Gained 18 pounds by week 20...should I be worried?

[Anonymous]

Hi all,

So far I've gained 18 pounds and at my last checkup, my doctor told me that I was gaining too much weight and recommended cutting out all junk food, extra carbs, and juice. I didn't think I was eating excessively before, and for some reason the pounds just packed on! I just started keeping a food journal to make sure I am eating "healthy" and I'm probably averaging about 1900 calories a day, which seems to me like it shouldn't be too much.

Has anyone else had this much weight gain? Did you have a very large baby? Develop gestational diabetes?

Thanks.

[Anonymous]

I think that was me at 20 weeks. I ended up gaining 40 pounds overall (some of it was water weight, I had a lot of swelling towards the end). I ate pretty healthy overall and very moderately in the second half of the pregnancy. In the first trimester, admittedly, I ate a lot - I was starving all the time and that was the only way I could deal with morning (all day?) sickness. My baby was 6 pounds 14 oz at birth. I am now 16 months pp and within 5 pounds of pre-preg weight. Good luck!

[Anonymous]

If you think/know you are not overeating - just continue ot eat healthy. I gained 20 lbs at the same point......then I only gained 7 more for the rest of my pregnancy (without changing a thing). Two weeks after the baby was born - I just had those last 6-7 pounds to lose. My mom said she gained weight the exact same way in her pregnancies. Good Luck!
PS normal, healthy 7lb baby

[Anonymous]

That was me for both pregnancies. With DD 1 I gained 36 -- DD 2 about 40. I'm back to pre-preg but had about 20 lbs to lose after DD 2. It was just the way my body worked is what I chalked it up to. My OB never once said anything to me about my weight either.

[Anonymous]

You should know whether you are eating too much or indulging too much, or none of the above. Tough love, but rarely do pounds just "pack on" without reason, except maybe at the end when we retain a ton of water.

Even though I am also in a "heavy eating" phase (now at 24 weeks), I still think your doctor's advice is sound. 18 lbs. by 20 weeks doesn't seem major, but it's above the general guidelines. So why not cut back on the junk food, carbs, etc.?

For me, I'm not "overeating," but I KNOW I've been indulging more, especially on sweets. A mini-candy bar at my secretary's desk here, an oreo smoothie there, chips for lunch, the list goes on. And eating sugar or simple carbs creates a vicious cycle, because often you think you are hungry when you aren't, or feel fatigued and think you need more to perk you up.

Now I am trying to be more disciplined, for me and the baby. I don't want to deliver a larger-than-normal baby and risk tearing because I ate too much sugar late in the pregnancy, AND I don't want to be struggling with extra weight afterwards. It's hard though, so hang in there!

Also drink a TON of water because it will help with cravings (and any constipation), and also prepare you for all the water you need later in the pregnancy and afterwards (esp. if you breastfeed).

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote: A mini-candy bar at my secretary's desk here, an oreo smoothie there

mmmm, oreo smoothie...that sounds good

[Anonymous]

OP - you may think you're eating healthy and keeping a journal is certainly a great way to keep track, but do you also keep notes on what type of exercise/calorie burning you do (swimming, daytime walks, light aerobics, even chasing a toddler)? Sometimes exercise gets put on the back burner at this stage.

The reason I bring up "output" is because the "input" is easy...almost too easy. By 18 weeks, some women feel heavy and are showing their baby bump making it unmotivating to keep up their pre-pregnancy/1st trimester exercise routine (when it was easy to do).

Plus, feeling tired and just wanting to plop on the couch after work is also much easier than taking the dog out for a walk in the evening.
...not to mention the chilly weather and the comfort foods.

Weight gain can also be deceiving because we don't really "see" it - ok, maybe swollen ankles and knees, but we're pretty much focused on the baby bump.

It's hard I know OP. The cravings and desires and the holiday foods make it that much harder.

I found really tart apples (crisp ones especially) are really helpful to curve those overwhelming junk food cravings. Plus, it adds much needed fiber to my diet.

[Anonymous]

I've posted here before on this general subject and obviously my experience is only just that - it's not a general rule. But I put on scary amounts of weight with my first pregnancy - probably at least 50lbs, I stopped looking at the scale. I had a huge baby and lost it all - almost immediately and totally effortlessly. (Although my post-pregnancy body was still different and weight redistributed in a few unfortunate ways, so it's not a perfect story. Plus I gained a little weight later as my first child aged and I ate my way through some secondary fertility issues... but that's another story.) I didn't eat perfectly during my pregnancy but I also didn't eat terribly differently than I did prepregnancy either. Lots of my gain was water weight and it didn't all come on during the last few weeks - my ankles were undiscernable from the 5th month or so.

