Underweight, 26 weeks pregnant, and no weight gain

swimmermama

I could use some support, tips, and maybe new friends

I'm 26 weeks pregnant with my second child and have not gained any weight. I'm 5.8" and started out around 123 pounds. I quickly went up to about 128 (largely due to bloating thanks to the fertility drugs!) but then went back down. I weighed 121.5 this morning at the gym. I'm fairly active - I have a four-year-old and two part-time jobs (college teacher and doula). I lift weights three times a week, swim once a week, and try to walk the other days.

I do have a history of mild orthorexia. I have been upping my calories over the last two or three weeks once it really hit me that I'm not letting myself gain weight but so far it's not working. In fact, I've lost a pound in the last week. Darn.

I know I need to eat more calories. Duh. But it's hard while trying to eat right for this baby with lots of veggies and fruit and staying hydrated. I rarely feel hungry, especially after increasing my calories a couple of weeks ago. So I could use some support and guidance from people who have been in a similar situation or otherwise have some insight and knowledge. Thanks!

JoRocka

1.) talk to your doctor.
2.) more ice cream

Springfield1970

is there a way you can have a break from the gym for a while? You know you can lose the weight after the baby comes.

I am a complete neurotic control freak but I let myself go when I got pregnant with my son. No gym either. It hasn't stopped me being in the best shape of my life afterwards. It's going to be ok.

mumblemagic

JoRocka wrote: »

1.) talk to your doctor.
2.) more ice cream

This

devilwhiterose

Is your doctor concerned? I actually lost weight during my pregnancy with my twins and didn't start gaining until halfway through. He considered everything normal as long as I was eating the daily recommended calories. Totally opposite for my first pregnancy where I was a tank and gained daily. lol

swimmermama

JoRocka wrote: »

1.) talk to your doctor.
2.) more ice cream

I've talked with my midwive the last two checkups. She says that as long as the baby is measuring well - and it is! - she's not concerned. The baby is super healthy by every test they've done and she is not the least bit concerned about my weight.

JoRocka

I said doctor.

not midwife.

mumblemagic

JoRocka wrote: »

1.) talk to your doctor.
2.) more ice cream

This

amyrebeccah wrote: »

mumblemagic wrote: »

JoRocka wrote: »

1.) talk to your doctor.
2.) more ice cream

This

Yep. You want your fruits and veggies, smoothie those with some nut butter and hey, why not throw in some ice cream?

Sounds delicious

@swimmermama if you are worried, speak to your doctor. Your midwife may be correct about it being fine, but your doctor has different and longer medical training. Anything you can do to minimise your concerns while you are pregnant is good - worry is really bad for mum and bad for baby!

jkwolly

I would normally suggest wine and peanut butter.......
So just more calorie dense foods like cheese, avocados, ice cream, etc.


And if your midwife isn't concerned, I wouldn't be.

sdwdickson

I didn't gain my last pregnancy unil halfway through my last trimester. If your midwife isn't concerned I wouldn't be either. Important thing is that the baby is healthy

briannadunn

You are doing great..the baby will get what it needs even if you are underweight..it is how God made us..numerous studies have been done over the last couple of years and beyond of pregnancies in Africa of very underweight women having 8 to 9 pound babies..the same thing happened to my Sister in law..the fact is your body will draw what it needs..as long as your getting a balanced diet, fruit, veges, and protein with whole grains you will be fine..dont eat junk it is just empty calories..I am a Mother of five kids..with my weight gain I had to learn a ton about how the baby grows..good luck and may you have a safe and happy baby.

briannadunn

You are doing great..the baby will get what it needs even if you are underweight..it is how God made us..numerous studies have been done over the last couple of years and beyond of pregnancies in Africa of very underweight women having 8 to 9 pound babies..the same thing happened to my Sister in law..the fact is your body will draw what it needs..as long as your getting a balanced diet, fruit, veges, and protein with whole grains you will be fine..dont eat junk it is just empty calories..I am a Mother of five kids..with my weight gain I had to learn a ton about how the baby grows..good luck and may you have a safe and happy baby.

Unknown

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dawnna76

I would talk to a doctor and a nutrtionist. at 5'8" and 120 pounds prepregnancy you were already underweight. fruits and veggies are great and every pregnant woman should strive for lots and healthy eating. but dont be afraid of fats. have some hummus as a dip for veggies, add avacado to salads and sandwhichs, whole milk insterad of nonfat etc. you dont have to pig out and eat ice cream and donuts (although hey i would) to gain weight just add some extra meals with good fats. other things are salmon, peanut butter and jelly sandwhich etc.

ew_david

Less exercise, more food.

JoRocka

briannadunn wrote: »

You are doing great..the baby will get what it needs even if you are underweight..it is how God made us..numerous studies have been done over the last couple of years and beyond of pregnancies in Africa of very underweight women having 8 to 9 pound babies..the same thing happened to my Sister in law..the fact is your body will draw what it needs..as long as your getting a balanced diet, fruit, veges, and protein with whole grains you will be fine..dont eat junk it is just empty calories..I am a Mother of five kids..with my weight gain I had to learn a ton about how the baby grows..good luck and may you have a safe and happy baby.

Being a mother is nice and all-but it still doesn't mean you're a doctor.

