Gaining weight during pregnancy

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  • mcglothinm
    mcglothinm Posts: 20 Member
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    I weighed about 220 when I got pregnant with my son, and while my midwife told me she didn't want me to gain too much weight, she never said anything to me about it either as long as my pregnancy seemed to be going well. I did end up with gestational diabetes with my son, so I ended up on a low carb diet and I actually ended up losing weight throughout my pregnancy. That may be an option for you, if you are interested. I'm sorry your doctor is being so harsh with you, if my midwife had been like that I would seriously question going back to her afterwards.
  • GottaLoseIt13
    GottaLoseIt13 Posts: 31 Member
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    Honestly you only gain excess weight by eating too much. Your doctor is concerned for your baby's health. My daughter in law was obese when she got pregnant, gained too much while pregnant and had a baby that was over 11 pounds which caused a lot of health issues for both of them as well as exposing that child to the risk of obesity herself. That wasn't enough of a lesson though.

    She didn't lose any of that weight and got pregnant again, same scenario all over again. I cannot understand why anyone would want to put themselves or their child through that for the sake of food. I know it's harsh and I'm bitter about it but seriously think about how much you're eating while you still have the time to make it better.

    I'm sorry, but just because that happened to your daughter-in-law...doesn't mean it happens to everyone. My sister-in-law had a baby boy...weighed 12lbs when he was born. She was not obese when she was pregnant. My nephew is now 13 yrs old and is the size of a stick...lol He's the skinniest thing you'd ever meet. Not all larger babies become obese as they get older. I know a lot of people who were large (10+ lbs) when born and are a very healthy weight now as adults.

    Perhaps your daughter-in-law just didn't take care of herself or listen to the doctor's advice (if any was given). Many women (both young and old) think that the old saying 'I'm eating for two now' gives them the green light to eat whatever and how ever much they want. And that's just not true.

    I don't believe, however, that gives you the right to assume that this woman is just shoving food into her mouth 24/7 or doesn't care about her unborn child. Maybe your DIL didn't care about herself or her child, and I'm sorry that has made you bitter, but don't take your bitterness out on someone who is just looking for some advice. Especially when you don't know their whole story.
  • andreagenther
    andreagenther Posts: 67 Member
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    I gained 25 lbs with my little guy. I walked every day and did yoga most nights. Walking was the best thing for stress, cramping, bad moods, insomnia, etc. for my pregnancy. On busy days i would only get 15 minutes but on other days I could sneak in an hour. I also ate lots of protein, fiber, and WATER.

    I agree with the other people that suggest you call your doctor to ask for some specific ideas on what to change. You are eating well and taking care of yourself so hopefully they will have some other ideas for you. Good luck and congratulations.
  • JayAlexander
    JayAlexander Posts: 268 Member
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    Thank you for the POSITIVE advice and suggestions. My Dr said things like "Well, you know the holidays are coming" and "you're already over where I wanted you in the end so...." She never asked about my eating habits. She came off like I was just eating whatever I wanted all the time, and yes it was hurtful. I'm not wanting people to sugar coat things or tell me it's fine, just wondering about other peoples experiences. This is my first pregnancy, I'm still learning. I do drink at least 100 oz of water a day, I know I'm doing that right! I will ask her more specifically what I can do and what I should be eating next time, today was just a rough day, I was almost crying during my appointment anyway. Damn hormones.
  • NavyKnightAh13
    NavyKnightAh13 Posts: 1,394 Member
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    I had the opposite problem. I was 243 when I got pregnant, and lost weight (I went down to 219) and my doctor was concerned that i didn't gain even though I had no morning sickness and no explanation for the loss, though I walked a lot during the pregnancy. I got down to 204 by the time it was all said and done, and then it went up to 205 due to breastfeeding and am now down to 175.

    I guess I got lucky, my little one was born 7lbs 12oz and he is now 21 months and 25lbs 7oz. The doctors feel he is fine.

