Pregnancy and your body image?

earmuffs03

I've always been really little and used to working out 5 days a week for an hour. I was wondering if anyone is having struggles with the way their body is changing? I'm ok with gaining weight for my child but sometimes I'll look in the mirror and I do not recognize my body at all and it's only the start. I'll catch myself sometimes thinking that I need to workout an extra hour to help burn some extra calories then think "wait I'm pregnant, it's okay to gain".

mrsbmw09

I was always really little. I quit smoking a year and a half ago and gained 30 or more pounds and I haven't been able to get it off. Prepregnancy my body image was horrible, now I feel like I have a reason to have a little extra weight and it's ok. I am going to start working extra hard after LO arrives to lose it all though.

princess713

I understand. Although I've never been much for working out (in my defense I waited tables for 5 years working 9 - 10 hour shifts 6 days a week), I feel like a complete cow with this pg. I atleast was walking around A LOT when I was pg with my son. I try not to be to hard on myself though... Gaining is totally natural when pg and you'll lose it fairly quickly if you try. I was back to my pre-pg weight within 3 - 4 mos after having my son, and I gained 50 lbs + .... I quit looking at the scale when I was like 20 weeks.

skio

I've always been tiny, too, and have started struggling over the last year in order to maintain my weight (darn late-twenties catching up with me!). I feel bloated some days, and I hate that my pants don't fit as well as they used to. But I am trying to do the same thing as you...telling myself now is the time it's okay to get bigger and to gain. I think it'll get better once the actual bump comes.

What's really changed for me is how I perceive myself emotionally. This is not just my body anymore. The second I saw my BFP, something changed. I feel more grown up, more like a woman, more like my body is made for something bigger than myself. It's pretty darn awesome, actually.

RayRay007

I gained 10-12 lbs this past winter so I was having issues before getting pg. I don't feel any worse about my body yet, and don't really expect to. I look at IRL friends who are pg and eat everything under the sun and sit on their fat arses and feel fat and gross and sorry for themselves, and I swore I'd never do that to myself. I am very conscious about keeping my weight gain to a healthy minimum and I want to be fit for an easier labour and delivery and recovery, so I have lots of motivation to eat well and exercise.

liz18t

I've never been tiny but I have been in shape.  I cannot get a good workout at all!  I go to the gym but I am so tired that I am just going through the motions.  The creeping scale isn't helping either.  I know I have to let go but I really didnt want to gain much in the whole pregnancy.... just enough for a healthy baby.  It is really hard to be ok with gaining weight.  

 

Espeically when all I can eat are crackers.  Awesome.   

LovingStepMom

I am right there with you!  I don't work out at all.  Anything with wheat makes me want to puke and I only white starches now.  I've gained and hate and used to work out all of the time.  I know I will try to do better in the 2nd Tri and try to accept what I can.

sweetpea1010

I've struggled with my weight my entire life and I'm definitely struggling now -- Over the last year I've lost 40 pounds and was finally close to where I wanted to be. 

I know gaining weight is a healthy, natural part of being pregnant, but there's a total psychological aspect that you really can't get over.  

I just try and tell myself that I've lost it once, I'll lose it again.

I plan on starting up my spinning class routine again on Saturday and I think this will help me immensely.  Even if I'm gaining weight, I will know that my muscles are strong.

AutumnBride929

I love my pregnant body.  Once you get past the, "Is she pregnant or just fat?" stage then it gets so much easier to embrace your baby belly.  It's great!

ecampione

sweetpea1010:

I've struggled with my weight my entire life and I'm definitely struggling now -- Over the last year I've lost 40 pounds and was finally close to where I wanted to be. 

I know gaining weight is a healthy, natural part of being pregnant, but there's a total psychological aspect that you really can't get over.  

I just try and tell myself that I've lost it once, I'll lose it again.

This sounds like me!  I have also struggled with weight my entire life.  I was overweight and have lost about 75 lbs over the past five years.  I have to admit, the pg weight gain is kind of causing me to panic a little.  Its worse because I'm so tired all the time now that I don't even feel like going to the gym. 

I just keep telling myself that I'll start up Weight Watchers and just lose it all again.

I really don't want my OB to tell me my weight, at all.  Unless there is a problem, I want her to keep that number to herself!

camkuhl22

I have also struggled with my weight my entire life. Finally this past year I started to love the way I look. At first I was really scared about gaining too much weight during my pregnancy, but so far I am loving the subtle changes in my body. If nothing else, at least my belly has a reason to be so big!

kapathy

I'm still working out every day (it's helping with the nausea) and haven't noticed any real changes in the body yet. 

I've lost 104 pounds in the past 2 years, so gaining weight is something that I'm definitely nervous about...I know that I will gain and am just trying to wrap my head around it mentally