Overweight and pregnancy weight gain.. your experience?

[Onja]

Hey Girls, I am wondering how those of you who are overweight dealt with weight gain during pregnancy?

I was 76kg before getting pregnant. I didn't want to gain any weight during my first trimester BUT I think a combination of coming of low carb diet and having no morning sickness resulted in gaining about 3kg. I maintained without weight gain for about a month in my second trimester and then I put on a massive 2.5 kg in like a week! That really scared me, I didn't gain for a couple of weeks but then continued to put on about 2 kgs in following month.

So right now at 24.5 weeks I have put on about 8kgs. I might not be as worried if I were not overweight but it's really hard to find info on what is acceptable. I fall just in the obese range which many recs say not to put on any weight but the annoying thing is there is no differentiation between someone who started at 77 and someone who started at over a hundred kg or more

I eat VERY healthily. Muesli and yoghurt for breakfast, salads with fish for lunch or soup for lunch, Stir fries or lean meat and veg for dinner. Snacks are fruit, almonds, rice cakes for snacks. No sugar, cake, biscuits. I'm also doing lots of walking, yoga and pregnancy aerobics.

Please give me your advice. I love being pregnant but the weight gain is making me very depressed! I barked at my sister the other day when she said "Oh stop being silly and have some dessert" ..I started yelling about weight gain and gestational diabetes and realised how much it's affecting me

[Arimeh]

I was overweight with all my pregnancies, more so with the last because I didn't lose the pregnancy weight between my DD's.

I gained 22kgs with DS and DD1 - and probably about 12-14kg with DD2 - since I was already heavy.

I think the "recommended" is about 10-15kg - but some women gain 5 some gain 40 - its all up to what your body does.

I say eat in moderation, exercise in moderation - and throw out those damn scales - you're having a baby!

[~Phoenix~]

I'd tried to lose some weight and wanted to get down to a "healthy" weight before I did get pregnant, but that didn't happen and I was about 78kgs, 8-10kgs more than what I "should" weigh when I got my BFP.

I was told by GP not to put on any weight during pregnancy....yeh right lol. I actually weighed myself yesterday and I've put on 8kgs in total up till now and by no means have I been strict with my diet, I try and eat healthy most of the time but the odd choccy donut & macca's somehow make it's way in there (ok more often than they probably should) and I don't do regular exercise, I try work it into my everyday running around etc.

I just figure your body does what it needs to to grow a healthy bub, whether it be use up fat stores or add some more.

I agree with Arimeh, everything in moderation & chuck out the scales - as long as you and bubs are healthy is all that matters.

[Loupy]

I was 66kg when I fell pregnant and I'm horrified to say I've gained almost 30kg. I had terrible morning sickness for about 5 months and haven't watched what I eat at all, nor have I done one skerrick of exercise due to painful fluid retention. I feel really yukky being over 90kg but unfortunately I've just had one of those extremely uncomfortable pregnancies and have had to come to terms with it all. I always imagined having a beautiful experience, not gaining any weight, exercising throughout and just 'glowing'. None of those things happened and I barely recognize my swollen face in photos these days.

Basically, what I'm trying to get at is that you can never predict what your body/hormones are going to hand you and you just have to cope as best you can .. For example, you are still eating exceptionally well, and you should be really proud of yourself for that. My entire diet was flipped upside down. Same with your exercise regime.. You should be really pleased with yourself that you still have the energy/motivation!

I understand how you are feeling, but try and enjoy your good health and that you are actually pregnant! You are obviously doing everything you can to look after yourself so keep it up and stop worrying!

[Loupy]

I was 66kg when I fell pregnant and I'm horrified to say I've gained almost 30kg. I had terrible morning sickness for about 5 months and haven't watched what I eat at all, nor have I done one skerrick of exercise due to painful fluid retention. I feel really yukky being over 90kg but unfortunately I've just had one of those extremely uncomfortable pregnancies and have had to come to terms with it all. I always imagined having a beautiful experience, not gaining any weight, exercising throughout and just 'glowing'. None of those things happened and I barely recognize my swollen face in photos these days.

Basically, what I'm trying to get at is that you can never predict what your body/hormones are going to hand you and you just have to cope as best you can .. For example, you are still eating exceptionally well, and you should be really proud of yourself for that. My entire diet was flipped upside down. Same with your exercise regime.. You should be really pleased with yourself that you still have the energy/motivation!

I understand how you are feeling, but try and enjoy your good health and that you are actually pregnant! You are obviously doing everything you can to look after yourself so keep it up and stop worrying!

[RhiChiChi]

Sounds like you are eating & exercising exceptionally well whilst pg. You might just want to check that your museli doesn't have a high amt of sugar.

Your body will gain the amount of weight it needs to during your pg. You need to remember that you carry extra body tissue, placenta, fluid and blood as well as your developing baby. On average a newborn baby weighs approx 3.5kgs. 8 kgs seems well within what the 'normal' weight gain is. The higher than usual weight gains are probably your baby growing & developing.

[MrsFabuloso]

Onja, it sounds to me like you're doing everything you can to be healthy for your babe. You need to be realistic about it, and know that you will put on weight. You're growing a baby, you have extra fluid, extra blood....your body is changing. Stop worrying baout the weight gain and just be healthy.

I was about 78ish kg when I fell pg with DD. I put on about 7-8kg. I didn't lose much of it before falling pg with DS when DD was 7mths old. I gained about 9kg with him, so ended up being around 95-ish kg. I was exercising and eating really well during my pg with DD but with DS, I didn't exercise alot, wasn't working full time and wasn't really watching what I ate. Adn still I put on about the same amount of weight I did with DD's pg. Basically I am trying to say that your body will naturally even out what nutrients it needs to sustain you and bub. If you're fairly healthy about it all and do things within healthy ranges (ie- eating and exercise), you will remain healthy. Tyr not to stress about it and enjoy your pg and your changing body! Worry about losing weight a few months after bubs is born.

[Onja]

Thanks girls, I am really loving reading your experiences and thank you so much for the comforting All of the women I know that are pregnant are really small so just been feeling so bad. It's great to read about other women putting on some weight and having healthy bubs

I see my obstetrician tonight and he will be ordering the Insulin test - thats the thing I am most afraid of. Will see how it goes

[~Phoenix~]

Onja good luck with the GD test

My DH and whole family thought I was a GD risk coz I was overweight, my age & coz I have such a sweet tooth and were on to me all the time about me eating cakes/sweets etc.

I did fail the 1 hour test much to their amusement (could have something to do with what I ate before it lol), but I aced the 2hr follow up one

Hope you have a healthy and enjoyable rest of pregnancy.

[Curly]

Well, I was 64kgs when I got pregnant with DS and put on 18-19kgs. I lost all that weight without trying over the course of about 9 months with no effort whatsoever on my part, just the breastfeeding, I think.

With DD, I put on 16kgs. She was only exclusively breastfed for the first 6 weeks and by the time she was 3 months old she was on formula full time (another story). I was having some trouble shifting the weight this time and was still 8kgs over my pre-pregnancy weight when I got pregnant again (approx 73-74kgs).

This time around, I've only got 3 weeks to go and I'm still only hovering around the 9-10kg weight gain mark. I don't think I'v done anything differently, I'm now at approx the same weight I was full term with DS and DD (83-84kgs) and I don't think this baby is much smaller than they were (3.8kg and 4.3kg respectively).

However, with each pregnancy I put on weight very slowly in the beginning and then somewhere in the second trimester put on 4kgs in 4 weeks - every single time! The first time around I was quite alarmed by this and my obstetrician told me to "watch myself" but I've worked out that's just how my body does it. And then in the last 6 weeks or so there was another big gain of about 3 or 4kgs.

No, no gestational diabetes or anything like that at all.

Please don't beat yourself up about weight gain. The "normal" range is 10-15kgs so you still have plenty of leeway, so to speak, but you aren't just putting on the baby's weight. There is the weight of the placenta, the amniotic fluid, the extra blood being pumped around your body, your body is making more blood vessels via which this blood is being pumped, plus extra body fat to be used as fuel to make breastmilk. Trust that your body knows what it is doing.

This is not the time to diet, it's all about making a nice healthy baby and it sounds like you are doing a wonderful job with your diet - far better than me, I have to say!

And you will have plenty of opportunity to stick bub in the pram and go for long walks to burn off any excess afterwards!

[sconeonamission]

I was in the mid 80kg's range when I fell pg, and just before I had J, I was about 110kg... I did lose it all about 9day after J was born though. Weight gain is the norm, so Iwouldn't be too concerned. Maybe have that dessert (maybe not if you do have GD), but don't "eat for two"...

Best of luck!

[Little Chicken]

I would like to say that just because you are overweight does not mean you will have GD. Iwas (and am) morbidly obese with both DD and this one. I had 2 full 2 hour glucose tolerance tests (the two hour ones) with DD and aced them both, and I didn't put on excessive weight either. Where I worked I saw the full spectrum of women with GD, from super skinny, super fit to people like me. Just because you are at higher risk doesn't mean you will develop something. You are eating well anyway and exercising so just relax and enjoy your pregnancy, and don't be scared of the insulin test.

Good Luck!

[Onja]

Thank you Arimah, Phoenix, Loupy, Rhichichi, Lilias, Curly, Sconeonamission, muminalice... I just wanted to say that each of you had something to say that I really took in, so thanks so much.

Yes - hormones, the body, pregnancy oh my! I guess the hard thing me, for all of us, is all the complexity of information that we now have, all the dos and don'ts, the statistics, the what to expect... In my mums age (I'm 37 and she had me when she was 19) there was just - "hey your pregnant, eat healthy and rest.. and wait for the Dr to tell you anything you need to know" although we are so much more empowered today.. a little ignorance can be blissful

As you guys were saying were all different aren't we and as some of you have pointed out, through experience or insight, Overweight doesn't always lead to Gestational Diabetes.. well hope not I was supposed to have my appt last night but it OB had an emergency, so will find out next week

[black_rose]

Good luck with the GD test, I am a size 18, I only had GD with my second pregnancy but not one or three. You are following a healthy diet os as others have said baby is putting on any weight you need. I was losing too much weight last time becasue of the GD and trying to get enough healthy carbs into me, I think that was more stressfull than weight gain.