Nervous about pregnancy weight gain

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  • scardone
    scardone Posts: 40
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    I don't have personal experience, but I actually just read a fantastic article about "disordered eating" during pregnancy in the latest issue of Self magazine (the one with Demi Lavato) on the cover. It has lots of great advice in it and tips to recogize when maybe you might be putting too much pressure on yourself. Check it out, it might help! I am about to start thinking about having children as well and it was a great read.
  • tiffanyvc
    tiffanyvc Posts: 99
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    I was just thinking about this as I was rocking out on the elliptical this morning - "if I get pregnant, will I still be able to do this?" was my exact thought. :) Glad to know I'm not the only one thinking about it! I've heard swimming is good exercise while pregnant, since it's low impact and easy to do while carrying the extra weight of the baby. Do they make maternity one pieces??
  • shirin8
    shirin8 Posts: 51 Member
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    I completely understand what you're saying. I had 3 kids in 2.5 years and became pregnant when I was at my fittest (127 lbs, training for a half marathon, working out 2 hours a day). I put on 62 lbs with the first pregnancy, lost 30 in the 6 months post partum. I got pregnant again and gained 35 (32 of those pounds came off within 4 months). Then, surprise, got pregnant again when the baby was only 4.5 months, gained another 35. I am now 10 months post partum with a 3, 2 and 10 month old, and have lost 52 lbs. I only have 13 lbs to get to my starting weight. It is possible. I work full time and travel as well but DH and I make working out and cooking a priority. We can never work out at the gym/out of the home anymore so we tried Insanity and had terrific results.

    Also, there is no reason to not lead a fit lifestyle while pregnant. With each successive pregnancy, I've gotten a little better about eating/exercising during it. Motherhood is challenging but it is a wonderful gift. I am so thankful for my three little ones and it is worth the hard work to get fit again. You can do it! Add me, if you'd like.
  • EnergyYesPlease
    EnergyYesPlease Posts: 104
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    I totally understand what you're talking about!!! I already have a 3 yr old son and we're currently discussing having another one soon.... I am trying to get my body the way I want it and don't want to stop either! My first pregnancy I only gained 24 lbs and lost 20 as soon as my son was born. I lost 10 more lbs just by breast feeding so I ended up lighter then when I got pregnant. Eat healthy (of course enjoy your cravings too), lots of water, and low impact exercises when possible.

    I think I didn't have the energy to do ANYTHING especially workout until my son was almost 1, mostly because he wanted to be changed and fed every 30 minutes for the first 4 months!! So the rest of the 8 months I was catching up on sleep! LOL but kids are all WORTH it for sure and I am excited to have another one.

    I wish you the best of luck!! Message me ANYTIME with any questions, and feel free to add me :))
  • LCrowley83
    LCrowley83 Posts: 14
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    Yes I am super worried about this. I planned on losing 30 lbs before trying, but that hasn't worked out so well. We have been trying to get pregnant for three months now and no luck. So really, it could be any month now that I end up pregnant. I wish I was at my goal weight before getting pregnant and I'm hoping to only gain like 15 pounds because I'm already overweight. I guess only time will tell. Getting pregnant now will be my first child (I'm 28, DH is 33) so really don't know what the heck to expect. Your so not alone in this!
  • monroe61
    monroe61 Posts: 620 Member
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    I gained 24 lbs with both of my pregnancies and I was healthy and in shape for the first one when I got pregnant and remained active and ate healthy throughout my first.

    I had a great prenancy and I attribute it to that. I was never sick worked up until I had her...although that exercise makes birthing easier was a load of crap. I was in the gym 4-5 days a week while prego and my daughter refused to come out...LOL
    I spent 24 hours in labor and delivery...2 hours and 4 minutes of just pushing alone!! Yikes...haha

    I lost all my weight in the hospital essentially and wore my pre-pregnancy jeans home when I left :)

    I gained weight back after my first though and when I got pregnant for my 2nd I was 25lbs heavier and then gained another 24...eww! I started at MFP at 253lbs and am down to 223lbs now but you can see in my profile pic how much a benefit working out is. I weight 225 in the first pic and 225 in the second.