I realize that my experience may not be the norm, but the one thing I took away from all this is that how much you put on is not always within your control, and of all the things that a pregnant woman and/or new mom needs to worry about, this should be low down the list. Stay healthy, get your rest, stay as active as possible, take care of yourself... but the idea of putting yourself on a strict calorie count while 20w pregnant just kind of makes me weep. Life is too short, the weight will come off, and as long as you have a healthy baby celebrate your achievement! Now I'm on child #2 and at 30w I'm pretty ridiculous looking and sometimes that makes me quite unhappy. But in the scheme of things, I don't sweat it. Good luck!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:You should know whether you are eating too much or indulging too much, or none of the above. Tough love, but rarely do pounds just "pack on" without reason, except maybe at the end when we retain a ton of water.

Even though I am also in a "heavy eating" phase (now at 24 weeks), I still think your doctor's advice is sound. 18 lbs. by 20 weeks doesn't seem major, but it's above the general guidelines. So why not cut back on the junk food, carbs, etc.?

For me, I'm not "overeating," but I KNOW I've been indulging more, especially on sweets. A mini-candy bar at my secretary's desk here, an oreo smoothie there, chips for lunch, the list goes on. And eating sugar or simple carbs creates a vicious cycle, because often you think you are hungry when you aren't, or feel fatigued and think you need more to perk you up.

Now I am trying to be more disciplined, for me and the baby. I don't want to deliver a larger-than-normal baby and risk tearing because I ate too much sugar late in the pregnancy, AND I don't want to be struggling with extra weight afterwards. It's hard though, so hang in there!

Also drink a TON of water because it will help with cravings (and any constipation), and also prepare you for all the water you need later in the pregnancy and afterwards (esp. if you breastfeed).

I disagree. I think that "water weight" is a huge factor in excessive weight gain during pregnancy. I ate VERY healthy, no junk, did NOT overeat and I gained 50 pounds. At least 30 of it was water. It can't be helped. Not only does your metabolism change, you also gain blood volume. Some women just really DO gain more weight while pregnant. Our bodies are all different and we all grow babies in different ways. Eating healthy can bite you in the butt as well, fruit sugar is not processed the same way while preggo so eating a ton of fruit gets to you.

[Anonymous]

OP here. Thanks for the replies. I will of course try to keep watching what I'm eating, but I'll try not to be OCD about it! It seems very strange for me that all of a sudden the weight just came on -- I've been the same weight since high school and have never been on a diet before, so this whole watching what I'm eating thing is a bit new to me. I guess my pregnant body can't handle the calories the way my nonpregnant body was able to!

[Anonymous]

I've always had a fast metabolism, never dieted, and was about a size 4 for my whole adult life. But when I got pregnant I found that I had to really watch myself. I put on a fair amount of weight in the first and second trimester (I'm sure I was at about 18 pounds by 20 weeks), but really slowed down in the 3rd--for a total weight gain of 34 pounds. I am now 5 months postpartum and am only 2 pounds over my pre-pregnancy weight. I guess my advice for OP is that everyone is different and gains differently. Just make sure you're eating healthy and try not to worry about the numbers.

[Anonymous]

I gained 50 lbs overall, despite working out every day and not eating ridiculously. I was used to being able to eat whatever I wanted because I was so physically active - it was hard for me to cut back, and a busy work schedule meant I relied too much on quick takeout meals. And sweets. My blood pressure stayed within the normal range, so pre-eclampsia wasn't a problem, and I didn't have a much larger-than-usual baby or a more difficult labor. My baby was 8 lbs, which wasn't bad given that I was a 9.5 lb baby and my BF and I are both tall.

I'm 3 weeks post-partum and have lost all but 20 lbs; I think I can lose the rest once I can start running again. I assume I might be wearing my maternity pants through year-end, though. oh well, they look good on me and with a longer shirt, you can't tell they're maternity.

A few of my friends also gained about the same amount of weight, and they all look great now.

IMO, if you're eating pretty healthy and staying active and you feel good and your blood pressure's ok, you may just be one of those women who gains more weight during pregnancy. Try not to let it mess with your head or body image. You may also not gain as much in the third trimester as you have been so far.

good luck with the pregnancy!

[Anonymous]

With each of my three pregnancies over a course of 3 1/2 years, I definitely gained 18-20 pounds by the 20 week mark. I gained and lost 50 pounds each time. It's honestly just the way my body was while pregnant. I was chasing after two toddlers and not eating as much and still gained 50 pounds. Try not to stress. It will eventually come off through mother nature, breastfeeding (if you choose to go that route) and some hard work via diet and exercise. Just give yourself about nine months post partum to see where your body is and please, just enjoy your pregnancy!!!!