    Just worry about you and the little one.
  • gigglesinthesun
    gigglesinthesun Posts: 860 Member
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    Thank you for the POSITIVE advice and suggestions. My Dr said things like "Well, you know the holidays are coming" and "you're already over where I wanted you in the end so...." She never asked about my eating habits. She came off like I was just eating whatever I wanted all the time, and yes it was hurtful. I'm not wanting people to sugar coat things or tell me it's fine, just wondering about other peoples experiences. This is my first pregnancy, I'm still learning. I do drink at least 100 oz of water a day, I know I'm doing that right! I will ask her more specifically what I can do and what I should be eating next time, today was just a rough day, I was almost crying during my appointment anyway. Damn hormones.

    don't worry about the hormones. I remember being in floods of tears during my second pregnancy, because the hospital had said that my doctor needed to refer me for the 20 week scan and then after waiting for an hour to see my doctor he said that I needed to go back to the hospital and they'd arrange it. I literally fled the doctors office in tears and rang my son's doctor and he said to come in and he'd fill out my referral without a problem. I did change doctors after that :-)
  • Nicolee_2014
    Nicolee_2014 Posts: 1,572 Member
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    I gained 57lbs with my 1st baby & 48lbs with my 2nd baby.....I had the worst pregnancy the 2nd time around when I was fitter & didn't weigh as much. 1st bubs was 8lbs 2 ounces, 2nd bub was nearly 4 weeks prem & weight 6lbs 3 ounces.

    The doc's just have to be all concerned about your weight but you know what, it happens! I ate better, exercised, ran around after a toddler & worked up until the day I had my 2nd & still gained more weight than I wanted.

    I didn't get gestational diabetes with either babies nor did I get pre-eclampsia. I did have to have 2 emergency c-sections but that was due to the babies not wanting to enter the world, not because of me.

    Good luck with it all :flowerforyou:
  • Rhiannonangharad
    Rhiannonangharad Posts: 8
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    Aww bless you! Your dr shouldnt be making you feel bad! They should be helpful!!


    Check this website out, www.fittamamma.com they have great healthy pregnancy diet tips and exercise tips as well!

    Hope this helps you out!
  • momRN2B
    momRN2B Posts: 247 Member
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    I am sorry about your Dr's hurtful comment. Obesity and/or gaining excess weight during pregnancy does put you at risk for gestational diabetes and macrosomia aka a large baby. That being said, as long as you are taking the proper steps for a healthy pregnancy then I wouldn't get hung up on the number on the scale. Weight gain during pregnancy does not always follow logic. You could be doing everything right and gain weight due to water retention, more breast tissue etc. I am 28 weeks pregnant, have been logging my food intake almost daily and workout 4-5 days a week and walk a lot. Yet I am still up about 19-20 lbs and I just started my 3rd trimester. Granted, i was at a healthy weight prior to getting pregnant. I would suggest you put in your stats into MFP and set your goal for maintenance. Log your food intake and try to get some sort of exercise in. Once you are doing that you can stop stressing about the number on the scale, cuz u know you are doing what you can to be healthy. Wishing you lots of luck and a happy healthy pregnancy!
  • monicapeterson54
    monicapeterson54 Posts: 34 Member
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    i think perhaps your doctor needs to learn a few lessons on social grace and etiquette! Being pregnant is incredibly difficult, and being chastized during your pregnancy makes it even worse. I gained 65 lbs with my first child, and 55 with my second. My midwife said nothing about my weight the entire time. She said as long as i was getting the majority of my calories through fresh fruit and veggies, and lean protein, i shouldn't have to worry much about taking the weight off. Breastfeeding helps with this A LOT. (protein also helps keep headaches and nausea at bay! :wink: ) DO NOT by any means try to loose weight at this point. continue walking, take up light weights, try out yoga, and you shouldn't have any issues. my babies by the way were 8#3oz, and 8#15oz. Both 21.5" long, both perfectly healthy in every way, neither one obese!:happy:
  • Klarini
    Klarini Posts: 9 Member
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    Weight gain in pregancy is not linear. Some woman gain a lot of weight in the first trimester when there should be virtually no gain at all and then it kind of levels out and the total gain ends up within recommended range. Some other gain most of the weight at the end of the pregnancy. That said, if you already gained 22 pounds and you still have a full trimester to go (during which many women gain most as baby grows rapidly) I would keep an eye on the weight. I would not stress out about it, but would keep making healthy choices as you already do. Keep in mind though that healthy choices might not necesseraly lead to smaller weight gain as the weight gain in pregnant women is sometime out of their control (due to water retention, etc), but would definetely lead to easier weight loss after the pregnancy. In other words, keep eating healthy and make good choices (you already managed to lose 50lbs, remember) and don't be discouriged by the scale and give up. If not now, it will pay off after the pregnancy.
  • servilia
    servilia Posts: 3,453 Member
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    We're you overweight when you got pregnant? Maybe that's why she's so restrictive. I gained 60lbs but my OB never batted an eyelash, maybe because I started off at the lower end (even so, I was gaining too much). How was your glucose test? Have you had it yet? How's your blood pressure at your visits?
    Maybe mine was easy going because my tests were always normal, I don't know.
    In any case if it makes you feel any better I've lost almost all of it at 9 months pp so it's possible to lose it!
  • firstsip
    firstsip Posts: 8,399 Member
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    Ah, what a world it would be if we all lined up just like the medical textbooks, eh, Mokey?

