Help Me Feel Good About Being Fit and Pregnant

Bilbobradshaw

I'm 6 months pregnant, and have recently been confronted/attacked by several people saying I under eat/ have an eating disorder/ am starving my baby.

I *NET* between 1500 - 2000 calories a day (and work out for 30-40 minutes, 3-4 times a week). While I don't eat a lot of meat, I eat WELL (a variety of fruits and vegetables, whole grains, etc), avoid garbage (refined sugars, processed foods, caffeine etc), and I work hard to ensure I'm getting enough protein (via hemp powder, chia, nuts, legumes, yogurt. eggs and fish). I'm supplementing my diet with additional liquid b12, a prenatal supplement, prenatal DHA and 600mg of calcium/synthetic vitamin D, on top of that which I get from my food. All of these things have been cleared by both my doctors. I'm 5'2.5, starting weight about 116lbs (I've been quite active pre-pregnancy), and currently weigh 135lbs (average weight gain for 25 weeks).

My baby is measuring at a SLIGHTLY above average size (a healthy weight), and neither my OBGYN nor my doctor seem concerned with either of our weight gain. I PERSONALLY feel like I've done everything possible to help this pregnancy go smoothly... Still, their accusations are made me feel insecure, and I can't shake the feeling that I'm going to fail at motherhood (this is my first child).

I'm not really expecting any advice, but I feel like some positive feedback from people will help bring back the confidence I had prior to these kinds of comments.

ValerieMartini2Olives

Don't listen to others. That whole "eating for two" stuff is garbage and that's how women gained 40-50-60 pounds or more during their pregnancy. As long as your doctor is giving you the a-ok, then don't worry about what anyone else says. My biggest fear was to gain 50 pounds during my pregnancy. I'm 3 weeks away and I've only put on 15.

juliec33

I think you sound like you're doing a wonderful job. So many pregnant women use it as an excuse to eat whatever and whenever they want. One of my friends gained 90 lbs with each of her pregnancies.....and she didn't lose 90 inbetween either. You are feeding your baby healthy and nutritious food. As long as your healthy, the babies are healthy and your doctors aren't worried then don't you be. Keep making the healthy choices! Congrats!!!!

penrbrown

They're just freaking jealous because they weren't able to keep their weight gain down while THEY were pregnant.

You prove that it CAN be done. Healthy and without ridiculous weight loss and that pisses them off.

Ignore them and know you're doing the best you know how. If your doc is happy, you should be happy!

ShmoozyQ

Aw, I'm sorry people are attacking you. I commend you for eating well during your pregnancy and managing your weight gain. Your people seem to have forgotten that pre-pregnancy you are quite petite AND very active. Just because you're expecting doesn't mean you need to give that up. So far you've put on 19 pounds - and you've still got the *big growth* months coming. You're right on track to gain a healthy 25-35 pounds. I see NOTHING wrong with that. Good job, Momma.

juicemoogan

Ask them if they have a medical degree.... cause your dr does and he says its A ok!

JenniBaby85

You're fine. I couldn't keep anything down in my first pregnancy, and that not by choice, but she turned out fine! You seem to be eating a good amount of calories!

Ready2Rock206

My baby is measuring at a SLIGHTLY above average size (a healthy weight), and neither my OBGYN nor my doctor seem concerned with either of our weight gain.

OBGYN wins over all other comments from random non-medical people.

AEcklar813

Do not listen to others!! I am 14 weeks pregnant myself. I eat when I'm hungry and sometimes when I'm not. I eat pretty healthy most days. I've been exercising 4-5 days a week. Today I exercised quite a but but that's because I had lots of energy. I don't always burn this much.

Your doctor is not concerned, you know what you're doing, and you're keeping fit for you and baby when it matters most!

Good luck and congrats!

Hickyvikki69

im in my 6th month of pregnancy as well and only gained 7lbs. dont let anyone get ya down. like all the others say ifyour doc is happy with you then be happy with yourself and screw others.

The_Outlaw_Torn

Don't listen to them. My mom continued to walk while she was pregnant with me up until the day she went into labor ...coincidently while taking a break while walking at the park.

melinda200208

I think they are just jelous. You look good! You were tiny before you got pregnant and now you belly has grown. Forget them! Dont let them get to you. It sounds like you know what you are doing and you will be a great mother. Yes, a lot of pregnant people use the excuse to eat anything and everything they want. If I remember correctly the average weight gain for a pregnancy is 25lb.?

RunsOnEspresso

Sounds like you are doing everything right. As long as your doctor's say it's ok, that is all that matters.

