Moms: What were you glad you did/wish you did while pregnant?

vinerie

Forgive me, I've got babies on the brain.

I'm TTC (Trying to Conceive) and one thing that's really been on my mind is what will happen to all my hard work over the past year. I'm inching eversoclose to a standard "healthy" BMI (as of today, I am 3.3 pounds away from that distinction) and I'm feeling really great, physically.

I'm going to keep working on my weight loss goals until I actually do actually get pregnant. But if (when?!) that happens, I want to manage my weight for the ensuing 9 months the best I can and gain the "normal" amount of weight, which I suspect will be 25-35 pounds for me. So...for all those who have given birth, what were your best strategies at gaining the appropriate amount of weight? Anything you wish you would have done differently in that regard? Other tips?

Thanks!

IdLikeToLoseItLoseIt

Every woman is different and there is no way to know how you and your body will uniquely react and feel throughout pregnancy. For example, with my first pregnancy, I could barely eat during my first trimester, gained 25 pounds in my second, and gained only 5 during my third (once again I could barely eat, as it felt like my stomach had been relocated and I developed acid reflux). My second pregnancy, I gained 50! Because I felt much better overall during my first and second trimester. I've had friends that gained 80 pounds, because they thought pregnancy meant eating for two... two adults that is! And yet others that felt so ill they started losing weight at first. The range of "normal" during pregnancy is tremendous!

Your pre-natal visits will include a weigh-in at each and every appointment, so you will have many opportunities to check in with your doctor about your rate of weight gain and ask questions. That will be and should be your number one source of information and advice.

My advice would be to continue to log foods/keep a food diary, eat the appropriate amount of calories to keep your body and baby healthy, choose healthy foods (of course), and most of all - RELAX. Enjoy pregnancy. Enjoy those kicks and movements in your third trimester. Enjoy the process and know that the weight will come off after the pregnancy, whether you gain 25 or 40 pounds.

Planning to breastfeed? Exclusive breastfeeding is a weight loss golden ticket that can allow you to eat quite a few calories while losing weight at a reasonable rate (i.e., a pound a week). Post-pregnancy is also a unique metabolic time in a woman's life, so that helps, too. Remember - it will take 9 months to gain pregnancy weight, so at least allow yourself 9 months to take it off. Avoid ALL articles and news stories about those celebrities that are back to modeling on the catwalk 2 months after giving birth! Remember, those people make a living with their body and have personal trainers/chefs/etc.

And finally, keep logging your weight in MFP. Yes, log your weight gain. Believe me, when you're 2 weeks post-partum and 20 pounds lighter, that is one of the coolest data points that you will ever have on your weight loss graph!

Best wishes!

larali1980

I wish I had not eaten tons of ice cream.... I got gestational diabetes. You probably already know this, but I didn't: pregnancy isn't an excuse to pig out.

I am glad I breastfed because it was healthy for the baby and healthy for me too.

supersocks117

I wish I had monitored my weight a little more closely, or at the very least gotten into some exercise/food routine post baby. My LO is 2 now and I am just starting to lose weight because I realized I don't want to be obese when I conceive. I plan to talk to the doctor about minimal gaining or maintaining this time around if it is feasible (since I will still be overweight). (Might not have been feasible last time, I had horrible morning sickness, only carbs sounded at all appealing, I was working a lot up until 39 weeks, we were getting ready to move...) Side note: DO NOT PLAN TO MOVE AROUND WHEN BABY IS DUE. It sucked. So. Bad.

Very glad I breastfeed. Very glad I babywear (walking wearing my 22-lb toddler burns more than pushing her in the stroller).

randomtai

Kept my stomach moisturized and stop scratching.

