My first pregnancy resulted in a weight gain of 55lbs, 25 of which have stuck with me. Toward the end of the pregnancy, I felt like the weight gain was out of control. I'd eat a stick of celery and gain a pound. I accepted that as part of the pregnancy since it was toward the end when I was supposed to be gaining. I am now 6 weeks pregnant with my second child and have already gained 8 lbs. I cut back on calories or eat as normal and GAIN. I have even started walks again- 45 min at a time- and that does no good either. Does anyone have any suggestions or know of a medical reason for this?
Hello, I dont really have any suggestions or know any medical reason for this but if you find out anything could you please let me know, lol!! With my son i gained 80 lbs. and with my duaghter i gained 60 lbs. and still have about 25 to lose. With my daughter i was only 3 weeks pregnant and my jeans were already getting tight and thats how i knew. Its crazy how much i gain! And i tried everything you did and nothing helped me. So good luck and congrats on the pregnancy!
Hi Stephanie
My best friend's almost a midwife, she'd told me we all gain differently. She gained 65, I gained 60, and were both very health minded people. I suggest keeping a food log so you know what your getting. And can back it up if the Doc gives you a hard time. Also log your exercise. And eat a ton of veggies. I have a good book called Every womans guide to eating during pregnancy isbn# 0-395-98660-5 it even has meal plans for vegetarian, vegan, and meat eaters! Eating vegetarian you can get all the protine you need w/ good food combinations, and it's lower in fat, and calories. It's a great book any way.
Good luck, Amy H
I gained about 50lbs with my last pregnancy, and was miserable...my legs were pitting, my fingers were so numb I couldn't write and I just felt FAT! Upon delivery, it was discovered that I had Polyhydroamnios...WAY too much amniotic fluid. It was making it so the rest of my body couldn't get the normal fluids circulating and I was just swelling up. I hope that's not your problem but it's something to think about. Good news is that I now weigh less than I did before that pregnancy...go figure!
Lacy
I found a huge difference between by first pregnancy and the most recent. My boys are (almost) 4 and just turned 1. I gained with my first, but nothing unexpected. I lost it after about a year without TOO much effort, though it did take some work. With my second, I gained like crazy and have yet to lose all of it. I feel (and this is just my opinion), that the difference in prenatal vitamins I was taking played a part. My eating habits were the same, if not better than with my first, and of course I was chasing after a toddler while pregnant the second time. With the second pregnancy my prenatal vitamins contained the Omega-3 oils. Of course, these are good for you, but I think that I was consuming enough on my own that this just added to it and my body wasn't in a position to eliminate the added fatty intake. Some of my reading has confirmed the possibility, but again, this is just my opinion and what I noticed with myself. Whatever the cause, here I am trying to wish away the pounds at the computer instead of on the elliptical sitting right next to me, LOL...
I had the same problem. I gained 55 lbs with my second child even though I was sick every day!
I do know I also had a lot of fluid. I had a C-section and when they cut me open the fluid literally splattered all over the ER!!!! You could even hear it. I lost 32 lbs before even leaving the hospital.
WOW tough one- With each of my 3 children I gained between 25 and 30 pounds. I would highly recommend that you talk to your doctor and a nutritionist. Maybe what you eat "normally" is causing you to gain weight. Even a salad made a certain way is a ton of calories. Gaining to much weight can be harmful to you and the baby and it goes without saying it is very hard for you once the baby is born. I would not cut calories on your own because that also is not good. It sounds like you need expert advise. Good luck and congratulation - children are such a blessing. No matter how much you gain it is 100% worth it when you see their cute faces.
I would talk to your doctor to make sure there are no unusual medical issues. It could just be how you gain during pregnancy. I would be very very careful about 'cutting back on calories'. You want to ensure baby is getting everything he/she needs. You need LOTS AND LOTS of protein while pregnant. Make sure you are getting the 'rainbow' of foods every day. Lots of veggies, fruit, protein, etc...
Maybe keeping a journal on what you eat will help you discover where your calories are coming from and help you make good choices.
But I would speak with your OBGYN about the issue and your nutritional needs.
Have you had your thyroid checked? I have an underactive thyroid and when my levels are out of whack I gain weight like crazy - pregnant or not!
Dear Stephanie,
I firmly believe that every woman is different, and that hormonal weight gain doesn't always follow calorie weight gain. With all 3 of my pregnancies, I ended upat the same weight,even though I started out at different weights. As long as you know that you are eating a nutritious diet, without excess calories, stop fretting over this. I just figure that when you are during the stages of having babies, your body becomes theirs, and when the pregnancies/breastfeedings are over I can reclaim it again. I also agree that you should check in with your doctor to make sure there is no underlying medical reason for this. Good Luck
Hi Stephanie---Congrats on baby #2. Our bodies are extremely efficient at 'storing' extra food in case of famine. It is why our species survived tens of thousands of years ago. So don't beat yourself up too much. Some are more efficient at storing than others.
Too many people think of their diet in terms of what not to eat and counting calories. I have been studying health and wellness for several years and I like the philosophy of choosing foods that will promote health. Don't think in terms of limiting calories. If you choose healthful foods like lots and lots of fruits and vegetables, WHOLE grains and legumes (beans), you will naturally meet your need for nutrients. If you want to count something, be sure to eat at least 40g of fiber a day, which you can accoomplish by eating from the 4 groups mentioned already. Limit animal products, they do not contain fiber and mostly saturated fat...animal products actually promote degenerative disease. If you eat 40g of fiber each day, you will lose weight and still consume the nutrients needed for good health. Don't be concerned about protein, plants have lots and lots of it. You can also get high quality protein from soy, tofu, tempeh and edemame (a wonderful 'veggie' found in the frozen food section).
And start a little weight training. It doesn't have to be anything rigorous, but lean muscle burns more calories even when just sitting.
Feel free to contact me and I can provide you with my sources. I have a home based business in wellness education and I would be happy to talk to you and your friends about health and prevention, at no charge to you. Good luck and I hope to hear from you. In health, Diane 248-625-8742
As soon as that pregnancy hormone hit my blood, I put on 10 lbs too! even though I was puking my guts out! It was that way with both of my boys. I put on 50 lbs with both. The 1st one I was sooo careful about what I ate. I even measured my food so I knew I was eating enough and not too much. The 2nd one I ate whatever I wanted and I still put on 50 lbs. I think your genes will just dictate how you carry babies. Don't go crazy pigging out but don't stress too much. What's important is a healthy baby. The weight will come off when it's all over with some effort.
I wouldn't worry about it, untill your doctor brings it up. My first preg. I gained 27lbs, and watched everything that went in my mouth. With my second preg. I gained 17lbs and ate icecream at least twice a day and a HUGE steak and potato dinner at least 3 times a week! The funny thing is, the first preg. I lost all the weight no problem, but the second one, I can't seem too lose the pounds!!! I personally think it depends on the child you are carrying and as long as your doctor is okay with it, it's fine!
I would have your daughter check your thyroid levels. For a lot of women, their levels drop, which means their metabolism slows way down. Just something to ask about - it only takes a simple blood test to determine.
I have no medical reason for what is happening to you. I can understand your frustration! Could it be alot of water weight too? Too much salty foods? Also watch the carbs, which is really easy to want during pregnancy. Basically a good rule of thumb is eat lots of 'color' foods, green, orange, red, blue but stay away from white. Processed white foods, breads and crackers, white sugar even potatoes. They change to sugar in your system. I know that I gain weight very easily if I see myself eating too much sugar.
I teach HypnoBirthing childbirth education and we cover nutrition in the classes. Email me back personally if you want to discuss more about it.
Good Luck and happy pregnancy,
Janice
Have you ever had your thyroid checked?? What about "empty" calories?? Pop is the biggest culprit of that one. We just don't realize how many calories we drink. If your not drinking plain water, there are some calories. And are you drinking enough water?? You should be drinking 64 ounces every day. If you are 200 or more, you should be drinking 96! If you don't drink enough water, the body stores it. I have thyroid disease, which I got between kids #2 and #3, and during my 3rd pregnancy, I ate just like my previous 2 and gained 50 pounds. With #4 I walked 2-4 miles every other day and ate very healthy and gained 22 pounds. But I know the feeling you have about gaining when it seems you should be loosing! For ten years, no matter how much (or how little) I gained at least 10 pounds every year. I recently changed to a new doctor, who looking over my history and talking with me, is testing for celiac disease. It's a start. It would explain alot, like how my belly gets bigger without putting on any weight, etc. My suggestion would be to have your thyroid checked first.Let me know how it goes Lynne S.
I would get tested for gestational diabetes and thyroid right away. this is not healthy for you or the baby. I hope all goes well for you and your little one, but I would really suggest these tests. hope this helps...
Hi Stephanie!
Congrats on #2! I'm pregnant with #3 and going through very similar issues. Although, I was able to loose almost all the post baby weight after #2 since I started having an in-home personal trainer. She is wonderful and is the only thing that has worked to keep me motivated to exercise. She brings her own equipment and knows just what to recommend even though I'm pregnant now. If you're interested, I'll send you her email. But also, she is a personal trainer and gained 60+ with both her pregnancies, I'm a registered dietitian, I would hope I would know what I'm doing but still gained 45+ with both pregnancies. But we both somehow had healthy pregnancies and babies... which is what is important. For now I would focus on healthy eating and exercise, but don't worry too much about weight until after baby gets here.
Hi Stephanie! That's rough! How frustrating!
I'm curious, has your Dr tested you for Gestational Diabetes? What about "functional" (key) low thyroid? How is your blood pressure? These are some things I look at first when people ask me for advice about weight. Another thing I find very important for weight management is how much protein are you getting.
If you would like to talk more about this feel free to email me back or call 517.581.2335.
blessings! Marian G
Stephanie,
Just a thought...Could extra calories be getting into your diet through what you drink?
Heather