As someone else said, pregnancy is not meant for you to "eat for two". I've been looking into it as I plan to get pregnant in the near future and on average women should only gain about 25-30 pounds.

Oh_Cat

Not sure if you're in the right country to be able to watch this, but if you can: do! You'll feel so much better :blushing:

http://www.channel4.com/programmes/one-born-plus-size-mums

It's a documentary looking into the danger that overweight mum's-to-be can unwittingly place their babies in - both in the womb and during labour. The health professionals interviewed claim being obese in pregnancy can be up there with smoking in terms of danger to your baby - and also say that the whole 'eating for two' thing is a myth - you only need about a banana's worth of extra cals a day whilst expecting.

My mum's a midwife and she's always told me, the very best thing you can do for your baby, pre-conception, is to make sure you're a healthy BMI.

In short: GO YOU :flowerforyou:

ukstarlight05

Wow - amazing job on staying so heathly and fit during your pregnancy!!! I hate women who use pregnancy as an excuse to eat anything they want, gain tons of weight, and then complain about it.... Though I have never been pregnant, I can only imagine how challenging it would be to not give into cravings and maintain such a healthy life style! Good job!!

TineeLambrini

You sound like you know what you're doing to me. Ignore the haters. As a parent, people always judge the choices you make, they like to feel superior to validate their own decisions. You take the health of your baby seriously. Take it from me, it is no fun getting to the final trimester when you are overweight and have to drag one of your massive legs behind you when you walk.

trulycrazed

You may have to get use to this kind of treatment... as a new mother everybody and their dog will be lining up to give unnecessary advice that you will never have asked for or really need to listen to, Loads of people are quick to judge without having a handle on the real situation or any qualifications for giving input.

Don't let the nay-sayer get you down. If you feel healthy, if the doctors think you're healthy... forget everyone else.

BinaryPulsar

Sometimes people have weird ideas about what they think pregnant women should be doing. I guess it just prepares you for when you have the baby and they have weird ideas about what you should be doing as a parent. It's great that you are staying fit and have a healthy baby and are eating well. Everyone is different. I vomited the whole nine months of my pregnancy, so I ate a ton and chose high calorie options. I had to avoid hunger and would have to wake up at 5 am, have my husband bring me food, then throw it up 9 times out of 10, rest, and then eat again. I also stayed fit through my pregnancies.

Sparlingo

You are GORGEOUS and you are doing the right thing for you and your baby.

I bet some just wished you'd get fat during your pregnancy because they think you're physically perfect and that irks them. Others I bet are just *used* to people having unhealthy weight gains during pregnancy because it's the way of our culture right now. You're not the "normal" in that respect, so their fear for you is well-meaning but ill-founded.

You can count me in as one who didn't do her best during pregnancy to eat right and stay active, and I paid for it with a weight gain that has stuck around. I'm now working my butt off (as literally as I know how) to get back to square one -- and then I have more to lose.

Good for you for doing this the right way!! If your doctor is happy and the baby is growing well, no worries!

beachlover317

Congratulations! You are doing fine and as everyone else has said - listen to your doctor. Now, get yourself prepared because when you have the baby - the comments do not stop. Everybody feels they can give you advice and tell you how to be a mother. You have to find your own way. You WILL be an awesome mother. No one is ever perfect at being a parent, so you keep doing what you're doing. Have a healthy baby and then have some fun. They are only little for a very short time. Hold your baby as much as you can. My baby is 32. She still crawls in my lap sometimes! Good luck!

JanSmelly

The whole eating for two thing ends up meaning too much weight gain. I mean you only need 300 more calories and that's not a lot. If you plan on breastfeeding you eat more than when pregnant. Unless there is a reason to be concerned, then continue to eat healthy and keep working out. Your body will thank you in the end.

shirin8

You are doing such a great job! Let me tell you a quick tale of two pregnancies:
1) With my first, I was a very fit 127lbs before getting pregnant. Once I found out, I started "eating for two" and stopped exercising and swiftly gained 62 lbs. I went on to have 2 more children over the next 2 years and ended up at 192lbs when I delivered my third. It took me all of last year to lose 67lbs (due to MFP and dedicated exercise).
2) Now I am 21 weeks pregnant with my 4th: I have gained 8lbs (am now 133lbs) and feel healthier, more energetic and my baby is growing perfectly on schedule. Much fewer aches and pains due to exercise. You are not actuall eating for two. Advice that helped me was to not add any calories in 1T (move to maintenance), add 300 quality calories daily in 2T and 450 (total not on top of the 300) in the 3T when the baby needs to gain the most weight.

You are doing what's best for you and the baby. Good luck for a healthy pregnancy. Add me if you'd like!