MonkeyMel21

I was high risk and I wasn't allowed to work out at all, except for walking. So, I walked on the treadmill every day at lunch. Other than that I focused on eating healthy, for the most part, but not worrying about calorie intake. I gained 32 lbs. I wouldn't have really changed anything but I hadn't had a significant weight loss prior to getting pregnant.

catherinemorgan3990

I made sure to move a little each day (something I am trying to do again now that the lo is 4 months) so even if it is a quick walk around the building during lunch break or a yoga video at home, it will make you feel more awake and make your back feel so much better!

sardelsa

I'm glad I meal prepped freezer meals at the end of my pregnancy. I'm glad I enjoyed my food and wasn't overly restrictive, but I wish I had lifted weights first time around.

vinerie

Thanks for all these great replies. @IdLikeToLoseItLoseIt I know the doctor is the best source of information, but perhaps you can remember the time when you finally decided to have a baby. It's all I can think about! And since I haven't told anyone I am ttc, I just wanted to hear some stories and talk about what I'm thinking about. Thanks for your advice, though--I believe in science and I trust doctors, so if/when it happens, I will follow directions!

Kalikel

Enjoy it more. The first pregnancy is the last time in your life when your world is all about you. Spend that time doing stuff that's all about you.

Once that baby is born, everything changes. It's never about you again.

sjp_511

Before I got pregnant I was in some of the best shape of my life. I was still overweight, but was 40 pounds below my all time high and losing weight at a decent rate. I was determined to not gain any excess weight during my pregnancy.

For the first 6 weeks I did great. Then the morning sickness kick in. I was lucky in the fact that I didn't have bad morning sickness, but I would get nauseous if I didn't eat every few hours. At the same time I was constantly exhausted, so instead of preparing healthy snacks I reached for convenience snacks - usually Nutri-Grain bars (my husband thinks they are healthy and always keeps them in the house). I started slacking off on logging my calories. Then the cravings hit. My baby loved his red meat so I was eating hamburgers for lunch quite often (about 50/50 between the cafeteria at work and Wendy's). Always had the side of fries with it. I had completely fallen off the wagon. I ended up gaining about 45 pounds. When I left the hospital, I was 14 pounds lighter. I then lost another 8 pounds in the first 2 weeks post-partum.

I started working out again at 6 weeks post partum. At 12 weeks PP I started counting and limiting my calories again. I had some success but was very stressed about pumping enough and worried that eating too later would impact my output. In retrospect, it was really an excuse to not count my calories - I didn't want to limit my intake of all the yummy junk I was eating.

At 8 months PP, I finally decided that I am ready to actively lose weight. I have been back at it for almost 2 weeks and still feel pretty motivated. I worry that I will start my next pregnancy at a higher weight than I started my last. Hopefully on my second time around I will have better self-control. But until then, I am just going to focus on my current weightloss and fitness goals.

tldr: I didn't want to overeat but I did and it took me a long time to find the motivation to lose the extra weight.

Lounmoun

I didn't have a strategy. It was 15 years ago. I was at a healthy weight and had not yet ever been overweight in my life. I ate whatever I felt like but I didn't gain an excessive amount. I suppose I wish I had thought about my food choices more for nutritional balance.
The problem with weight really hit me after pregnancy and being unprepared for the lifestyle & body change. I had no idea how to lose weight in a healthy way. I went from an active job to being a SAHM. I ate the same as I used to.
I wish I had done something when I only had 10-20 lbs to lose instead of believing my body would magically return to normal without effort.
I wish I had gotten enough sleep. Constant sleep deprivation led to overeating. I'm not sure I could have gotten more sleep but I could have eaten different foods I suppose.
I wish I had known how to plan and make easy meals.
I wish I had exercised regularly during my pregnancy. I think it would have been easier to exercise after my dd was born if it had been a habit to go for a walk every day.
Most of all, I just wish I had known the amount of calories I actually needed and had a tool like MFP to use.

larali1980

Kalikel wrote: »

Enjoy it more. The first pregnancy is the last time in your life when your world is all about you. Spend that time doing stuff that's all about you.

