Newly Pregnant and learning about my nutrition needs

Congratulations moms-to-be. Like OP, I am overweight and 8-weeks pregnant. My nutritionist has recommended a 1400 daily diet to encourage weight loss in the first trimester, but she also stressed that food quality and food balance (carbohydrate with a protein or a healthy fat) was more important than food quantity. She also told me that each day does not need to be perfect and that I should NEVER go hungry since that will make worse symptoms like fatigue and nausea. She also said that weight gain in the second and third trimester is healthy and inevitable unless I loose an unhealthy amount of weight. So, the take-away I got is to eat healthy and listen to your body. Eat if you are hungry, but do not eat for two merely out of perceived obligation. So far, I have lost seven pounds, but I should add here that I have two hormonal imbalances that contribute (though do not completely create) my weight issue and that pregnancy has helped my metabolism fix itself.

Good luck everyone, and feel free to friend me so we can support each other on our journeys.

In for the tips to pass onto my wife (4 maybe 5 weeks pregnant)

Congratulations! I am currently 24 weeks pregnant with my third, and I am contributing to this thread to say: EXERCISE! You have a very physically demanding task to do (labor and birth) in a relatively short amount of time. With my first, I was too tired and unmotivated to make exercise a priority. This was a huge mistake. Not only did I gain too much weight, my overall health suffered. An appropriate amount of exercise is essential for a healthy pregnancy. Regular exercise will decrease the physical pain you may experience as your belly grows. It will help you have the energy and stamina needed for labor and it will help you heal faster after the birth. Seriously, I cannot stress enough how important SOME exercise is.

As far as amount goes, since you have not been doing any thing, yes, ease into it. What you need to focus on is perceived exertion. That is, how hard do you feel you are working? Can you breath? Don't work so hard you cannot carry on a conversation-remember you are breathing for two also. How hot are you? I never work so hard that I get too hot, I take breaks whenever I feel I need them. My activity of choice is the elliptical. I did not have a regular fitness routine until into my second trimester, but I made the effort every day. I worked for twenty minutes at a time a first, but at a very leisurely pace. I suggest you try the same, always making sure that you are paying attention to how you feel. Stop if you are in pain. Rest if you need to. I have worked my selfup to a moderate pace for up to an 90 minutes with breaks as I need them. And plenty of water! I know that I am stronger and experiencing less physical discomfort than with my other, less active pregnancies. I am hoping I can cope with labor better as well.! Good luck! I know you can do it!

Congratulations! I'm sorry your OB was not very helpful on the weight issue? I think I'd bring up weight at your next meeting and see if you can't get her to refer you to an OB with specific experience with overweight pregnancy?

I'm thinking that the nutritionist is keeping in mind risks with overweight pregnancies and has you on that eating plan in an effort to have you put on less than the usual weight a non overweight person puts on. Ask her. Directly. Call her tomorrow and without being accusatory simply ask..."I want to make a weight chart for my fridge and want to understand what we are achieving with my eating plan, am i meant to gain, maintain, or lose wieght during my pregnancy on this plan? At what rate".

It's a legitimate question and once you are on the same page it will make more sense and she may have time to go into whatever her goals for you are. And whatever risks she may be trying to avoid.

My sister had a difficult pregnancy second time and something diabetes related. She was overweight with both her pregnancies.

That book you were recommended seems like a good one I had the standard version and found it very helpful.

I also had a chart on my fridge to gain just the amount of weight recommended as I started out slightly overweight due to a surgery shortly prior to my pregnancy which put a little extra weight on me.

As for the exercise generally the rule is that you can do whatever you were doing prior.

If you were doing nothing, that is probably not a good goal so I think walking more and more each week seems reasonable.

CONGRATULATIONS to all the pregnant ladies in this thread.

Just for future reference MFP has in the database for foods breastfeeding calories accounted for so some new moms use that log to add extra calories to their daily allowance to allow for the breastfeeding they do.

GOOD LUCK!:flowerforyou: