Weight gain, or lack thereof...
WaitingforGrace
member
I'm super scared about my ability to gain weight with this pregnancy. I've always been on the underweight side and now, being twins, the goals for weight gain are even higher.
I haven't had throwing up morning sickness, but definitely nauseous, mainly at night which is affecting my dinner habits. I'm trying to snack throughout the day, but hard with my job (at client sites so binge eating in their conference rooms is frowned upon).
At my appointment today, they were concerned enough that I'd lost 5 lbs already that they tested my ketones. That came back negative thank goodness. She recommended I start adding things to my water (like country time lemonade) and increase my soda intake and to give up eating healthy and eat cake and ice cream just to try to up my calories.
Of course I read things like Dr. Luke which say by 20 weeks I need to be up 20 lbs (so that means 25 lbs in 11 weeks) and I know that's a little excessive, but even at 1/2 it seems daunting)
I know what I need to do to fix this, I just can't physically eat anymore. Anyone else in this boat this early I can commiserate with?
Re: Weight gain, or lack thereof...
Dr. Luke's recommendations are a little crazy to me and I know most people here followed them loosely. My MFM agreed that it was too many calories. The 2200 that he wanted me to get in was almost impossible for me. I didn't have MS, but just never had an appetite my whole pregnancy. I only gained 20 lbs the whole time and my babies were fine and good weights and I carried to 37 weeks 2 days and only had them then because of a scheduled c-section due to GD.
IMO, I would just do what you can, eat healthy and high calorie when you can and not stress too much about it. You can always add some protein shakes into your diet as well.
I lost 12 pounds by 12 weeks because of morning sickness. I was throwing up anywhere from 5 to 15 times a day for a while, and was to the point where my OB said if meds didn't help and I didn't start gaining weight, she was going to hospitalize me. Apparently it happens a lot, and while it's not ideal, it's generally not a sign of impending doom for your pregnancy either.
The best thing I did was go on prescription meds for the m/s. I was able to eat twice as much on the meds as I was before. Of course, twice as much still wasn't as many calories as I ideally needed to be taking in, because I was still sick even on the meds. I added Carnation Instant Breakfast to my milk at least once a day to add in some calories. I also stopped worrying so much about eating healthy and just started eating whatever I could keep down. I practically lived off of pizza lunchables and fruit roll ups for a while because I knew I could keep those down 90% of the time. It wasn't the healthiest, but I did start gaining weight back.
After the m/s went away toward the middle of 2nd tri, I went back to making an effort to eat healthy. I also gained quite a bit of weight once I was finally able to eat again. I think in the end I was up almost 40 pounds from my starting weight, so if you add in the first 12 that I lost, I ended up gaining over 50 pounds in about 20 weeks. My babies were healthy and good weights when they were born, so the early weight loss didn't seem to affect them too much at least.
Good luck, I know it's not easy.
Dr. Luke's rec's scared me a little and I worked really hard to gain 20 lbs by 20 weeks. According to my Peri he didn't agree with her rec's on weight and he said that the babies will take whatever they need from you, and you are the one who will be left without nutrients. Some people on here follow her to the letter and others don't. I was in the middle, but I did eat whatever I wanted. I had no m/s so I didn't lose weight at all but like I said, i had to work to gain 20 by 20. In the end I gained a total of 47 lbs. and delivered at 36 weeks. Girls were 4 lbs 3 oz and 5 lbs 2 oz. No breathing/eating issues. Grace went to NICU only due to weight and she was smaller due to placenta sharing issues. I left the hospital 20 lbs lighter and am still 20 lbs overweight. Looking back I wish I wouldn't have gained as much, but I was trying to have big healthy babies. I am still unsure if I would have gained less if they would have been smaller...who knows. Talk to your OB/Peri/MFM about it and see what they say and how your babies are growing.
To increase calories I drank ensure, ate belly bars, Luna bars, ice cream, and tried to get in a lot of protein. After 24 weeks I started to get really hungry, not so much before that. GL!