Once that baby is born, everything changes. It's never about you again.

This is superb advice.

jaga13

vinerie wrote: »

Forgive me, I've got babies on the brain.

I'm TTC (Trying to Conceive) and one thing that's really been on my mind is what will happen to all my hard work over the past year. I'm inching eversoclose to a standard "healthy" BMI (as of today, I am 3.3 pounds away from that distinction) and I'm feeling really great, physically.

I'm going to keep working on my weight loss goals until I actually do actually get pregnant. But if (when?!) that happens, I want to manage my weight for the ensuing 9 months the best I can and gain the "normal" amount of weight, which I suspect will be 25-35 pounds for me. So...for all those who have given birth, what were your best strategies at gaining the appropriate amount of weight? Anything you wish you would have done differently in that regard? Other tips?

Thanks!

I can't think of any tips. I gained the appropriate amount, but struggled for years to take it off (I've now accomplished that). The struggle was emotional: home with a crying baby who finally fell asleep? EAT. I guess looking back I could have tried to pre-plan my meals and snacks better, but honestly with that first baby so much is new that it's best not to even try to plan anything!

I've been in the TTC camp before, and wish you all the luck and hope you get that Big Fat Positive soon!

LKArgh

Remember that it is much easier to not gain extra weight than lose it later. Discuss with your dr what is the ideal weight gain and aim for this (which will mean pretty much at maintenance, especially early on). If you can, breastfeed as long as possible. Not just for the benefits for the baby or your health, but because it also burns insane amounts of calories

MichiganGirl67

Pay attention to everything you eat. Remember your baby is growing so fast it needs the right nutrients to grow and be healthy. I gained 60lbs. (weighed approx. 195 post pregnancy ) with my second baby 25 yrs. ago and it has been all down hill from there. Hit 337 lbs. at my heaviest early this year was diagnosed with diabetes and decided it was time to change. Down to 295 lbs. as of today! Your doing the right thing by making yourself aware and paying attention.

Timelordlady85

when you get pregnant, you can still work out. with my first child, I ate whatever and whenever I wanted. with my second child I had gestational diabetes and exercised daily up until a month before he was born. With my third, I exercised, could have eaten better, but ended up losing all the weight from all 3 kids. If I could do it all over again, I would have exercised more,watched my sugar intake better and went on a fitness site for pregnant moms, babyfit.com is a great free site, even for TTC. breastfeed if you can, its good for the baby and burns calories for you too. Take your time healing after birth but eat good all along and the weight will come off easier.

janiep81

I wish I'd been fitter going into pregnancy so I could maintain that level of fitness while pregnant. I had gestational diabetes with my second and felt loads better when I started eating properly. I am glad I breastfed as I returned to my pre-pregnancy weight within six weeks both times. (That weight was still overweight, though.)

HikeCyclist

I agree with another poster who said that every woman is different. But I will share my own experience anyway.

When I got pregnant last July, I was probably in the best physical shape of my life. I was really happy with my body, and I remember I bought this white dress that I wanted to wear to a trip to New Orleans, but I felt like I needed to lose five or 6 pounds before it looked really really good on me.

What happens? I get pregnant, cancel my trip, and endure the most miserable eight months of my life LOL

It was extremely difficult for me to eat within a normal calorie range while pregnant. I had no problem eating foods that were good for me and for the baby, but I had no self-control when it came to sweets. And I'm talking about eating cake icing right out from the jar.

I was extremely hard on myself, constantly weight conscious, and it didn't help that my (overweight) OB doctor wasn't happy with the weight that I was gaining. It was even more pressure on me.

I ended up gaining about 45 pounds total. After I gave birth, and a couple of weeks later after the water weight came out, I lost 15lbs. So I was really left with a 30 pound weight gain. Since my baby's birth 4 months ago, I've lost 9lbs., with 21 more to go. It was hard to get back on track right after he was born, it really took me a couple of months to get serious. Especially with him waking up every two or three hours to eat. But I did work out nonetheless, I started six weeks after his birth. So even though I was overweight, I at least felt better about myself because I was working out.