    OP, I agree with Joy's comment. Try weighing food and being a bit more meticulous *just* to make sure you're absolutely certain of what you're putting into your body. It's good fodder to do, print out weeks of diaries, and show your doctor.

    Have you had bloodwork to check for anything that might occur or perhaps result in excess weight gain? It *definitely* happens differently to many women, some retain water more easily, etc. etc. It would be good to know in case gestational diabetes, or perhaps even thyroid, issues are at play. The endocrine system does a whole lot of funky stuff once pregnancy is involved.

    You answered the question I had in my mind this whole time--is it your first child? So this might just be how your body reacts to pregnancy--excess water, perhaps. You can check if you might be dealing with edema by noting your measurements on your body, skin elasticity, etc. Would it be possible for you to potentially get a second opinion from another OB/GYN?

    And just to add to further anecdotes: my husband's mother gave birth to four 8-10 lb babies at a BMI of 18. She was a model, very thin, and still made some big old babies. They are all now lean giants.

    A mother's weight can contribute to big babies, but is certainly not the only reason women can have a "big" baby.
  • Mrs_Winfrey
    Mrs_Winfrey Posts: 61 Member
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    OP, I am not your Dr but I know that it is not healthy to diet during pregnancy. The weight you have already gain is here to stay for a while longer. You'll probably gain more considering you have a trimester to go. As long as you are making healthy food decisions and getting some appropriate exercise in as allowed, you should with time & dedication be able to lose the weight after your baby is born.

    Best of luck to you & congrats on your pregnancy!

    I agree, this is perfectly said. I am a smallish framed woman (5'3" and my ideal body weight sits between 118 and 125 {I was overweight when I got pregnant as well, at 143 pounds}). I got up to 173 with my recent pregnancy, and am at 146 as of 12 weeks post-partum (25 pounds of which were lost within 2 days of delivery). My doctor did mention the fact that my bmi was high at my initial visit, but said that my overall gain was fine at the end (even though I was WELL over where I should be for my size). Just do the best you can, get in some exercise if you can and as long as its not too much of a strain to your body, and eat as healthfully as you see fit. SO many people use pregnancy as an excuse to gain massive amounts of weight and be lazy, but I do not see that as being the issue in your case! Enjoy this time, don't stress over your weight too much!!! Congratulations on your upcoming addition!!
  • Mrs_Winfrey
    Mrs_Winfrey Posts: 61 Member
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    Ah, what a world it would be if we all lined up just like the medical textbooks, eh, Mokey?

    .............................................

    A mother's weight can contribute to big babies, but is certainly not the only reason women can have a "big" baby.

