Pregnancy question

wife29
wife29 Posts: 13
in Introduce Yourself
Hi guys, I have an account under another name but my friends are on it and I'm not ready to share this news yet (it's too early). Today my husband and I discovered we are expecting, my due due is January 2014. I want to continue to lose fat and to be healthy, but I don't know how to diet as an expectant mother.

My diet before was very unhealthy and I have lost over 30 lbs by exercising 3 times per week and keeping a diary. What did any mums to be on here alter when they discovered they were having a wee bundle of joy (although I have morning sickness so nothing joyful so far, I wait patiently lol)
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Replies

  • nancybuss
    nancybuss Posts: 1,461 Member
    Congrats! Its time to eat HEALTHY for the two of you. Fruits/veggies/ proper meats, etc. No fads. Count your calories here (i'm thinking you were) and be sure to Hit the amount you Should be eating, but not going way over.

    Good luck
  • firesoul19
    firesoul19 Posts: 37 Member
    I'm no expert (never been pregnant... maybe next year?), but you should talk to your doctor. If you're overweight they'll probably tell you that you shouldn't diet, but that you shouldn't gain as much weight as a 'normal' weight pregnant woman. Keep up the exercise, I hear it's so important to keep your strength up. But you want to concentrate on getting the baby all the nutrients he/she needs. Then maybe focus more on the weight loss after the birth?
    Congratulations, btw!
  • cwolfman13
    cwolfman13 Posts: 41,865 Member
    You should definitely discuss this with your doctor. You shouldn't be eating at a deficit while pregnant...you're eating for two now and your baby is far more important. You will and should gain weight while you're pregnant...your doctor should have some recommendation for you of how much weight you should be gaining each visit.

    Pregnancy is obviously not an excuse to over do it, but you really shouldn't be actively dieting for weight loss either. Congrats BTW...babies are a wonderful blessing.
  • wife29
    wife29 Posts: 13
    Congrats! Its time to eat HEALTHY for the two of you. Fruits/veggies/ proper meats, etc. No fads. Count your calories here (i'm thinking you were) and be sure to Hit the amount you Should be eating, but not going way over.

    Good luck

    Thank you - it was a shock - we're only just married!!! Should I increase my calories do you think or just stick to them but bulk up on fruit/veg? x
  • wife29
    wife29 Posts: 13
    I'm no expert (never been pregnant... maybe next year?), but you should talk to your doctor. If you're overweight they'll probably tell you that you shouldn't diet, but that you shouldn't gain as much weight as a 'normal' weight pregnant woman. Keep up the exercise, I hear it's so important to keep your strength up. But you want to concentrate on getting the baby all the nutrients he/she needs. Then maybe focus more on the weight loss after the birth?
    Congratulations, btw!

    I am not massively overweight for my height, maybe 20lbs more than I should be. Obviously my child is my first priority, which is why I've asked about I should increase my calorie intake. I don't want to lose weight lol that's never going to happen, but I don't want to balloon either, and I want to be healthy x
  • Clady29
    Clady29 Posts: 2
    Congrats!!! Don't worry too much about eating too little or too much your little one will tell you just how much it wants and doesn't want all you have to do is make sure when you are not having cravings to eat the good stuff and when you are having cravings give in to them just enough!!! The rest will work itself out!! I also recommend easy strolls three times a week. That will help with your muscle mass and getting your body ready to give birth! AGAIN CONGRATS TO YOU LITTLE BLESSING!!
  • wife29
    wife29 Posts: 13
    You should definitely discuss this with your doctor. You shouldn't be eating at a deficit while pregnant...you're eating for two now and your baby is far more important. You will and should gain weight while you're pregnant...your doctor should have some recommendation for you of how much weight you should be gaining each visit.

    Pregnancy is obviously not an excuse to over do it, but you really shouldn't be actively dieting for weight loss either. Congrats BTW...babies are a wonderful blessing.

    I think people are picking me up wrong. I'm not going to be eating at a deficit, and I will obviously be speaking to my doctor. But I want to make sure I don't slip back into being really unhealthy as I need to be fit for my child.

