Eating for Two while pregnant

gramacanada

This may be in the wrong category.

The phrase Eating For Two continues to be accepted as permission to chow down on whatever
you want during pregnancy.

One thing my Grandmother always said is ;

Yes you are eating for two. But the other one weighs no more than 8 or 9 pounds.
How much do you think he/she requires?

Thank you Grandma

Imcharmed

So true! ????

Mokey41

And the other one only weighs 8 or 9 lbs in the 9th month! Tried to tell my daughter that and now 80 lbs heavier than when she started she believes me.

jwdieter

Babies take a lot more than their weight percentage of calories. So do kids, for that matter.

Lyadeia

When I was pregnant, I was informed that I should only increase my calories by around 200 in the second trimester and 300 in the third trimester (doc told me no changes needed in the first).

That's only an apple with 1 tbsp of peanut butter...

Definitely NOT eating for 2.

Mokey41

Babies take a lot more than their weight percentage of calories. So do kids, for that matter.

That's why we see so many people on here trying to lose their "baby weight" which is actually "mama fat".

AlysonM

Babies take a lot more than their weight percentage of calories. So do kids, for that matter.

That's why we see so many people on here trying to lose their "baby weight" which is actually "mama fat".

Yup - Mama fat is right, and I've got it :sad:

toothpastechica

When I was pregnant, I was informed that I should only increase my calories by around 200 in the second trimester and 300 in the third trimester (doc told me no changes needed in the first).

That's only an apple with 1 tbsp of peanut butter...

Definitely NOT eating for 2.

This. I have heard to only increase your calories between 200-500 depending on your bodies needs, so as long as you are still eating HEALTHY, not using it as an excuse to pig out, then eat as you are hungry but no more then 500 extra calories.

Curleycue0314

I have a friend who even started losing weight while pregnant after changing her diet after she found out she had gestational diabetes. Doc said nothing wrong with it as Baby was growing normally... Just said not to eat a dificiency.

IronSmasher

When I was pregnant, I was informed that I should only increase my calories by around 200 in the second trimester and 300 in the third trimester (doc told me no changes needed in the first).

That's only an apple with 1 tbsp of peanut butter...

Definitely NOT eating for 2.

This

myzticsunshine

This is very very true! Too many mommas over eat while preggers. I'm sure some of these women really think they need to for the baby, but I don't see how anyone could believe they'd need to eat literally double. I'm not even sure it would be physiy possible for me to force that much down. But everyone's different, and I've witnessed a lot of moms doing this mostly just because they find it to be an opportunity to have an excuse to fat out, thinking no one can object to a preggo lady's hunger. Lol but everyone who cares about their physical appearance and health usually regrets it after the birth, when they have to work their butts off!

Nishi2013

Babies take a lot more than their weight percentage of calories. So do kids, for that matter.

That's why we see so many people on here trying to lose their "baby weight" which is actually "mama fat".

True. I was pregnant with twins and was told yo add only 500calories more yo my diet in the 3rd trimester. I only gained about 20pounds and 11 pounds of that was pure babies.

jwdieter

Babies take a lot more than their weight percentage of calories. So do kids, for that matter.

That's why we see so many people on here trying to lose their "baby weight" which is actually "mama fat".

If you think of a baby as an additional 1500/day, you'll have a problem.

If you think of a baby as (mom BMR * baby weight/mom weight), there will be almost no calories added for the entire pregnancy. Have to feed the process, not just the child.

hottamolly00

...eating for 1.25.

hottamolly00

Best way to lose your baby weight? Don't gain it!

arizonaladybug

ill tell ya what this next pregnancy I will resist my cravings. I had the total wrong mentality regarding this with my first. this time around I will try and only gain the minimum amount of weight to be healthy and pay attention to what I eat and also be more physically active!

ldrosophila

Actually with the weight of the baby, the placenta, amniotic fluid, the uterus, increased blood production, breasts, and natural fluid retention a 25lb gain or more is quite possible.