    So true...all pregnant women are different! And I know some of the smallest women that have the HUGEST babies! I myself tend to have 8 pound babies...my first 8.1, my second 8.2 :)
  • shivles
    shivles Posts: 468 Member
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    Try this http://www.freedieting.com/tools/pregnancy_calorie_calculator.htm and log your calories, maybe you are overheating without realising. BUT, saying that I ate perfectly through my pregnancy, gained 33lbs, the day after I had my daughter I weighed myself out of curiosity and I was 6lbs off my pre pregnancy weight... She was 8.5 lbs.
  • MommyisFit
    MommyisFit Posts: 139 Member
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    During my 1st pregnancy, I gained 60lbs. I was really sick in the beginning and the only thing that made me feel better was eating lots of carbs very frequently. This caused me to gain a lot in the beginning. Toward the end I was swollen, huge, and felt horrible. My daughter was 9lbs 13oz and I needed a csection after 34 hours of labor plus two hours of pushing because she was so big she was stuck. It took me 2 years to lose all the weight. My doctor (a man) was always making nasty comments about my weight and it felt horrible.

    With my 2nd pregnancy, I didn't feel sick and ate fairly normally throughout, but didn't log calories. I gained 24lbs total. I felt really good even up until the last week. I didn't try labor this time around and just went for the repeat csecton - I am glad too - my son was still 9lbs 5oz even though I only gained 24lbs. All of this weight was lost in 2 months.

    I am now 13 weeks pregnant with #3 and I am exercising 4 days a week, plus logging calories. I had been eating at maintenance until last week, when I changed my settings to gain 1/2lb a week. I have yet to gain any weight.

    My point is that I have been where you are. There is nothing you can do about the weight you have gained thus far, but I would start measuring and logging your food from here on out. You don't want to restrict calories, but this way you can control your gain to no more than a pound a week. Don't let the negative comments get you down. Many, many pregnant women have been where you are. From experience, I can tell you, the pregnancy and the months after are far easier when you stay within the recommended 25-35lbs. Good luck, mamma!

    Edited to add: I am 5'2" and was 115 before my 1st pregnancy and 125 now.
  • rosemary98
    rosemary98 Posts: 632
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    Gaining weight and doctor's opinions about it during pregnancy seem to be all over the board. I think the new guidelines do advocate less weight gain for women who are overweight or obese.

    having said that...your doctor should have been helpful on the topic...not dismissive.
  • blink1021
    blink1021 Posts: 1,118 Member
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    My advice is a nutritionist. With my last child I was borderline gestational diabetic but we treated it as if I had it. It was a pain measuring and watching everything I ate but it paid off. My doctors biggest concern was the baby's size. Since larger size babies can be hard to deliver and it can ( notice I said can) cause health problems later on. The nutritionist helped me out and I didn't have to change anything I ate just the size portions. Instead of calorie counting I counted carbs, protein, etc. I ended up on a 2100 calorie diet which was hard to meet and sometimes I didn't and I didn't stress. I only gained 7lbs during my pregnancy and I gained all that in the first 5 months but I was way heavier than you are and I had a healthy 8lb baby she was 2oz smaller than my first child which I had when I was a lot younger and smaller. If your ob isn't helpful ask your general practioner for a nutritionist referral. My ob didn't know much about the nutrition side so he was the one that referred me to the nutritionist. I know I said diet in here but it really wasn't a diet per say I still had pizza and ice cream I just had less and the ice cream was sugar free. They even gave me sample meal plans to help me start out. I walked out of the hospital 20lbs less than when I first got pregnant ( I am an unusual case since I had quite a bit of weight to begin with) I am not recommending that you do this but they can format your plan to fit you and your babies needs.
  • cwal1980
    cwal1980 Posts: 7 Member
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    Sorry you're doctor is making you feel bad - and it sounds like you've been making good choices considering you've only gained 22 pounds at 6 months. Your doctor would have had a field day with me - I gained 65 pounds with my first (she was 7lbs 8oz at birth), lost it all within 6 months (back down to 138) and then with my twins I gained 80 pounds (that was 5 months ago) and I'm down 70 of that already. I just ate a lot because I just always felt hungry (and I couldn't work out because of previa and funneling with my twins) and all I wanted was bean and cheese burritos - why could I not have craved vegetables. My doctor could have cared less how much weight I put on and she flat out told me that (not sure why she continued to make me step on the scale at every appointment - I still dreaded that). My twins were about 6 pounds each and doing great. Don't stress too much - enjoy this time and cut yourself some slack! You'll be able to get the weight off afterwards - you've done it once and you can do it again.

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