    I have a 5 yr old and a 1 yr old and it is hard to find time to workout, I won't lie about that. Most times I don't do it until 8pm when they go to bed!!

    Good luck. with everything :)
  • Pepper2185
    Pepper2185 Posts: 994 Member
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    As long as you eat healthy and exercise your body will only gain what it needs to. Don't let this stop you from having a baby.

    I was terrified before getting pregnant that I would turn into a whale.

    I'm currently 32 weeks pregnant and I'm on track to gain close to 40 pounds. I eat a flawless diet and exercise 5 days/week.

    I don't care if I gain 30 or 40 or 45lbs. It's healthy gain and it will drop fast.

    I'm creating life and that's way more important than how my *kitten* looks in jeans.
  • ShandiH
    ShandiH Posts: 232 Member
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    It all depends on where you're at now. Most definitely stay active during any pregnancy - unless doctor recommended otherwise. Staying active during pregnancy does help during the birth as well as helping you get back to pp weight after the baby. Breastfeeding does consume more calories than growing the baby (500 vs. 300 extra per day) BUT be careful! I personally was not prepared for how ravenous while breastfeeding; it was while nursing that I gained about 30 - 35 lbs! I could eat an entire Carl's Jr. meal and still be hungry for dessert/more after . . . I had NEVER experienced that before.

    Anyway, my son is 3 right now and I'm currently 6 months pregnant with my daughter. When my husband and I started trying to get pregnant I talked to my doctor about weight gain and staying active (at the time I was doing C25k). I started at in the low 220's and I've lost weight since getting pregnant (now around 211-212, NOT recommended whatsoever though! My doctor put me on a low carb diet but I have a gigantic aversion to meat so I'm very, very limited in what I can eat). Anyway, I'm babbling. The point is that you need to consult with your doctor . . . whatever you're doing now you should be able to do during pregnancy . . . . DO NOT stop being active and eating healthy! Ask your doctor if it's okay for you to maintain; since my weight was so high she said it was totally fine for me.

    And, as far as hitting the gym after babies are born, it just depends on how much of a priority you put into it. Doesn't matter if you're a stay-at-home-mom or a working one . . . there are tons of things you can do with the baby - I highly recommend a jogging stroller. Plus, you can use your baby as a weight and be playing with her/him while you're getting your workout. Google is your friend. In the end, an hour per day away from your baby is in everyone's benefit. You're much happier, baby has a healthy mom who will be around for a long, long time to come. Okay, I think I've babbled enough. :)

    Good luck to you!
  • chljlleal
    chljlleal Posts: 230 Member
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    I can understand where you are coming from, but if you are aware of what you are eating and exercise any pregnancy weight gain shouldn't be a problem.

    I have had two children (my eldest is nearly 7) while I was pregnant I watched what I ate and exercised a little (more for the baby than me) and only put on about 20lbs during the pregnancy. I breast fed both babies and lost any baby weight pretty quickly. BUT once I started weaning them I wasn't watching what I was eating, basically consuming the same calories as I was when pregnant/breastfeeding and then the weight really piled on. Hence me now being in the position where I need to loose over 30lbs.

    Stay healthy and good luck x
  • samblanken
    samblanken Posts: 369 Member
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    I'm almost 17 weeks along. I've gained 4 lbs in that time. As long as you're doing what you can to stay active, and eat healthy, weight gain should be minimal :)

    you're producing your own HCG. Take advantage of it!

    All the people who think you can't exercise when you are pregnant - not true. My OB and my sis in law (who is also an OB) told me - keep doing what ever you were doing before you got pregnant. So if you were training for a marathon or doing P90X - keep with it. Now as you get toward the end of pregnancy it may be difficult to keep up with. Both of them said - do as much as you can. This will prevent you from gaining a ton of weight, and also make labor and delivery easier.