I guess I'm getting a little tired of other's making pregnant women feel guilty for eating. Sometimes that feeling of pure ravenous hunger is not controllable and perfectly normal. Combine that with being a food addict and eating is a battle. Please dont belittle a woman who is carrying life for gaining weight. It's misogynistic and takes away the true value of the miraculous task her body is undergoing.

I've started following the Brewer's diet d/t some hypertension, and although he advocates for 2600kcal, I have gone down 30 points on my systolic in 2 days and 3 points on my diastolic. I'd rather gain weight than lose my baby or my life to preeclampsia.

http://www.drbrewerpregnancydiet.com/

Lyadeia

ill tell ya what this next pregnancy I will resist my cravings. I had the total wrong mentality regarding this with my first. this time around I will try and only gain the minimum amount of weight to be healthy and pay attention to what I eat and also be more physically active!

I just wanted to quote you so you knew I was talking to you when I say that OMG that baby is soooo cute!!! :flowerforyou:

emmamc252

its not just "eating for 2" that makes people put on weight whilst pregant! I hate this stigma that we must have stuffed our faces with chocolate cake for 9 months.
In my case I have penecious anemia and in BOTH my pregnancies I was very ill and had "at risk" pregnancies, 20weeks in the 1st and 7 week sin the 2nd I was told to go on bedrest, and Whilst in the 2nd I couldn't literally lie in bed all day because I had an 1 year old to run round after, I couldn't go the gym or even do strenuous housework. Add this to the worry and stress that accompanied these kind of pregnancies, the boredom of being at home 24 hours a day, especially with the 1st one when it was just me and that leads to a situation where I did overeat slightly, but more of my wieght I believe came from the lack of exercise etc.
This time the birth (c-section) was all planned and was AMAZING! i've been working out since 6 weeks post partum and am really happy with my progress just 11 weeks PP. Last time, I continued to put on weight after the birth, WHY? Becuase DD got stuck, they had to literally rip her out of me with forceps, I lost more blood than any human being should, my sister who trained as a nurse nearly fainted, had over 100 stitches, all my insides were just wrecked (hence the 7 weeks for 2nd pregnancy) and I couldn't physically walk, kneel or pretty much move off the sofa for 8 weeks after. I would be in tears changing dd's nappies! I had to have surgery 6 months after the birth and was told next time it had to be a c-section (which was SOOOO much better than i ever imagined!) so I didn't lose weight until about 8 months PP with my 1st but quite frankly I had more important things on my mind.
I got back to my pre-pregnancy weight and back to the gym but I didn't get fatter becuase I eat for 2, I got fater becuase of the stress and sheer overwhelming nature of my pregnancies

Mokey41

I got back to my pre-pregnancy weight and back to the gym but I didn't get fatter becuase I eat for 2, I got fater becuase of the stress and sheer overwhelming nature of my pregnancies

And you ate more calories than you needed. You have some legitimate excuses but it still comes down to calories in, calories out.

I find it amusing that the people who watched their weight while pregnant agree with the OP and those who gained "baby weight" are all sure it wasn't their fault.

Lyadeia

I got back to my pre-pregnancy weight and back to the gym but I didn't get fatter becuase I eat for 2, I got fater becuase of the stress and sheer overwhelming nature of my pregnancies

And you ate more calories than you needed. You have some legitimate excuses but it still comes down to calories in, calories out.

I find it amusing that the people who watched their weight while pregnant agree with the OP and those who gained "baby weight" are all sure it wasn't their fault.

/end thread

ldrosophila

I got back to my pre-pregnancy weight and back to the gym but I didn't get fatter becuase I eat for 2, I got fater becuase of the stress and sheer overwhelming nature of my pregnancies

And you ate more calories than you needed. You have some legitimate excuses but it still comes down to calories in, calories out.

I find it amusing that the people who watched their weight while pregnant agree with the OP and those who gained "baby weight" are all sure it wasn't their fault.

Um I dont think you can narrow it down to that simple statement. If you notice the posters story she had quite a traumatic pregnancy.