Even if you did stay at a Holiday Inn Express.

She needs to see an actual doctor.

aylajane

Just food for thought (haha)... You know you are underweight, you are exercising a lot, micromanaging calorie intake etc. I promise you, if anything happens to this baby - either you miscarry, or stillborn, or he has health issues at or before birth,... You will NEVER get rid of that nagging thought in your head that maybe your behavior contributed and/or caused that. I am not saying it would, just the "What ifs" will drive you literally insane.

Please, for just the next few months, ignore everything you have ever thought about your body and focus only on doing absolutely everything you can for that baby's health (slow down on exercise, eat more than enough, gain a few extra pounds even if you dont like it). Then if anything happens, you wont have to live with the guilt that maybe you could have done things differently...

Once the baby is out, you can do whatever you want to your body, but for now, put him first. Call your doctor.

hilbertgirl

I hate to say this, but it sounds like you don't REALLY want to gain weight. If you did then you would be eating more. I don't hear you saying you're stuffed and you're eating as much as you can but nothing is happening. You are fearful to gain and I'm guessing probably upping your workouts a little since you started eating a little more. A few tablespoons of peanut butter and maybe a bowl of ice cream daily will do the trick. It won't make you fat I promise, but it will give your baby the nutrients and fats it needs for proper development.

kellykneppergrundy

I'm a student midwife in the UK, not a doctor. However, even a lowly midwife could tell you it is imperative to gain weight during pregnancy if you started the pregnancy underweight. Low maternal weight is associated with negative outcomes for babies such as low birth weight, prematurity, and delivery complications. I would ask for a referral from your doctor or midwife to a good nutrionist who can help you incorporate nutrition dense foods into your diet. You will need to eat to fuel your body and your baby's regardless of your appetite. Exercise in pregnancy is great and the average pregnant woman can handle much more exercise than most people would think. However, if excessive exercise is stopping you from gaining vital weight you may need to scale it back a bit. As you have dealt with an eating disorder in the past you really need to speak to a medical professional about your weight gain concerns. Best wishes for the rest of your pregnancy and a healthy baby.

marissafit06

You can go to a nurse practitioner midwife and if you have a low risk pregnancy it's about the same as going to an OB. So OP doesn't necessarily need to see a doctor. I think kelly's advice is good, but I would ask for a dietician. A dietician might be able to give you a plan to ensure you gain the weight you need to.

How much did you gain with your first?

girlviernes

briannadunn wrote: »

You are doing great..the baby will get what it needs even if you are underweight..it is how God made us..numerous studies have been done over the last couple of years and beyond of pregnancies in Africa of very underweight women having 8 to 9 pound babies..the same thing happened to my Sister in law..the fact is your body will draw what it needs..as long as your getting a balanced diet, fruit, veges, and protein with whole grains you will be fine..dont eat junk it is just empty calories..I am a Mother of five kids..with my weight gain I had to learn a ton about how the baby grows..good luck and may you have a safe and happy baby.

The problem with this is that it is very hard on your own body. That means that your body isn't getting what it needs.

OP, it would probably be helpful to work with a dietitian or a psychologist who treats eating disorders. It sounds like your priorities are in order, but it can help to have the guidance to know what to do and work through the barriers that come up. This could be a great time to really get at some lingering orthorexia tendencies as well.

Otterluv

JoRocka wrote: »

briannadunn wrote: »

You are doing great..the baby will get what it needs even if you are underweight..it is how God made us..numerous studies have been done over the last couple of years and beyond of pregnancies in Africa of very underweight women having 8 to 9 pound babies..the same thing happened to my Sister in law..the fact is your body will draw what it needs..as long as your getting a balanced diet, fruit, veges, and protein with whole grains you will be fine..dont eat junk it is just empty calories..I am a Mother of five kids..with my weight gain I had to learn a ton about how the baby grows..good luck and may you have a safe and happy baby.

Being a mother is nice and all-but it still doesn't mean you're a doctor.

Even if you did stay at a Holiday Inn Express.

She needs to see an actual doctor.

And, while the baby may get what it needs, it also could probably use a mother who is healthy and has not broken down her bones/muscles during its gestation.

I didn't gain weight during my pregnancy with my youngest son. Which was fine, because I was FAT. This woman is already underweight. Which means that her results will vary. A lot. And maybe disastrously.

Go see a doctor. For reals. Don't screw around with this. It's kind of A BIG DEAL.

JiveDoc

I'm a doctor, and if I were yours, the first thing I would do is refer you to an eating disorder specialist for outpatient therapy and a dietician to monitor your weight. Doctors know a lot but to tackle your obsessions and compulsions, more dedicated specialists are out there to help. Best of luck to you.

Spheee

You have gotten a lot of good advice already, but just want to phrase the basics another way. Focus on calories and macronutrients for awhile, not so much on fruits and veggies or hydration. You want everything balanced... protein, carbs, and fat. No low-anything. Find your micronutrient dense food in animal products: shellfish primarily and fatty wild fish secondarily if you're not allergic, and organ meat (especially liver and heart) and offal of grassfed beef and similarly well-raised animals. These will be both high in micronutrients and high in calories. See a medical professional for help if you need digestive support. Also generally, don't restrict your diet--emphasize healthy foods, but don't disallow anything at all unless absolutely necessary.