weight loss before or after having a baby?

wlkumpf

I have 3 great sons, I also am a stay at home childcare provider. My husband and I were waiting a while but always knew we would want 1 more baby.
Since trying to be a healthier family and joining fit club I seem to want to push it back farther and farther.
My question is... how much can you work out while into your pregnancy? How about working out while trying to get pregnant and not knowing yet?
I usually aim for about 1200 calories plus some of my workout calories, how does that work when you get pregnant? IS it even worth working really hard now, knowing I need to gain weight when I decide to go for it? Should I try to reach my goal before trying?

I know, there is no right answer for everyone, but I would like to have this be a lifestyle change and be fit for life! I don't want short term change. I didn't care a lot with my other pregnancies, I gained a lot especially with my second pregnancy. I NEVER got back down under 155 at any point in the last 11 years.

macnotes

I've always wanted to know the answer to this as well, but for us, there's fertility issues so I was getting depressed. For me, I felt like I was putting my life on-hold every month because of what "could" happen. Eventually it just got to be too much and I had to do something different. I'm going to ask my doctor tomorrow how it works for getting pregnant and exercise. From what I understand, these things are important:
- Exercising is fantastic, make sure you do as much as you can before you get pregnant so that you don't START an exercise regime when you get pregnant.
- You only need to add an extra 300 calories per day for your first trimester.
- Start taking folic acid NOW.

katymcd81

Bumping so I can read answers...I realy want to know about this...I have no children yet but hoping to remedy that within the year. Shaping up now so I can have a healthier and more active pregnancy and birth, and so I haven't got so much weight to lose afterwards, but the specifics elude me!

scheatwood

Of course, the best person to talk to would be your obgyn doctor, because they can tell you far more on their stand of where they want you for calorie intake during trimesters and if exercise is okay along with what type of exercise is okay. A prenatal vitamin is always okay to take, Go ahead and start taking one now instead of after you've conceived, more nutrition for your body and baby.

Erin_Graves

I'm 6 months pregnant and my midwives have told me that I can continue any exercise I was doing pre-pregnancy except ab exercises (from what I understand your muscles are stretched out and you risk hurting yourself). As far as calories go, I was told to eat at my maintenance for the first trimester and add 300 calories to trimesters 2 and 3. I've been doing this and I'm only up 6 pounds so far, I gained 50 pounds with my first pregnancy, so I'm really happy with my results so far. Also, once you are pregnant you need to eat when you are hungry regardless of where you stand calorie wise, you need to listen to your body more. I've eaten over my calories a lot, but make sure I'm making good choices as often as possibly (sometimes tricky when all you want is ice cream 24/7 haha)

ahmommy

It's safe to continue exercising during pregnancy as long as you aren't having any complications. I was given the green light to exercise, including lifting weights, as long as I was comfortable. Basically you need to listen to your body. Unfortunately I had some complications during my first trimester and I was put on pelvic rest, meaning I couldn't exercise. After that I was too scared to start up again, so I just ate healthy and I kept my gain to 30 pounds. I'm 6 months post partum now and I'm back to my pre-pregnancy weight (which is also my goal weight), and now I'm working on building strength and reducing my body fat percentage.

The PP had great advice about eating at maintenance for the first trimester, and then only a small amount extra per day during the 2nd and third trimesters.

As far as conceiving while you're losing weight, I think as long as you start eating at maintenance when you get that positive test, you'll be fine.

wlkumpf

thanks. I was worried about being in fit club or starting to lift weights now if I was only going to be donig it for a few months.

I have to talk to my ob when I decide because I am on the 5 year plan and have to have my birth control removed. BUT, I figure the next time I see her will be to have it removed. Still good for another year almost.

it will be my last pregnancy, I am almost 5 years older, but I also want this to be my healthiest one. No more excessive eating and ballooning up. I think I had a huge bowl of ice cream EVERY day with my first because I told myself I would nurse and the weight would fall off anyways, and then it didnt even with nursing for around 7 months. With the second I had not lost the weight from my first and was well over 200 lbs. With my third I was MORE healthy, but gained quite a bit and didnt' lose much since he was born.