New. Pregnant. (Due March 10, 2012) Need some weight mainten

Hey Jolene!
First of all, congratulations! I am a mom to three awesome girls, the youngest of which was born in August. Pregnancy and weight was a big deal for me too. Because I was heavier than I wanted to be each time I got pregnant, it was hard not to go overboard trying to strangle any pregnancy weight gain. Yes, I got a little (or a lot) OCD about it. Yes, I tried some stupid things. (A mostly soup diet? Really?) Yes, I finally calmed down and hit my stride to eat healthy and gain healthy.

I say gain healthy because you want to let your body grow your baby in the best way possible. Forget the 200 lb ceiling. Forget your post-baby weight loss goals. All of that will be there after you are done making a human being. Treat yourself kindly because in doing that, you are treating your baby kindly.

This last pregnancy in particular, weight was hard for me. I was 185 when I got pregnant and knew that according to the websites women my weight "didn't have" to gain anything. When I saw that it was like I felt I couldn't gain at all. I stressed, and obsessed-- weighing five times a day, trying to eat soup and flush everything out with water-- but then I started to get low blood sugar, exhaustion, even iron deficiency. Since I wanted a home birth, that kind of poor nutrition was not sustainable.

I cut my weigh-in to two or three times a week. More than ideal, but less than my obsessive normal.
I found out what a generally healthy calorie limit was-- for me it was 1700-- but also paid attention to how much protein, fat, carbs, fiber, and sugar went into those calories. I tried to eat 5 servings of fruits and veggies and made that the priority part of my diet, with meat/carbohydrates coming secondary. I walked. I wore my two year old. I developed a consciousness not only for what I "should" be eating but what made me feel strong and energetic.

I would also caution you about wanting to be at 170 by the time your baby is two months old, especially if you are planning to nurse. The first six weeks are vital for establishing your milk supply, as well as for recovering from the strain of birth. Your body needs good food in appropriate amounts. You'll be exhausted and hormonal-- the last thing you want to add on that is hungry. If you do nurse, and follow the same common sense guidelines I mentioned above-- you will probably find that most of the weight gained from the birth comes off easily enough-- though nursing will leave you with about five extra pounds of tissue reserve.

One last thing-- my midwives were very cautionary about exclusive vegetarianism in pregnancy. Following an exclusively vegetarian diet can deprive your baby of essential nutrients. Ask your midwife/doctor for nutritional guidelines that will make sure you get all the nutrition you need at this time.

Look at your body as beautiful. You are creating life. Even at rest, you are working hard than a marathon runner.
Touch the curve of your belly and smile. There will be plenty of time to lose the weight. This is the only time you'll get to carry this little life.

Thank you for posting this. I have had a really hard time knowing how much to eat and exercise while pregnant. It is my first pregnancy, and I am scared of getting huge. I also want to eat healthy for the baby. Some of what you said has really put me at ease.

I work closely with prenatal women every day at my job. I have met two women who lost weight in the beginning of their pregnancy. The first one did it under the advice of her doctor, and the second managed to it because she ate healther and watched her carbohydrate intake. Both have high blood-pressure, and would have put themselves at risk for preclampsia if they didn't do this. Another woman I know lost weight during her pregnancy, and delivered an eight pound baby.

Everyone's situation is different. If gaining more weight will put your health at risk, it may be a good idea to monitor it like a hawk. My suggestion is to eat healthier:

less fruits, more veggies
healthy proteins
fewer carbohydrates
limit sugary beverages such as juice (or don't drink them at all), eat mainly home-cooked meals to avoid high sodium intake (avoid soups, or choose them wisely because they are loaded with salt)
drink plenty of water
and avoid eating your last meal at a late time.

If you are eating the right way, your body will be able to tell, and good things will happen to you. Talk to your doctor about exercising, because it plays a major role in weight maintenance.

...and 10-15 pound weight gain so far? Excellent job! It is very difficult for some women who started their pregnancy with extra weight already to manage to do the same.