    My sis in law also said the same about the HCG diet - your body is making it - USE IT!!!!
  • mrsjarvis11
    mrsjarvis11 Posts: 40 Member
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    My husband and I are trying to have kids as well. Its been on hold while he's gone though (military). But when he gets back its baby making time! I am nervous about gaining as well. I even joke with him I will lose weight THEN get pregnant and gain it back just to have to lose it again.
    But it is important to gain the weight the baby needs, the baby is just like any person, he/she will need nutrients to grow and develop. I think the hardest part is not going back into eating junk food. And though pregnancy should be a joyous time its not only about what you want but what is good for the little one inside you. So I am worrying if I can keep this mindset when its comes to our time. As with a lot of stuff easier said than done. See if your doctors office has a nutritionist or knows a reference to a good one. The doctors office I go to gives a welcoming packet to new parents and it gives schedules for classes, references, magazines, and more. Trying to diet while pregnant is not good for the baby. Now some people lose weight at first and that's usually due to morning sickness and some get the severe form of it. However talk to your doctor too about exercising. I've read that some ways to get rid of the cramps you will get and such is by just taking a walk and such. So you don't have to give up moving around while pregnant. In the end you get a bundle of joy though!
  • wranglerwomen
    wranglerwomen Posts: 96 Member
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    i have 2 girls and during their pregnancies i walked and tried to eat right. i only gained 20 lbs! when you are pregnant weight begins to be a bad way to judge how healthy you are being. If you can at least eat healthy then it doesn't matter how much weight you gain in your pregnancy. hope that helps!
  • paleirishmother
    paleirishmother Posts: 242
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    Kids are SO WORTH the process, don't stress about it. Eat healthy during your pregnancy and you can make up for the rest after the baby is born. Don't stress about the weight, you'll be so happy with your new little one it will be the last thing you will find yourself thinking about for a while. Once you start wanting to work on yourself, it will not be hard to lose the weight. I found myself in the same situation after using MFP to lose 59lbs, I did gain half of it back during pregnancy, but I am on my way to being back to where I was before.

    Good Luck :-)
  • TrinaJ11
    TrinaJ11 Posts: 159 Member
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    Even while you're pregnant you can do light cardio and walking. As long as you have no health issues you should be fine. Newborns love being rocked and bounced..so when the time comes invest in a good stroller and take them on walks and jogs. I worked out at night when baby was sleeping and now that he's older (18 months) he enjoys watching me and even climbs on me when I do floor workouts. Love the resistance! It can be done and you can work it out even with your new hectic schedule. If you're focused...nothing will stop you.
  • kittyhasclaws
    kittyhasclaws Posts: 446 Member
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    I understand too well the hell of trying to lose weight after babies (especially since my first made my thyroid stop working properly- doesn't happen TOO often, but it does happen). But my spawn is worth it, even if they make it even harder. I still get to cuddle with them, wake up early every morning when my son decides to defy gravity and fall up onto our bed, play with them and watch them grow. The weight sucks, and it's hard as hell to get rid of, but the trade off is worth it. If you keep active and healthy, it makes things a lot easier (my first pregnancy I was in great shape, walked five miles five days a week, and I had no real problems DURING the pregnancy until the very end when my daughter decided to come a month early- though she was very healthy!).
  • FindingSamMon
    FindingSamMon Posts: 774 Member
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    Hi,

    I just wanted to put in my 2 cents.

    I was pretty unhealthy and overweight when I got pregnant with my (now 2 year old) son. I was seeing a trainer but that was only once a week and my eating habits were pretty bad. When I found out I was pregnant, I started eating properly, tracking my foods to make sure I was getting enough (which was a challenge during the first trimester) and I actually started losing weight. This was not a bad thing as it was extra weight that I needed to lose in the first place (not recommending anyone try to lose weight during pregnancy). This was just a by-product of giving myself and the baby the best I could (not to say that I didn't give in to my not so healthy urges once in a while). I did gain about 20-25 lbs of baby (that's just the placenta, water etc.) but within a couple of weeks of giving birth I weighed less than I did before the baby.