TTC #1 Since July 2009 slightly low progesterone, endo, kinked right tube, Clomid, Lap and Hysteroscopy, and 13 months TTC = BFP! (7/23/10) Cautiously Expecting... 8/19/10 - it's TWINS!... 11/8/10 - Boy/Girl twins! Born 37w4d
Oh this sounds like me a few months ago...just not the underweight part.
I hadn't gained a thing at 20wks but I never had anytype of morning sickeness or nausea...nothing. I just wasn't hungry and couldn't eat a full meal w/o my brain screaming 'stop it you're stuffed'. At 20wks our OB put me on the Boost High Protein shakes (sams club has them super cheap) and how I'm up 13lbs+ in 5wks. Our ob told me NOT to follow Dr Lukes calorie recs because I'd mostly likely throw myself into some severe Gestational Diabetes. Our boys are weighing a little chunky so I"m not as worried as I was in the beginning...they're getting everything they need from me so I just try to eat as best as I can (no milkshakes here) and up my protien in my meals and snacks.
Last week the munchies kicked in so I've back off the shakes for when I cant get as much food.
"Our greatest glory isn't in never falling but in rising every time we fall"
8/24/09 3rd cycle on 50mg Clomid= BFP 9/23/09 =10/8/09 m/c #2 at 6wks 2days 3/9/10 4th Cycle on 50mg Clomid = BFP 4-5-10 200mg prometrium 2xdaily 1st beta/progesterone 10dpo=43 2nd beta 13dpo=339 u/s 4/16=5wks 3days single visible sac and fetal pole h/b 4/28=Suprise it's Twins! 150 and 127 bpm Labor Buddy to Sonadora and Strunella
soda and cake?! this is why drs should not be giving nutritional advice.
eat nuts, olives and avocado for healthy fats and lots of calories. use nut and seed butters (peanut butter, sunflower seed butter, almond butter, tahini, etc). use full fat diary products. drink juice (not soda). drink ensures. drink protein drinks. eat hummus and beans. use oil dressings on your salad and veggies. cook with olive oil.
there are TONS of ways to add calories to your diet without neglecting your health. and honestly, if you eat those foods (and drink your ensures) then i wouldnt even worry about the number on the scale.
This!
I too was underweight when I got pg and it was overwhelming at first but as Gumiberg pointed out, focus more on healthy weight gain vs. the numbers on the scale!!
FWIW, I sought the advice of a dietician/nutritionist who had experience in multiples' pg. Maybe chk w/ your ins. to see if any coverage is for these type of services? She helped me sneak in good fats (nuts, avacados) and had me basically eating mini meals throughout the day. I feel it really helped to go to a few sessions with her. My MFM had me add 2-3 liquid protein shakes in my 3rd tri--wish I woulda added those earlier! My DDs were approx 6 lbs each; I went 38 wks and 5 days and gained 47 lbs.
Other foods/snacks to add: Greek yogurt! I would blend a serving of it w/ ice, a banana, and a liquid protein drink. It became a favorite and packs in tons of protein!!
Lots of weight gain does not always equal healthy pregnancy. I gained 43 lbs with the quads. Delivered @ 32w and they weighed 4.3, 3.1, 3.11, and 4.10
Thanks everyone.. It makes me feel a lot better to know that I'm not the only one who worried about this, wasn't really hungry, and didn't gain weight by the books!
I'm attempting to eat healthy, but I also know that 1000 calories isn't going to cut it. For example, yesterday, I had 1/2 a bowl of rice krispies, a bagel with cc for lunch, 2 peanut butter crackers for snack and couldn't eat dinner but managed to force a cheese stick, some cantaloupe and one spoon of macaroni down.
I did a double take when she asked how much soda I was drinking and I confessed to one Dr. Pepper and she asked if I could make it 2. I believe I'll attempt to get my calories another way, thank you very much.
And I have a great husband who is doing his best to let me sit on the couch and brings me a different food every 30 minutes and doesn't get mad if I can only take one bite.
So for now, I won't stress (as much)