I have three kids and am pregnant with my 4th. With each pregnancy I gained a TON of weight - between 50 and 80 pounds. I eventually lost the weight after my second but got gestational diabetes with my last one and have been working out for a year and changed my diet (no gluten, very limited sugar, almost all “whole” unprocessed foods) - losing the weight has been slow going. In any case, what did you do to avoid blowing up in pregnancy, particularly if you’d already had a pregnancy (or more) where you had? TIA. |
Are you super thin to begin with? I would drink lots and lots of water. |
Ugh, this is also me. I am fit and small, but blow up like a science fair project with pregnancy. I'm convinced there is something hormonal that causes weight gain for some women. Didn't have that "magical" weight loss with breastfeeding either.
Also, why I only have two kids. I can't stand being overweight. Once I lost the weight with number two I said, done. Couldn't go through the ups and downs again. |
If you had GD it’s the carbs you need to be watching, not the gluten. |
No words of wisdom, but I am the same! I gain like 50lb. Quite slim pre-pregnancy. It takes me a long while to lose the weight too. Eventually I went back to my usual size. I think different people are programmed differently. I’m not normally thin because I am so virtuous, I just don’t feel that hungry. When I’m pregnant I’m so hungry. |
Exactly me too. 3 kids, same age very time. |
If you had GD did you work with a nutritionist? I'd be proactive and start working with the nutritionist now if possible.
FWIW GD is complicated. My friend who is absolutely tiny and didn't gain much weight had GD (they said it's common in people who have been treated for cancer, which my friend beat as a kid). So you may be mixing up correlation and causation there and putting fault on yourself that is unfair. |
Well first congrats! But also you are older and starting at a different place. Cut yourself some slack. With my 4th I didn't gain as much weight-- but I also wasn't starting from the weight I was at before #1. Go to a nutritionist and be healthy. Your body knows what it is doing so let it so that. |
Convinced this is something hormonal. I'm completely opposite, barely gained any weight and had decreased appetite both pregnancies ( and gd for both and already gluten free thanks to celiac). I wouldn't blame yourself. Think bodies are all just different. |
This is not a diet issue. It's a mental health issue. Exercise so you look and feel good at a healthy weit. |
No it IS a medical and diet issue, PP. Gaining too much weight puts OP at risk for gestational diabetes (which she had previously, so she's high risk for that) and gestational hypertension, which can lead to pre-eclampsia, a sometimes fatal complication. Those risks also increase with maternal age, and after 3 pregnancies, I'm guessing OP isn't a spring chicken. This has nothing to do with how she looks. No one cares about that (at least, they shouldn't).
OP, I'm so glad you're taking your health seriously! As another poster said, carbs ARE sugar. Your life will now be ruled by the Glycemic Index of foods. Buy yourself a laminated list on Amazon and take it with you when you go shopping, or have a handy app on your phone. Be proactive about your potential for high blood pressure: don't eat too much salt. Pregnant women need more salt than usual, but don't overdo it. |
Agreed. I had meat/protein aversion and I love eggs! I am chunky and gained about 10 lbs both times, and was grateful. (had some front loading from IVF drugs, too). I hate to say something like: Bodies do what they need, for babies, but I do think most things are out of our control. I don't think any one could drastically change their intake enough to put on weight strictly from calories in such a short time. It's hard, but don't think you are eating 80lbs worth of weight gain. |
Same. Always been thin until I get pregnant and gain 60lbs both times. It’s definitely hormonal since I don’t eat that much more - nothing to justify gaining that much. 2nd time around I did Pilates on a regular basis and that helped me with strength, flexibility but I still gained a lot of weight despite exercising up until 39 weeks. I find eating oatmeal in the morning helps me eat fewer calories throughout the day although again didn’t see a big difference across pregnancies. I lose about 20-25lbs the first week (liquids and baby weight - I have big babies), and then maybe 10-15lbs over next 6 months despite breastfeeding and not eating a lot (strangely I have no appetite when breastfeeding and remind myself to eat to keep supply), then I lose everything but 10lbs once I wean at 12 months pp. the last 10 I can lose when I approach it from a weightloss perspective (calorie deficit and exercise) |
Pp with gd who only gained 11 lbs/15lbs respectfully per pregnancy- highly recommend a cgm. You can start it now pre glucose test- the stela by dexcom is otc. Was super helpful for managing my gd and knowing what worked for my body |
Continue eating low to no sugar, whole unprocessed foods, limit oil. Best thing to keep weight down and for baby too! |