    My point is, as long as you think about the nutrition you need to grow a healthy baby you'll be fine. Just don't stress it.

    ETA: I gained back some of the weight after I had my son when I stopped breastfeeding because I just stopped being as aware of what I was eating. I would not blame that on him at all though.

    FYI...I was 220lbs before I got pregnant.....208lbs after I had my son and 219 when I joined MFP. I'm now 181 with about 20-30lbs left to lose.
  • Medtech2004
    Medtech2004 Posts: 55 Member
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    First I recommend breastfeeding you should lose quite a bit of the weight just by doing that (however everyone is different). I didn't concern myself with working on losing weight until I was done breastfeeding since I didn't want to interfere with my supply. But there is no reason you can't still go on walks and just lugging your child around is exercise =) I always wanted to do a water aerobics class when I was pregnant but I never got to. :(

    But don't put off getting pregnant too long b/c you never know if you will have trouble getting pregnant. Many people do. My husband and I waited thru 2 1/2 years of trying before we became pregnant. Hope this helps...
    BUT once I started weaning them I wasn't watching what I was eating, basically consuming the same calories as I was when pregnant/breastfeeding and then the weight really piled on. Hence me now being in the position where I need to loose over 30lbs.

    Stay healthy and good luck x
    /\ And watch out for this, happened to me too!!
  • ElviraCross
    ElviraCross Posts: 331 Member
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    Always check with your doctor to see what is safe to do while you're pregnant.

    I never worked out before pregnancy so I couldn't do anything new. Generally things like walking and low impact workouts are definitely ok. If you were a runner before, then running while pregnant is typically ok. But ever pregnancy is different.

    Feel free to add me.

    You can see my baby in the picture, she's 10 months now. I've lost all of my baby weight and then some.

    I HIGHLY recommend breastfeeding, it will burn the calories for you even if you do nothing.

    Drink a lot of water, eat right, and you will be fine. Make sure you make good choices while you're pregnant.

    Doing this and staying in shape will also help/prevent stretch marks and will also make labor easier for you.

    Good luck! Don't let your physical concerns scare you from getting pregnant!
  • TrinaJ11
    TrinaJ11 Posts: 159 Member
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    It all depends on where you're at now. Most definitely stay active during any pregnancy - unless doctor recommended otherwise. Staying active during pregnancy does help during the birth as well as helping you get back to pp weight after the baby. Breastfeeding does consume more calories than growing the baby (500 vs. 300 extra per day) BUT be careful! I personally was not prepared for how ravenous while breastfeeding; it was while nursing that I gained about 30 - 35 lbs! I could eat an entire Carl's Jr. meal and still be hungry for dessert/more after . . . I had NEVER experienced that before.

    This.

    I WAS NOT ready for how starved I would feel when I breastfed...Gained 20 lbs post pregnancy. Oops! But with the help of MFP it'll be better and easier to keep track of.
  • FindingSamMon
    FindingSamMon Posts: 774 Member
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    It all depends on where you're at now. Most definitely stay active during any pregnancy - unless doctor recommended otherwise. Staying active during pregnancy does help during the birth as well as helping you get back to pp weight after the baby. Breastfeeding does consume more calories than growing the baby (500 vs. 300 extra per day) BUT be careful! I personally was not prepared for how ravenous while breastfeeding; it was while nursing that I gained about 30 - 35 lbs! I could eat an entire Carl's Jr. meal and still be hungry for dessert/more after . . . I had NEVER experienced that before.

    This.

    I WAS NOT ready for how starved I would feel when I breastfed...Gained 20 lbs post pregnancy. Oops! But with the help of MFP it'll be better and easier to keep track of.

    +1

    The reason I gained after I stopped breastfeeding was that I was still eating like I was breastfeeding :blushing:

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