / yogurt smoothies. I'd keep healthy snacks in my desk at work, so I wasn't tempted by the vending machine. Also, women in my part of world are OK with eating sushi while pregnant - that's healthy - but I believe most Americans stay away from that.

Still, I gained 40 lbs in total over 2 pregnancies. God knows what would have happened if it was 9 months of cheeseburgers!

shereenie

I've struggled with weight my entire life and finally lost almost 100lbs. 10 years ago. I am 9 weeks away from birth and I project a 50lbs. weight gain by 40 weeks just based on my weekly stats. Anyway, I was really stressed about weight until I realized it was taking away the joy in my pregnancy. I decided I'm not going to obsess over it because at the end of the day, you being a MFP user like myself shows we've tackled weight before and can do it again. I try to eat a protein and carb combo every two hours, eat nutrient dense whole foods and will still indulge in my favorites in moderation and have continued to exercise throughout my pregnancy when I felt up to it. I find homemade substitutes for my cravings if I want something I know isn't the best for me. Check out YT Mindovermunch. I had to realize every woman and pregnancy is different and I stopped comparing myself to others. Since this is my first pregnancy I didn't know what to expect. Next time I plan to pace myself more carefully in my first trimester. When you know better you do better! Hope this is encouraging in some way.

PlumpKitten

Oh, I just re-read the OP more closely.
"5lbs I have to play with in the last 12wks of pregnancy?"
No, you should be gaining more than 5 lbs in the last 12 weeks of pregnancy. You can try to be careful with sugars, snacks, carbs - but you probably can't hold your body back at this point. The baby grows the most the last few months.
If you're careful, maybe you will end up gaining 30 or 35 lbs, which isn't bad.
Anyways, don't stress too much and enjoy it!

CarrieCans

Walk
Focus on your nutrition
Walk
Take your prenatal vitamins
Walk
Hydrate (especially with those vitamins)
Walk
Get enough sleep
Walk
Avoid stressing yourself out
Walk

Did i mention walk? It's good for you when you are pregnant. Just make sure you rest your feet and don't wear yourself out. Every day that baby grows regardless of how much you eat. There's no sense in going into a panic if you go over the 25 lbs.

Breastfeeding is great for baby and it's a great way to get your body back to normal. You might want to consider that if you haven't already.

All that walking you do from now until baby is born would be a great way for you to get ready to take the baby for lots of walks after it is born. If your baby ends up with jaundice, the sunlight from those walks is a great way to help.

So jealous of all you expecting moms. Congratulations all of you !!!

susanmc31

Congratulations on the baby! I am 8 months postpartum and during my pregnancy I only gained 20 pounds (doctor wanted me to only gain 15) I was obese when I got pregnant. I just ate at maintainence and measured all my food and counted all my calories. I added 300 extra calories in my last trimester. I lost all my baby weight and more by 2 weeks postpartum. I also agree to walk or get some sort of exercise in. I was doing light strength training up to 36 weeks (it was something I did before I got pregnant so it wasn't something new to me). Take care and best of luck!

MommyToAllieB

Hi there! I'm 21 weeks and have already gained 25 lbs. I just got back on MFP today to help me keep track of calories because I'd really like to keep my weight gain to 12 more pounds in the 19 weeks I have left to go. I am going to try to keep to 2300 calories a day and get a bit more exercise. Send me a request if you'd like to cheer each other on

KarlieK

Thank you all so much! Reading your comments has been really helpful. I feel gd about the advice and will take it all on board :-)).

Thanks also for the friend adds. Here's hoping even if I get to 30lbs it won't go too high above! X

LKArgh

There is nothing wrong with being careful about what you eat for the rest of your pregnancy, it is actually good for both you and the baby. Ask your dr if he/she can help with a nutrition plan. I had gestational diabetes with my pregnancies and I was on a diet plan which did not exceed 1800 or so diet wise, so it is definitely a myth women need to eat for two during pregnancy. However, I highly doubt it is possible to only gain 5 lbs in the third trimester, even if you are starving yourself. Water, amniotic fluid and the baby itself will weight more than this, so do not panic if you do see the scale going higher. In general, expect to lose a total of 15 lbs or so with delivery or within the next days, the rest is the actual weight gain that will remain. If you gain around 30 lbs or so, by watching what you eat after the baby is born (as in not overeating, I do not mean going on a diet) and especially if you breastfeed, getting back to prepregnancy weight will be a matter of some months, do not panic.