What do I wish I had done differently? Not obsessed over the weight that I was gaining and just enjoyed my pregnancy. I wish I loved my body for what it was at the time. I honestly believe that my hormones were so out of whack that it was impossible to control my cravings, and I wish I had come to terms with that and accepted it at the time. Yes, the weight gain sucks, but I'm realizing that it's not impossible to lose again. I am back on track doing better than ever now.

Edited to add, I am glad that I did work out during my pregnancy, at least until the fifth month. I would jog, and do DVDs that were meant for pregnant women. I am a teacher, so during my lunch breaks I would close the blinds on my classroom door and pop a DVD into my computer LOL I was insane. I had my yoga mat in there, resistance bands, and a set of dumbbells. I am also glad that I religiously applied Noxema to my stomach and hips, because it actually worked and I got zero stretch marks. This was something that my mother, who was pregnant three times, used to do and it worked for her!

Rinkey78

Right before I had gotten pregnant with my daughter three years ago I hit my goal weight of 125! Two months later I found out I was pregnant. I felt like crap and there went my diet. Oh sure, I told myself I would watch what I ate, but I fell into the trap that pregnancy is an excuse to eat whatever you want...you're eating for two right? Boy was I wrong!! I gained over 60 lbs and 4 months ago made the decision to jump back on and lose the weight. I am once again 5 pounds away from 125. I should have NEVER stopped exercising, yes even while pregnant. I feel like I would have felt so much better if I had.
All that hard work I did three years ago fell apart, but here I am again even healthier than last time.

devil_in_a_blue_dress

I had hyperemesis gravidarum for 7 months. My experience was bad enough to make me never want to be pregnant ever again, even though I would have liked a second child. I know this isn't the happy news you probably wanted to talk about -- but that was my reality. My advice to you would be don't worry too much about your weight. Just focus on eating well to supply you and your baby with nutrients.

HikeCyclist

supersocks117 wrote: »

I wish I had monitored my weight a little more closely, or at the very least gotten into some exercise/food routine post baby. My LO is 2 now and I am just starting to lose weight because I realized I don't want to be obese when I conceive. I plan to talk to the doctor about minimal gaining or maintaining this time around if it is feasible (since I will still be overweight). (Might not have been feasible last time, I had horrible morning sickness, only carbs sounded at all appealing, I was working a lot up until 39 weeks, we were getting ready to move...) Side note: DO NOT PLAN TO MOVE AROUND WHEN BABY IS DUE. It sucked. So. Bad.

Very glad I breastfeed. Very glad I babywear (walking wearing my 22-lb toddler burns more than pushing her in the stroller).

Sorry to hijack this thread but…

Oh man, I know exactly what you mean about not moving! My fiancé and I moved into our new house when our son was three months old and it was even hard then, after he was born! It was hard for me to get anything done (packing, cleaning, unpacking), but I have to say, my baby was my golden ticket to get out of really doing anything helpful haha!

chelsy0587

Kalikel wrote: »

Enjoy it more. The first pregnancy is the last time in your life when your world is all about you. Spend that time doing stuff that's all about you.

Once that baby is born, everything changes. It's never about you again.

This!!!! Every single young girl I see that seems to be lusting after a baby and all their "wonderfulness" this is exactly what I tell them. Don't get me wrong, I love my son and I love being a mom but your whole way of thinking changes when you have a little one. They are first and you are somewhere there after, if you aren't mature enough to handle that then you need to rethink having a baby.

