Scared to Get Pregnant...

As long as you don't stuff your face and get the "eating for two" mentality you'll be fine. A lot of women that gain so much weight use pregnancy as an excuse to eat everything in front of them.

I actually lost weight during my pregnancy but that is because i walked everyday and was also working at the time. I was down to 204 and gained a pound when i stopped breastfeeding and then rejoined mfp in feb. I had my son in Jan. I did natural birth with Keith, my son, and he came 7lbs 12 ounces 20.5 inches!!!!!!

As long as you don't eat everything in sight you will be all right. Also make sure you keep active. Everyone got on my husband when i was still cleaning the house and everything while pregnant, but between walking and cleaning, i lost, as well as my job. I was 243 right before my pregnancy, and I am now down to 182!!!!! And still going. Ran my first 5k almost 6 months after giving birth. Do what is best for you and your family.

i was more scared about the stretch marks than anything. if you are an active person....you should be fine when it comes to losin weight bec losing weight is 90% mental. its all about the will power

I completely understand this. Before I had become pregnant with my son last year, I had lost a total of 50 pounds by watching what I ate. I went from 190 to 140. I was so excited when I found out I was pregnant until it hit me that I would gain weight. Instead of eating absolutely everything i could get my hands on, I made smart choices. last November (exactly 2 days before I gave birth) I had a doctors appointment and my weight was 167 and on the Sunday after I gave birth I was at 157. I breastfed for about 2 weeks and I was at my starting weight by Christmas.

I am not saying it is like this for everyone but you really do need to make smart choices. At the same time though, when you do become pregnant, enjoy that pregnancy. because let me tell you, when you feel that baby move for the first time or get hiccups or start to get that baby bump, nothing in the world will make you feel more amazing, no weight loss will ever amount to that moment you meet your little guy/gal.

I've had 3 girls all 20 months apart. I lost weight in between each pregnancy. I gained 60 lbs with each of them. 5'7'' started off at 134 lbs. got up to 194 lbs. My youngest is 2 months old and I am 15 lbs away from being 134 lbs. again. I say just eat healthy while you are pregnant and if you want a snack have at it. When you're not pregnant though workout hard and eat clean and breastfeed and you'll snap right back. I would say I don't have the "snap back" gene because I had to work REALLY hard to lose the weight I put on but the fun is in the journey and being able to tell people how big you were while you are wearing a size 4!

Don't worry about it! As long as you watch what you and continue exercising, you will be ok!

Of course if you lose control and give in to all of your cravings, you are going to gain weight... But this would happen even if you weren't pregnant.

I had just lost about 80 pounds before I got pregnant with my son, and was terrified I was going to put it all back on. I followed a very healthy eating plan the entire time, and even had chocolate cake a few times (that was the thing I craved the most. lol).

And guess what? A few weeks after giving birth to my son, I weighed less than my prepgrgnancy weight.

I've seen some women bounce back at times even "better" than before, their "secret" is eating the right foods, supplementing (calcium, fish oil, prenatal etc) and believe it or not having a healthy and consistent workout regimen.

My sister is one of the lucky ones who looks even better after pregnancy. Before pregnancy she was at the right BMI, mostly eating healthy with the occasional junk and occasional exercise. Although she wasn't overweight, she would not have considered herself thin either. During pregnancy my sister followed a healthy eating plan which was recommended by the doctor. She never ate for two although in the later stages she did indulge in junk but made sure she didnt go overboard. She lost most of her weight within a month

Unfortunately I been overweight most of my life so I just know that I won't have the same luck

pregnancy in general terrifies me into a cold sweat panic. and even if you do get the snap back genes- please tell me when you are expected to exercise? thanks.

I used to put baby in the stroller and walk everywhere. The heavy stuff that it's tough to carry from the grocery store went in it. Most gyms have daycare. My cousin used to use her kids as weights to lift. Friends and family (and fathers if they're around) will usuually give you a break.

I had a job, was in school full time and a single mom and I had plenty of exercise time.

pregnancy in general terrifies me into a cold sweat panic. and even if you do get the snap back genes- please tell me when you are expected to exercise? thanks.

You mean when do you exercise after you have babies? I've done 5am before everyone wakes up, or before work when they are at daycare, then skip lunch at work (if work allows).

And yeah, I don't buy the "snap back" genes idea. Either you put the work into it to get back into shape or you don't.

i mean... when you get home from the hospital and the baby doesnt sleep for like 3 weeks and then it only sleeps an hour a day for the next three weeks and you dont have time to shower or eat and your mother in law is there and everything is wet and crying- when do you exercise?

Oh yea, I mean after the first couple of months. You aren't supposed to do any exercise for 6-8 weeks anyway. And depending on the baby, they might not sleep for 8 months, not 3 weeks.

Seriously though. Kids are awesome. Newborns kind of suck. But kids are awesome and worth all the weight gain, and the lack of sleep. My two year old was walking around the grocery store this morning just cracking up at himself because he had the hic-ups.

I would love to experience the miraculous wonders of pregnancy and childbirth..however I have been running from the possibility everytime I think of how much weight I would gain. I've heard some people have gained 90 pounds! Seriously??!!?? I've also heard it's ridiculously hard to get off. The basic motto is either you've got "the snap back genes" or you don't. Is this true?

If I'm reading this right, you are weighing the following options:

Becoming a parent (one of the most important & rewarding jobs in the history of mankind if you ask me) & possibly having a slightly different body after losing the baby weight

OR

Never becoming pregnant but at least you'll look damn good


Please tell me this isn't a real dilemma.

this was my question as well

pregnancy in general terrifies me into a cold sweat panic. and even if you do get the snap back genes- please tell me when you are expected to exercise? thanks.

You mean when do you exercise after you have babies? I've done 5am before everyone wakes up, or before work when they are at daycare, then skip lunch at work (if work allows).

And yeah, I don't buy the "snap back" genes idea. Either you put the work into it to get back into shape or you don't.

i mean... when you get home from the hospital and the baby doesnt sleep for like 3 weeks and then it only sleeps an hour a day for the next three weeks and you dont have time to shower or eat and your mother in law is there and everything is wet and crying- when do you exercise?

Sometimes you don't. It depends on the person and the baby. With my last two, my day centered around the baby and if baby slept so did I. I was very, very sleep deprived. Exercise was out of the question. I didn't get "back in the game" until a year later. Still wouldn't give it up though!

Snap back genes don't exist ... diet and exercise do.

pregnancy in general terrifies me into a cold sweat panic. and even if you do get the snap back genes- please tell me when you are expected to exercise? thanks.

You mean when do you exercise after you have babies? I've done 5am before everyone wakes up, or before work when they are at daycare, then skip lunch at work (if work allows).

And yeah, I don't buy the "snap back" genes idea. Either you put the work into it to get back into shape or you don't.

i mean... when you get home from the hospital and the baby doesnt sleep for like 3 weeks and then it only sleeps an hour a day for the next three weeks and you dont have time to shower or eat and your mother in law is there and everything is wet and crying- when do you exercise?

Some children and some families are more difficult than others, but that was not my experience at all.

And as someone said, you're supposed to take it a bit easy for a few weeks, anyway. You can still walk if you're up to it.

P.S. Moms spend a lot of time walking up and down the hallways or the yard trying to soothe the crying baby. That's exercise, right?

Please don't let the fear of weight gain keep you from having a child.
That being said, you can't just listen to the horror stories. Yes, if you give in to every bad pregnancy craving and don't keep up an active lifestyle, you will likely gain a lot of weight and have a difficult time taking it off. However, if you do it moderately (a candy bar here and there when you really really crave them is not the worst thing in the world), and stay active when you can, you will be fine. I was overweight to begin with and actually lost 10 lbs in the beginning before gaining 20. In the end, I was only 10lbs heavier than I was pre-baby, and the baby weight (plus extra) fell off within a week of having my daughter (and I don't have "snap back" genes, trust me). I just ate healthy and walked when I could. Nothing extreme, the pre-natal yoga dvd I bought is still unopened (and my daughter will be 3 in the new year), simply walking. And I probably still ate more cheeseburgers than I should have....