    I am not going to do anything to create risk, but at the same time I want to maintain a healthy eating plan
  • quinnwinn
    quinnwinn Posts: 17 Member
    My wife was told to not overeat, but be sure to take her prenatal vitamins and eat about 300 calories more than usual per day. She maintained her weight during her pregnancy and when she was gave birth, lost 25 lbs. 8 of which were the baby.

    This is just the internet though, talk to your doctor.
  • wife29
    wife29 Posts: 13
    Congrats!!! Don't worry too much about eating too little or too much your little one will tell you just how much it wants and doesn't want all you have to do is make sure when you are not having cravings to eat the good stuff and when you are having cravings give in to them just enough!!! The rest will work itself out!! I also recommend easy strolls three times a week. That will help with your muscle mass and getting your body ready to give birth! AGAIN CONGRATS TO YOU LITTLE BLESSING!!

    Thank you :-) This is the kind of advice I was looking for :-) I already walk a lot so will stick to that (right now I'm suffering from nausea so don't feel like exercising). Thanks again :-)
  • likitisplit
    likitisplit Posts: 9,420 Member
    Don't worry about your weight right now. Eat a balanced diet and exercise, but don't limit yourself. You'll probably gain the average 35. However, I've known women who gained 70 and dropped it all within a year and women who gained 30 and kept gaining after the baby was born. There is a larger picture than just the weight you gain while you are pregnant.
  • wife29
    wife29 Posts: 13
    My wife was told to not overeat, but be sure to take her prenatal vitamins and eat about 300 calories more than usual per day. She maintained her weight during her pregnancy and when she was gave birth, lost 25 lbs. 8 of which were the baby.

    This is just the internet though, talk to your doctor.

    Thanks so much, this is what I was looking for. I don't see my doctor until next week but I want to start straight away to make sure I'm looking after my wee one from the second I found out (about 2 hours ago)
  • Mommylicous
    Mommylicous Posts: 121 Member
    Definitely don't go at a deficit while pregnant. I honestly don't think it has anything to do with it, but my husband seems to think that we miscarried at 7 weeks because I continued training very hard and I was still eating less than my maintenance calories.

    The doctor said it really is impossible to tell, but I still feel guilty and like I wasn't feeding my body enough to sustain a pregnancy.

    Don't go crazy and eat whatever you want, but restricting your calories at a time when your body needs a little more is not healthy for you OR the little one. Just make good food choices. :)

    Congrats on your pregnancy, and good luck :)
  • wife29
    wife29 Posts: 13
    Don't worry about your weight right now. Eat a balanced diet and exercise, but don't limit yourself. You'll probably gain the average 35. However, I've known women who gained 70 and dropped it all within a year and women who gained 30 and kept gaining after the baby was born. There is a larger picture than just the weight you gain while you are pregnant.

    I am aware of that. I'm not so much looking to lose weight as to be healthy.
  • wife29
    wife29 Posts: 13
    Definitely don't go at a deficit while pregnant. I honestly don't think it has anything to do with it, but my husband seems to think that we miscarried at 7 weeks because I continued training very hard and I was still counting calories and eating at a deficit.

    The doctor said it really is impossible to tell, but I still feel guilty and like I wasn't feeding my body enough to sustain a pregnancy.

    Don't go crazy and eat whatever you want, but restricting your calories at a time when your body needs a little more is not healthy for you OR the little one. Just make good food choices. :)

    Congrats on your pregnancy, and good luck :)

    I'm so sorry to hear that (hugs to you, my sister had the same thing happen and it is tragic). I'm really looking to know roughly how many calories to add onto my allowance each day, and what exercises are safe. Thanks for your reply, I really appreciate it, I'm asking these questions now because I want to make sure I do this properly - it's my first baby xx
  • Mommylicous
    Mommylicous Posts: 121 Member
    Try this calculator

    http://www.freedieting.com/tools/pregnancy_calorie_calculator.htm

    :) It should help get you close.
  • wife29
    wife29 Posts: 13
    Try this calculator

    http://www.freedieting.com/tools/pregnancy_calorie_calculator.htm

    :) It should help get you close.

