First pregnancy and nutrition

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LifeIsThePits
LifeIsThePits Posts: 5 Member
in Food and Nutrition
Hello friends! It’s been quite a weekend for me...I got married on Friday and we found out we’re pregnant the very next day! This is my first pregnancy and I’m TERRIFIED but THRILLED!!!

My question is this: I lost just over 100lbs in 2017 and I still had about 30-50 to go before I hit my absolute goal weight but since we have a baby on board, I’m going to have to change my plan. I want to avoid gaining back too much of the weight I worked so hard to get rid of, but I had no time to transition to my next phase of dieting before I found out I was pregnant. Any nutritional advice for a still somewhat overweight first time mom?? Thanks in advance!

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  • callsitlikeiseeit
    callsitlikeiseeit Posts: 8,627 Member
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    talk to your doc.

    i was about the same amount overweight when i got pregnant with my first (19 years ago lol). My doc advised to gain no more than 20 pounds. thats what i did, with her, and then my next - 7 years later. The pregnancy weight came off pretty much the day i had the baby lololol. i mean youre still gross and squishy for awhile, but within a few weeks i was squeezing in my normal pants.
  • busyPK
    busyPK Posts: 3,788 Member
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    First off congrats! This is a very exciting time of your life. :smile: Since it's early, make sure you schedule a doctor's appointment and discuss this with your doctor. You can continue to track your food and do most exercises (just listen to your body and slow down if needed). I, personally, wouldn't eat at a deficit at this time. Eat at maintenance until you have spoken to your doctor.
  • marieamethyst
    marieamethyst Posts: 869 Member
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    Congrats! Talk to whoever is going to manage your pregnancy, because it can be different for everyone. I was 45 lbs overweight with my first and my OB didn't want me to gain much weight (she had me buy a scale after our first appointment, lol), and I ended up only gaining about 14 lbs by 41 weeks. That was enough to make my blood pressure go up at the end when I put on most of that, so I'm definitely glad I didn't gain more! With my second I had reached goal weight and was using MFP, so I set my calorie goal to maintenance for the first and second trimesters, and then .5 lb gain for the third. Gained right around the 25 lbs my midwife wanted to see, so that strategy worked perfectly for me. :)

    Get the info from your medical provider, and then modify your goals on MFP. Good luck!

    There's also a pregnancy group here on MFP if you're interested:

    http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/group/1903-fit-fabulous-pregnant
  • amgreenwell
    amgreenwell Posts: 1,268 Member
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    Talk to your doctor. Depending on how much you have left to lose you may still be able to lose while pregnant. I've heard of many people doing it when they are considered obese...and baby turns out fine and healthy.
    Congrats on both the marriage and the baby!
  • CallMeRu
    CallMeRu Posts: 33 Member
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    Congratulations! This is wonderful news.

    As far as diet goes, remember that in your first trimester you won't really need any extra calories, at least not by the time you get to your first appointment. You will probably be seen by your doctor around week 8 - 12 of your pregnancy. Before your first visit, up your "goal" to maintian and don't over eat. Try to drink lots of water and eat healthy foods. When you are at your appointment make sure that you tell your doctors your concerns.
  • sjp_511
    sjp_511 Posts: 476 Member
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    Congratulations! I didn't do so well at keeping the extra weight off during my pregnancies (especially the first!). I initially went up to maintenance for my first trimester and had every intention of tracking my food throughout my pregnancy and eating an appropriate amount of calories. But then week 7 of pregnancy brought morning sickness and 1st tri fatigue. With my first pregnancy, eating helped prevent morning sickness so I more gained weight than I should have. With my second, morning sickness took away my appetite so I didn't gain weight until much later. And the food cravings and aversions - they made healthy eating much more difficult than I ever anticipated. The cravings were different for each pregnancy. My first I craved beef and milkshakes. With my second, I craved chocolate candy and I had a major aversion to fish and chicken.

    All this is to say that every pregnancy is different. It is great to have a nutrition plan, but don't beat yourself up if you can't stick with it. It can be very difficult. Enjoy your pregnancy - it is a magical experience, especially when you start feeling the baby move.
  • fromnebraska
    fromnebraska Posts: 153 Member
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    Talk to your doctor about how much weight gain is healthy and how much protein and calcium you need each day. Make sure you aren't eating at a deficit and if you do have morning sickness then try to eat as best as you can. Congratulations!
  • julie_broadhead
    julie_broadhead Posts: 347 Member
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    One thing that hasn't been mentioned, if you are not currently taking a prenatal you should start. As others have said, eat at maintenance and talk with your provider about nutrition and weight gain. Congratulations!
  • LifeIsThePits
    LifeIsThePits Posts: 5 Member
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    Thank you all so much for the reassurance! I’m making a list of questions to ask my OB in a couple weeks...this is so exciting!

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