All of this is great advice... I'm 12 weeks pregnant now with my second child. The first time around I was very overweight and very unhealthy... at least this time I'm starting out at almost 50lbs lighter than I was then. I feel like I've gain a lot of knowledge regarding weight loss and nutrition that my body needs. So that would be my only advice, gain knowledge of nutrition and ask for help from other moms (but know how to weed out bad advice!)

randomtai

itsfuntobenormal wrote: »

I had hyperemesis gravidarum for 7 months. My experience was bad enough to make me never want to be pregnant ever again, even though I would have liked a second child. I know this isn't the happy news you probably wanted to talk about -- but that was my reality. My advice to you would be don't worry too much about your weight. Just focus on eating well to supply you and your baby with nutrients.

QFT!!! I had HG for 9 months with all 5 of my pregnancies. It's no fun when you can't even hold down water.

LolaKarwowski

Glad I gave up Mc.Donald's + Soda. I knew I would never do it for myself so when I got pregnant I had every reason in the world to stop cold turkey. I haven't been at a Mc.Donald's or have had soda in about 3.5 years.

Still, I was very unhealthy and gained more than I should of. I wish I would of thought more about my food choices.

And sleep. I wish I would of slept more.

dimple_gal

I wish i would have taken pictures, or had someone take them. I have almost none of when I was pregnant, and in fact I avoided the cameras as I thought I looked fat. I wasn't fat, I was facilitating a miracle. Take pictures!

Oh, and I religiously used Neutrogena Sesame Oil on my belly and waist. No stretch marks!

devil_in_a_blue_dress

randomtai wrote: »

itsfuntobenormal wrote: »

I had hyperemesis gravidarum for 7 months. My experience was bad enough to make me never want to be pregnant ever again, even though I would have liked a second child. I know this isn't the happy news you probably wanted to talk about -- but that was my reality. My advice to you would be don't worry too much about your weight. Just focus on eating well to supply you and your baby with nutrients.

QFT!!! I had HG for 9 months with all 5 of my pregnancies. It's no fun when you can't even hold down water.

Yep! And 6 years later, there are STILL things can't eat because I got so violently ill after eating them pregnant, they make my stomach churn. Peanut butter. Cinnamon Twists from Taco Bell. Grapes. Scrambled eggs.

I would have given anything to have just felt ok for an hour a day but I was either extremely hungry/lightheaded or completely nauseous.

OP, I hope you have an easier time.

vinerie

This is all amazing advice. Thank you ladies!!

zyxst

I didn't pay attention to my weight gain. I gained 30# (average gain in 1992-3). I'm glad I read the Caesarean stuff in What to Expect When You're Expecting because I ended up having one. Nothing was said about being popped with a huge crochet hook, so pretty surprised when the nurse pulled that out.

spearmintskies

I wish I had been more conscious about my cravings and what I was putting in my body. During the second trimester I basically lived off strawberry nesquik. :[ That and sticking to a regular exercise schedule (after the okay from your doctor, of course) I had people telling me left and right that I shouldn't do things, even though I could and was approved to. Lo and behold, I got preeclampsia at 34 weeks and was on bedrest until my son was born at 38 weeks 0 days. I ended up gaining 44 pounds and am nowhere near my pre-pregnancy weight (27 pounds away), even after nearly 3 years.

Basically, I just wish I was more conscious of my intake and output, rather than just being like "I'm pregnant! Eating for two! (NOT TRUE) Take it easy!" It instilled a lot of bad habits that I'm still trying to get rid of.

Stretch marks are genetic. Anything you put on your belly will help with the itching and probably feel pretty good, but it won't prevent stretch marks. Be conscious that your body is building a human and going beyond its normal boundaries. If you get them, they'll be marks of pride. At least, the ones on my hips are.

Adding that I breastfed my son for 8 months and that was the closest I was to my pre-pregnancy weight (I was 2 pounds away) and when I became overworked, I lost my supply. I gained all the weight back.

vinerie

spearmintskies wrote: »

I wish I had been more conscious about my cravings and what I was putting in my body. During the second trimester I basically lived off strawberry nesquik.

So the big question is, how do you control the cravings? I suspect it's easier said than done.