    You're a superstar thanks so much xxx
  • LibertyBelle89
    LibertyBelle89 Posts: 275
    congrats!!!!!
  • wife29
    wife29 Posts: 13
    Try this calculator

    http://www.freedieting.com/tools/pregnancy_calorie_calculator.htm

    :) It should help get you close.

    You're a superstar thanks so much xxx

    It says for my first trimester I should be eating an extra 600 calories :-) Thats fine by me xx
  • wife29
    wife29 Posts: 13
    congrats!!!!!

    Thank you I'm dying to tell everyone but it's too early lol x
  • gonnamakeanewaccount
    gonnamakeanewaccount Posts: 642 Member
    I haven't had children yet, so I don't have much advice for you, but congratulations! :bigsmile:
  • wife29
    wife29 Posts: 13
    I haven't had children yet, so I don't have much advice for you, but congratulations! :bigsmile:

    Thank you, we were shocked but over the moon :-)
  • autumny70
    autumny70 Posts: 127 Member
    Walking is super important (I think, I do have 4 kids). The better your fitness level, the easier labor, in my experience.
  • holliebevineau
    holliebevineau Posts: 441 Member
    Eating healthy and walking as much as possible. I have 4 kids and I walked a few miles a day through the whole 9 months of each pregnancy. I dropped the weight very fast with the first one. It was harder to loose weight with #2,3 and 4. My youngest is 2 and Im still working on it. Good luck and God bless. You will get tons and tons and tons of advice from other moms. listen, smile, say thanks and then follow your doctors orders!!!!!
  • superjean1
    superjean1 Posts: 78 Member
    Congrats! This is definitely something your doctor should give you guidance on. I was an avid runner and went to the gym about 3 times/week for weights and spinning classes before I became pregnant nearly 3 years ago. My doctor said it was fine to continue to do what I did before I got pregnant, but to be sure to listen to my body and modify exercise as needed. She also stressed that it was important not to let this be an excuse to eat everything and anything. I was considered normal weight at the beginning of my preganancy - I am 5' 6" and usually weigh between 135-140. My doctor advised that, at most, I only needed 300 more calories/day while pregnant and that I should gain 25-35 lbs. She strongly recommended trying not to exceed 35 lbs. I gained 37 lbs.

    I continued to run (although at a much slower pace and shorter distances) until about 20 weeks, when my knees started to hurt. I continued to go to the gym to lift weights (within reason), use the elliptical and do some spin classes. In the end when I was enormous and uncomfortable, at the advice of a friend, I did a few water aerobics classes (with the 60-80 year old ladies). It felt so good to get in the water and move without lugging all that weight around! There will be lots of people telling you that exercising while pregnant is bad - I had numerous people scold me at the gym. But most doctors now encourage it as long as you're having a normal pregnancy.

    Eat healthy, exercise moderately, get rest and listen to your body. Enjoy the ride!!!
  • KatieTee83
    KatieTee83 Posts: 196 Member
    Congrats! This is definitely something your doctor should give you guidance on. I was an avid runner and went to the gym about 3 times/week for weights and spinning classes before I became pregnant nearly 3 years ago. My doctor said it was fine to continue to do what I did before I got pregnant, but to be sure to listen to my body and modify exercise as needed. She also stressed that it was important not to let this be an excuse to eat everything and anything. I was considered normal weight at the beginning of my preganancy - I am 5' 6" and usually weigh between 135-140. My doctor advised that, at most, I only needed 300 more calories/day while pregnant and that I should gain 25-35 lbs. She strongly recommended trying not to exceed 35 lbs. I gained 37 lbs.

    I continued to run (although at a much slower pace and shorter distances) until about 20 weeks, when my knees started to hurt. I continued to go to the gym to lift weights (within reason), use the elliptical and do some spin classes. In the end when I was enormous and uncomfortable, at the advice of a friend, I did a few water aerobics classes (with the 60-80 year old ladies). It felt so good to get in the water and move without lugging all that weight around! There will be lots of people telling you that exercising while pregnant is bad - I had numerous people scold me at the gym. But most doctors now encourage it as long as you're having a normal pregnancy.

    Eat healthy, exercise moderately, get rest and listen to your body. Enjoy the ride!!!