I find it amusing that someone cant believe the only reason to gain weight during pregnancy is from food. Find it amusing we dont consider edema or the fact women's blood volume increases by 60% for a normal singleton pregnancy.

Weight gain in pregnancy is normal!!!!!

suziepoo1984

I have a friend who even started losing weight while pregnant after changing her diet after she found out she had gestational diabetes. Doc said nothing wrong with it as Baby was growing normally... Just said not to eat a dificiency.

^^This was soo me

chandanista

I lost weight when I was in first trimester with DS. I puked up everything, all the time. Later in the pregnancy I was still throwing up randomly, even though I had figured out and was avoiding most trigger foods. Impossible to count calories when you don't know if you'll throw up your meal plan today, or how much of it you'll get to absorb.

Still gained about 25-30 pounds by the end of pregnancy. Apparently water didn't weigh anything because I only lost 10 after giving birth...and he was a 9.25 pound baby.

Mokey41

I find it amusing that someone cant believe the only reason to gain weight during pregnancy is from food. Find it amusing we dont consider edema or the fact women's blood volume increases by 60% for a normal singleton pregnancy.

Weight gain in pregnancy is normal!!!!!

Weight gain DURING pregnancy is normal. You are carrying a baby, fluids, etc. You should gain 25 lbs or so DURING pregnancy. Within 6 weeks after delivery that should all be gone as the baby, etc is now gone. Whatever is left over is fat you accumulated during the pregnancy. Sugar coat it anyway you like but there is no reason beyond over eating to gain excess weight with a pregnancy.

notworthstalking

From what I have Gerard, it's twice the nutrients rather than eating enough for two. First pregnancy I lost a little, then didn't gain much more than the baby and not that much fluid. I lost most of that with in a few weeks, back to less than my pre pregnancy weight. I gained more in my second, due to pre eclampsia . Tmi, but I swear I peed out 10 kilos in my 5 days in hospital. Both times I didn't look due for a baby. Most of my weight gain came from staying at home. I have a hard time making friends. Then feeling depressed and eating too much crap, not enough healthy food. If I was ever to get pregnant again, I would just eat what I felt I need to eat. Not planning on doing that again though....

candylilacs

Gaining 25 pounds is healthy and OK during a pregnancy. That extra 300 calories a day starts to add up over 9 months.

Either way, some women who never got to eat what they wanted suddenly felt like they can and went on six month binges. Multiple births can also mean a heavier weight gain. A mom of quads can gain 100 pounds because she literally has to eat every 30 minutes.

Anyway, I'm not tough on women with baby weight but there are a lot of people on MFP who love to blame people for their own problems. I guess that's their way of thinking it will never happen to them.

Tishrei

I find it amusing that someone cant believe the only reason to gain weight during pregnancy is from food. Find it amusing we dont consider edema or the fact women's blood volume increases by 60% for a normal singleton pregnancy.

Weight gain in pregnancy is normal!!!!!

Weight gain DURING pregnancy is normal. You are carrying a baby, fluids, etc. You should gain 25 lbs or so DURING pregnancy. Within 6 weeks after delivery that should all be gone as the baby, etc is now gone. Whatever is left over is fat you accumulated during the pregnancy. Sugar coat it anyway you like but there is no reason beyond over eating to gain excess weight with a pregnancy.

not true.

hormones can wreak havoc on the metabolism. I did not overeat during my pg's (was monitored by my midwife) plus I exercised all the way through. I gain 50+ lb each time. I lost it after each baby but it took a year after each one.
I was eating as little as possible to cover my nutritional requirements, I had no control over my weight gain. in fact, I usually gain 20 lb in the first trimester even though I puke all day long.

of course, I roll my eyes at pg women who seem to crave donuts and chocolate and then wonder why they gained so much, but there are sometimes other reasons pg women gain more than they 'should'.

corgicake

Stumbled on this when I was trying to figure calories for my borderline-bedridden mom... depends on what trimester but it's nowhere near double an adult's bmr, let alone maintenance calories.