Dr Lukes Book...Weight Recommendations?

snuggles05

Just wanted to see what you gals thought about Dr. Lukes weight gain recommendations. I started my pregnancy very thin 113lbs just like I did with my 4.5 yr old son & gained just over 40lbs with him but I also carried him to nearly 42wks. If all goes well, my OB has said he would schedule a c/s around 38wks. According to Dr. Luke I need to gain anywhere from 50-60lbs. WOW!

amanda31H

This question is asked a lot.  Most of us will say to try and gain 20lbs by 20 weeks as she suggests and to eat a lot of protein and her suggested trimester foods- power foods, I think she calls them? 

The weight gain suggested is a lot.

OctoberCAPA

My doctor agrees with her theory of gaining a lot from protein early because with twins there is a higher risk of delivery early, so you want to get as much weight/protein to the babies early too.  But she told me not to take Dr. Luke's book as gospel or to feel bad if I couldn't eat as much as she recommends.  I did gain 24 pounds by 24 weeks and I'm on track to have gained 50 pounds if I get to 37 weeks (this Sunday).  FWIW, I started at a normal weight/BMI.  If you're underweight going into the pregnancy, your doctor may want you to gain more.

macchiatto

I believe in the integrity of her research so I tried to follow her suggestions. Of course there are no guarantees and there are always exceptions, but they made sense to me. I had lost 20 lbs before TTC so I started out at my goal weight (BMI was 21, I think) so my goal acc. to her book was 40-56 lbs. I gained 54 lbs. My twins were born at 37w6d (scheduled induction) weighing 6lbs10oz and 6lbs7oz, no complications or NICU time or anything. Ditto pp on the big things being lots of protein and try to gain 24 lbs by 24 weeks so you get off to a strong start. FWIW, I ate all the recommended protein and most of the dairy per day, but only about 2/3 the amount in the other categories and still gained right on schedule.

Temp123197812503460

My doctor told me there is no normal and as long as I'm eating healthy it's good. I've tried hard to do what I've always done with food, listening closely to my bodynand eating when I'm hungry. I've been eating much more than before pregnancy and went just over the 24 by 24 rec.

Rangergal9

I only gained 30lbs my entire pregnancy, but then again I was overweight to start with.  I ended up gaining that 30 and then lost 45 by four weeks PP.  My OB didn't want me gaining too much weight, but I ate very healthy!  I had terrible m/s my entire pregnancy so it made it difficult to gain weight in the beginning.  I made it to my scheduled c/s at 38 weeks and my girls were 7 and 6.10lbs.

sunnybrook.

My MFM was a former co-worker of Dr. Luke. Dr. Luke didn't just create with all of the information she has in her book. It's all based on reputable medical research. My MFM even had copies of Luke's weight gain chart. According to Dr. Luke, I "should" have gained 55lbs. I had gestational diabetes and had to strictly adhere to the diet. I just couldn't gain the last few months. I gained 40 total, but thankfully gained most of it the first 24 weeks when it really mattered. My girls were 5lb8oz and 6lb1oz. My advice: do your best to gain the weight but don't stress if you can't. Your babies will take what they need from you even if you can't get the pounds on towards the end.

atc282

I too was underweight pre pg with my twins. I read dr. luke but also went to a nutritionist who specialized in pregnancies. She too wanted me to gain 55 lbs or so. I ended up gaining almost 47 lbs. and delivered at almost 39 weeks. One thing I found helpful (and wish I would have started earlier in my pg) was adding 2 protein shakes a day to my diet--I tried to drink them between meals or one before bed so I wasn't full. I found it best to just eat a lot of mini meals all day (healthy fats---nuts, avacados, cheese, etc.) vs. trying to eat large square meals.

GL!

PianoPlayingSarah

I started off around 105 pounds.  I carried my triplets to one day shy of 36 weeks and I gained 50-55 pounds.

I knew nothing of Dr. Luke or her book until after my triplets were born so I didn't follow her guidelines.  I think it is important to eat when you are hungry - listen to your body.  Everyone is different so don't stress about gaining X by X. 

 

finallyreilly

My OB recommended gaining 35-40 lbs by delivery at 38 weeks.  I only ended up gaining 25 because I had lots of morning sickness in the beginning and ended up with GD at 25 weeks so gaining weight was tough on that diet.  Ideally I would have loved to gain that last 10 because I think it would have helped them out.

Mrs. Alice

I also started out thin, less than 120 and 5'6.  I did read her book but I don't exactly follow the diet recommendations.  I have not had any trouble gaining weight so far.  My appetite was crazy the first few months and I never had really bad m/s.  So far I'm up almost 30 lbs.  I think my body just loves being pregnant and is holding on to every single calorie, LOL!  I'm just hoping these leads to big healthy babies

rplanker

I gained early like she recommends because it gets harder and harder to eat as much and your body becomes a raging furnace and it's hard to keep up.  I ended up gaining 47 lbs.  You really have to force yourself to eat, and eat often.   I even started losing weight towards the end and had to try to gain weight with higher calorie foods.  It worked.  I made it 37 weeks and my boys were 7 lb 5 oz an 6 lb 15 oz.  I think her recommendations are good.