Health & Exercise

POLL (sort of): PG weight gain obsession

Were you (or are you?) obsessed with your weight gain during pregnancy? Or could you not care less?

I write for The Bump, and I'm working on an article about the obsession with pregnancy weight gain.

We'd like to feature some real moms in the piece and would REALLY love to hear your stories.

I'm looking for stories/quotes about stuff like: if you had/have a personal weight-gain goal, how often you weighed yourself at home, getting nervous (or not) for weigh-ins at the OB, if/how you tried to "control" your weight gain, if/how you tracked your weight gain, how often you thought about it, if you wound up gaining more or less than you wanted to, if spurts of weight gain freaked you out, if you thought gaining weight during pregnancy sucked, or if you were glad to have a good excuse to gain weight without criticism...really anything you are up for sharing that relates to pregnancy pounds.

If you don't feel like posting publicly here, email me your story (or just like a sentence or two) at erinvanvuuren at gmail dot com.

TIA!!

(p.s. these are some of my articles - I just don't have a bump name b/c I'm freelance now)
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Re: POLL (sort of): PG weight gain obsession

  • I understand that it's supposed to be nothing but beneficial to both mom and baby to gain between 25-35 pounds (If you are a healthy weight to start with) during the entire pregnancy.

     

    I'm eating extremely well because I've been blessed with a lack of morning sickness. I'm sure to get all of my fruits/veggies, calcium, protein, and whole grains (fiber) every day, so I don't mind if I gain a bit of extra weight. Hey, it all comes off during breastfeeding anyway, right?

     

    I *do* notice many women who seem obsessed with not gaining weight. I live in a very trendy part of a big city, and I see SO many super-skinny women that look 8 months pregnant. I can't help but feel sorry for the baby when a mother puts her vanity above the baby's health. (But I also understand that some women had morning sickness that prevents weight gain in the first 3 or 4 months.) I know many women though, that absolutely refuse to gain weight, and I think it's a very unwise decision. 

    IAmPregnant Ticker
  • I definitely have a bit of a weight gain obsession this pregnancy!  As soon as we started trying I started keeping a daily food journal.  I know you have to gain weight, but here is where my fears really come from.... My first baby I developed high blood pressure and packed on an extra 25 pounds in water weight alone, on top of the 25 I gained already!!  I was so miserable in my own skin I would literally just lay on my bed and cry!  Plus, I was shocked at how many people were really rude when they found out I was pregnant this time around and told me I needed to be careful not to get so huge again!!  I have always been a very healthy eater, and with my first baby I ate mostly salads and fruits...and walked everyday, but for some reason that wasn't enough to keep the weight off.  

    This time I immediately put on 7 pounds, not starting off on the right foot at all!!  I run at least 3 miles 5 days a week and incorporate strength training at least 3 days a week.  I also record everything I eat and count every calorie!  I really drive myself crazy obsessing, but I will do anything to avoid feeling as horrible as I did with my first.  

    The reason I began keeping a journal this time is because last time when i would ask my doctor what I was doing wrong, how I could stop gaining weight so fast she only told me to stop eating ice cream and salty, fatty meats!!!  When I told her I NEVER ate these things, she just looked at me almost like i was lying... so my journal is to keep proof I am eating healthy, and even when i do have a sweet treat slip, I record it, and it is ALWAYS snack size!! 

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  • Your doctor sounds like a tool. I thought bloating was a normal part of pregnancy? I'm extremely bloated right now too, and I eat very "clean". I'm sorry people made you feel guilty for such a natural thing. What a-holes. :)
    IAmPregnant Ticker
  • I was less concerned about how much I gained than I was with how I would take it off later.  I had this idea that I would only gain the 25lb minimum my doctor suggested.  I have been lactose intolerant since I was 7 though and when I discovered that pregnancy temporarily cured me of that, I went on an ice cream binge.  I justified it since I hadn't really had ice cream in 17 years!  I wound up finishing the pregnancy with a 38lb gain and lost 33lbs by my 6 week checkup.  I breastfeed exclusively so the doc said I might hang onto those last 5lbs til I wean my daughter. 