Reebee22

I so wish I'd worked out and eaten sensibly when I was pregnant with my kids I took eating for two to the extreme! Gained about 30 kilos with both and now have stretched loose skin everywhere Don't listen to the haters your doing everything right and your doc and ob agree with you! GO YOU! And that baby will come out healthy and happy and that's all you really wish for

aimelee

that was the WORST thing about being pregnant, all the unsolicited advice/comments from people. I heard stuff like that a lot too because i wasnt an enormous pregnant cow that gained 100lbs during my pregnancies. It sounds like you are doing everything just perfectly fine for you and baby. I know its hard, but try to ignore all of the negative comments and know you are doing a good job, especially if your dr says so. congrats, and good luck to you!!

SASSYnCHICago

It sounds like you are very knowledgeable and know what your body & baby needs. I personally only gained 25 lbs because I ate very healthy - and I really was eating all day long and never went hungry. My body weight and size was larger than yours ((5'5 -155lbs) and my OB actually said that it would be best continue to exercise and not to over eat.

I would suggest that you continue doing what your body says and try to eat 2K calories a day rather than 1600 - as it really could use that extra energy burst. But- I admire you for not using pregnancy as an excuse to eat for 2!

KrazyAsianNic

from the sounds of things, you're doing everything right... especially if your doctors are saying youre doing the right thing. Dont let anyone else get to you and stay strong!

chadgard

I eat WELL (a variety of fruits and vegetables, whole grains, etc), avoid garbage (refined sugars, processed foods, caffeine etc), and I work hard to ensure I'm getting enough protein (via hemp powder, chia, nuts, legumes, yogurt. eggs and fish). I'm supplementing my diet with additional liquid b12, a prenatal supplement, prenatal DHA and 600mg of calcium/synthetic vitamin D, on top of that which I get from my food. All of these things have been cleared by both my doctors. I'm 5'2.5, starting weight about 116lbs (I've been quite active pre-pregnancy), and currently weigh 135lbs (average weight gain for 25 weeks).

My baby is measuring at a SLIGHTLY above average size (a healthy weight), and neither my OBGYN nor my doctor seem concerned with either of our weight gain. I PERSONALLY feel like I've done everything possible to help this pregnancy go smoothly... Still, their accusations are made me feel insecure, and I can't shake the feeling that I'm going to fail at motherhood (this is my first child).

Ignoring people can be quite healthy from time to time... It sounds like you are doing everything you can to care for your baby. Surely if you were doing anything to harm him/her, one of your doctors would say something. Given that it is presently a healthy weight and the docs are happy, you should continue as you are.

Obviously, I won't ever know what being pregnant or giving birth is like. But I do know that studies have shown that people who remain active and healthy throughout their pregnancies have an easier time giving birth for both Mom and Baby (which means things are less stressful for Dad, too!), recover more quickly afterwards, and have a lower incidence of postpartum depression. That would seem to indicate you're doing everything right!

So, yeah, either take the opportunity to educate folks, perhaps encouraging additional healthy, active pregnancies, or ignore them completely, because it looks like you rock!

curlygirly80

You look awesome and so cute with your baby bump! Don't let them judge you! If your doctors have cleared you and are ok with the plan you have set for yourself and your baby then take it with a grain of salt! I wish I had your OOMF during my 2 pregnancies!

bjbixler

Sounds to me like you are doing everything right! Especially the part of making sure your docs support your fitness/eating regimen. I can only hope that when it comes time for me to expand my family that I'll stick with the healthy active plan as you have. Have a wonderful rest of your pregnancy, I'm sure you're going to be a wonderful mother.

ShreddedTweet

You're doing great, don't pay any attention to all those people who put on 80lbs when they're pregnant, that's MUCH worse for your baby. You're doing the right thing, you're eating well (I've seen your diary) and you're baby is getting a super-healthy diet packed full of nutrients and the exercise is measured and reasonable - you're keeping your body strong for both of you! You're going to be a great Mum x

heyyoudontgiveup

I don't know if I'd be assuming things about the people who say stuff like this or about people who gain more weight or less weight with pregnancy (like some people in this thread are). There could be a lot of reasons why people assume gaining little weight and working out are negative things -- hell, there are some people who believe that raising your hands over your head while pregnant can cause the cord to wrap around baby's neck and kill it, and that's hilariously wrong.

I know I'll just be another voice hopping on here but ignore them. Listen to your OB. Some people gain 50 lbs due to being sick, some lose 50 while pregnant due to being sick! Some work out every day and some don't. Pregnancy and bodies are not a one-option-fits-all thing so do what's best for you and what your OBGYN says.