    Bump to this!

    I believe it's something like an additional 300 cals a day that your bod needs to feed the baby, but definitely talk with the doc for specific recommendations, etc. Congrats!
  • ichoose2believe
    ichoose2believe Posts: 108 Member
    Congrats hon. I agree speak with your doctor. But your body knows what to do. I was at least 150lbs overweight when I had got pregnant and I lost 30lbs the first 2 months without even changing what I ate. Throughout the course of my pregnancy (while eating healthy) however I only gained about 13lbs of it back by the time he was born and 6 1/2lbs of it was him.
  • superjean1
    superjean1 Posts: 78 Member
    Congrats!!! Don't worry too much about eating too little or too much your little one will tell you just how much it wants and doesn't want all you have to do is make sure when you are not having cravings to eat the good stuff and when you are having cravings give in to them just enough!!! The rest will work itself out!! I also recommend easy strolls three times a week. That will help with your muscle mass and getting your body ready to give birth! AGAIN CONGRATS TO YOU LITTLE BLESSING!!

    Thank you :-) This is the kind of advice I was looking for :-) I already walk a lot so will stick to that (right now I'm suffering from nausea so don't feel like exercising). Thanks again :-)

    Everyone is different, but I had a nausea just for a few weeks. My favorite thing was lemonade and seltzer water (50/50). For some reason it really helped settle my stomach.
  • CubicCutie
    CubicCutie Posts: 53
    Congratulations!

    I used to be a Midwifery Sister so do know something about this. Eat very healthily but eat for one. This is not the time to put your body under more stress and you need the nourishment for healthy foetal and maternal health.

    I would suggest low impact exercise. Walking , swimming are really good exercises and join an ante-natal exercise class (usually 28 wks) to prepare your pelvic floor for the big day and to practice breathing techniques to help you in labour.

    You may feel too nauseous during the first trimester so may eat what you can manage to stave off the nausea. Try to eat your meals on time to prevent nausea and ginger is great and safe to provide relief from nausea. You could have it as ginger beer, ginger biscuits (watch the cals) but it should ease off after 12 weeks.

    Hope your pregnancy goes well.
  • foxylady522
    foxylady522 Posts: 80
    Congrats! This is definitely something your doctor should give you guidance on. I was an avid runner and went to the gym about 3 times/week for weights and spinning classes before I became pregnant nearly 3 years ago. My doctor said it was fine to continue to do what I did before I got pregnant, but to be sure to listen to my body and modify exercise as needed. She also stressed that it was important not to let this be an excuse to eat everything and anything. I was considered normal weight at the beginning of my preganancy - I am 5' 6" and usually weigh between 135-140. My doctor advised that, at most, I only needed 300 more calories/day while pregnant and that I should gain 25-35 lbs. She strongly recommended trying not to exceed 35 lbs. I gained 37 lbs.

    I continued to run (although at a much slower pace and shorter distances) until about 20 weeks, when my knees started to hurt. I continued to go to the gym to lift weights (within reason), use the elliptical and do some spin classes. In the end when I was enormous and uncomfortable, at the advice of a friend, I did a few water aerobics classes (with the 60-80 year old ladies). It felt so good to get in the water and move without lugging all that weight around! There will be lots of people telling you that exercising while pregnant is bad - I had numerous people scold me at the gym. But most doctors now encourage it as long as you're having a normal pregnancy.

    Eat healthy, exercise moderately, get rest and listen to your body. Enjoy the ride!!!

    Exactly this! Continue exercising as you have been and add approximately 300 calories per day. Congrats :)
  • bzmom
    bzmom Posts: 1,332 Member
    First off congrats!

    Secondly your doctor can refer you to a nutritionist that specialicies in diet during pregnancy. I myself never really went to it I just ate when I was hungry and never relally had any crazy cravings except for PB&J. LOL!!

    As for excersice your doctor can advice you on what would be best. When I got pregnant of my last one I was able to continue my regular excersice I just cant remember what trimester it was that the doctor allow me to continue a little jogging and mostly walking and believe it or not I was gardening through out until I delivered LOL!!

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