    I was actually a lot more okay with gaining the weight than I thought I would be.  I panicked when I hit the 20lb mark but after that I just kind of let it go.  It was for a good cause and I was pretty much all baby - my regular jeans fit up until a couple of weeks before I gave birth.  It's not so much that I enjoyed gaining weight, I just enjoyed not having to worry about NOT gaining weight...if that makes sense?   The other changes like the saggy tummy and stretch marks bother me more than the weight gain did.  Weight is just weight.  With a little hard work it comes right off Smile  The only criteria I had for weight-related happiness was that I weigh less than my husband when I delivered.  And I did.

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  • I'd like to say I wasn't obsessed but if you asked my DH he would say that I was.  During my pregnancy I only stepped on a scale at my appts.  During the first few weeks of pregnancy I lost weight. I gained a total 29lbs and delivered 3.5wks early. I work in the fitness industry and clients were constantly asking how much weight I had gained. I worked out about 9x a week (which is what I did before becoming pregnant). If anything being pregnant made me more aware of the foods that I put in my body and helped establish a better eating lifestyle.  Delivery was fast, and recovery was quick. By my 6wk check-up I was back down to my pre-pregnancy weight.  And now I'm almost 20lbs under my pre-pregnancy weight.
  • I knew I should gain 25-35 lbs with my pregnancy, and was hoping to get somewhere in there. (Hopefully at the lower end)    I wasn't obsessed by any means, I don't even own a scale so I was only weighed at the doctor's office, but I did have a couple times when my weight concerned me a little.

    By the time I hit 18 weeks, I was still at my normal pre pregnancy weight so I actually started to worry that I was NOT gaining weight. After that it came gradually, except one time were I gained 5 lbs in one week while on vacation! That was an eye opener to me that I couldn't just eat like a maniac and nothing would happen, which is what I was used to pre pregnancy. I still ate what I wanted after that, but looked for much healthier options.

    By the end, I had gained 30 lbs and was happy with that. By 1 week PP I had already lost 20 lbs, now the last 10 seems to be sticking around so ab workouts are in my near future.

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  • I'm not obsessed but it is something I take steps to control. I pay attention to what I eat and weigh myself regularly to keep on track. I found a couple of online charts that show a healthy rate of gain so I can make sure I'm on track to gain what I'm supposed to. This is the sort of thing I do when not pg, too, though, so it's normal for me.

    I am a small person and I know I will be uncomfortable and feel unhealthy if I gain too much. I want to gain the right amount for my baby and for me and I intend to do as much as I can to make sure that happens. 

  • Well I am not obsessed per se, but I am diligent in keeping track of what I eat in a food diary.  I try to weigh myself no more than 3 x per week because I know how much weight can fluctuate on a daily basis.  I was slightly underweight at the start of this pregnancy (115) and I am hoping to gain only the 25 to 35 lb recommended amount.  I don't know why I am so afraid of gaining the needed weight, but I am! I Maybe it's because I lost about 20 lbs prior to this pregnancy so I guess I feel I spent all that effort to lose and now I am gaining it all back!!!!!  For a very good reason though!!! :)  I do want to make sure my baby gets enough food and nutrients though so it is an odd position to be in.  In the end though,  I know I will do what's best for the baby, whatever that means weight wise.
  • I was concerned about gaining ENOUGH weight, which surprised me b/c I was 30 lbs overweight at conception, and I thought being pregnant would blow me up to whale-sized proportions. I couldnt have been more wrong!  I ate five small meals a day, something sweet every day and walked for an hour 2 to 3 times a week.  But still, I barely gained 15 lbs and carried full term.  I weighed myself occassionally but relied mostly on doctor's visits to measure my weight gain progress.  Here's the kicker: two weeks after delivery, not only did I lose the 15 lbs gained during pregnancy, I also lost an additional 15 lbs.  I had a mild case of P.P. Depression, but ate like a horse, so I dont know how to explain it. Six months later, I still havent gained the weight back and I'm not dieting, nor am I excersizing very much.  I hope my next pregnancy works out this nicely, but every pregnancy is different!

    Good luck with your article!

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