Weight

Mshaw1123 · September 2012

So I had a dr. appt last night and everything went well and looked good.....until I got scolded for not gaining enough weight. I'm 17 weeks today and have only gained a total of 2 1/2lbs. I am 5'4 and by no means underweight, weighing in at 147 when I got prego. I am not doing anything to loose or gain weight---I've been eating pretty much what I am in the mood for since my appetite has been funny for a while. And confession ---not excercising

I was told to add a snack and that should help---not looking to gain a ton a weight, but a couple of lbs in the next month. What snacks should I be adding that are healthy but will help my weight. I can't believe I'm writing this post---NEVER have I had to worry about gaining weight haha.

Heartstrings13 · September 2012

I think that nuts are a great snack. Lots of protein for energy and are easy to munch on throughout the day. You also don't need a lot of them to qualify as a 'serving size'. Planters makes a great mix of cashews, almonds and macadamia nuts. I think it's Diamond that makes snack size packs that are 100 calories of walnuts and almonds.

Another go to for me is also cheese. Target sells bags of individually wrapped snack portions of cheddar cheese. 1 or 2 of these is always a great little snack for me.

LadyMadrid08 · September 2012

I have lost a pound and I'm closing in on 19 weeks. My OB was surprised at my appointment yesterday that I still hadn't gained anything, but didn't say I need to do anything differently.

I am having a hard time eating enough though. Not much sounds good, I have two canker sores, and I get really busy with DD and sometimes forget. I need to up my calories for sure.

ETA: I agree on the nuts suggestion--I like blanched almonds best. Mmmmm.

ggatlanta · September 2012

String cheese! Since you need to gain, don't go for the light; get the regular. IIRC, the regular are about 130 calories apiece (maybe 150 at the most, since the light are about 90). In addition to being easy to grab during the day, they have calcium and they're yummy.

Or a single-serving bag of microwave popcorn, or a fiberone / granola bar, or yogurt, or a wheat eggo waffle, or... (Wow, now I am getting hungry! )

Apart from following doctor's orders and adding a snack, I wouldn't worry about the lack of weight gain though... I've heard lots of women say they gained NOTHING until twenty weeks and then gained 1.5 pounds a week for the next twenty without even trying! Not everyone gains "evenly" or so I hear.

Good luck! Enjoy your snacking!

LadyMadrid08 · September 2012

ggatlanta:

Apart from following doctor's orders and adding a snack, I wouldn't worry about the lack of weight gain though...

I also agree with this. I gained nothing with DD until around 18 or 19 weeks and then I started gaining slowly until I gained a total of maybe 20lbs or so. It wasn't a lot and I never packed on the weight, but my OB was never unhappy with my weight gain last time.

yeladim · September 2012

Last time around I didn't gain much until around 20 weeks when I gained 10 lbs in 6 weeks then after that only gained like a lb a month. So far I am 2 lbs as of 15 weeks but I'm expecting the weight gain to follow a similar pattern where I gain most in the 5th month. So don't go crazy trying to gain lots of weight because you are within normal limits and have lots of time to gain lots of weight :

lemonadepink · September 2012

I recommend cheese. It's delicious, and the additional calcium is always good as well.

carpntrgrl · September 2012

Like everyone above me said, don't stress it (you'll lose more weight!).

Add a handful of nuts, a container of yogurt or a few slices of cheese to your diet. Or if you normally do skim milk, switch to full fat for awhile. Maybe cook a few meals with real fat instead of butter or oil (I do this already, so I don't know what a hassle it would be to start). Think of the extra meal as something just for the baby.

If you already eat exceptionally well, F%#* it, eat ice cream. If I go three weeks without gaining, I'll admit I hang out with Ben and Jerry.

mjr12 · September 2012

I have also only gained about 3 lbs so far. My midwife said yesterday at our appt that she wanted to see some gain (I had not gained any in the past 4 weeks). She wasn't worried though, and just wanted me to focus on getting enough protein. She said that from 20 weeks on, they start to worry about gain. She said that the baby will take what it needs from mom and leave me depleted more than I should be after pregnancy if I can't keep gaining. I'm very petite, and I know that I struggle with enough food intake.

I'm just trying to keep a constant flow, and adding nuts. Milk is also a good source of protein and calcium, so if you maybe try to focus on good protein, that might help with the added calories.

I never had a problem gaining weight with DS, so this is new for me. I also had a few extra lbs when I got pregnant, and it's not like I'm afraid to gain, I know I need to. I just can't seem to eat enough, and I'm not starving.

mamasmurf12 · September 2012

Nuts! That's actually been my healthy go to so I don't gain as much weight this time around. I think my body gains more w/ carbs than it does w/ protein. I weighed about the same as you when I got preggo this time (5' ft tall), and I think I've gained about 10 lbs so far. That sounds like alot, but I gained that much in the first 12 weeks w/ DD....and my go to snacks were crackers, potato chips, mac&cheese, cookies, etc, lol.

Everyone gains at a different rate, too, so I wouldn't worry! :-)

TMWarren85 · September 2012

I'm in the same boat- I had my 16 week appt Monday and I've only gained 2lbs- I gained 65 with DD so I have been trying to be healthy. My OB's only comments were to watch my protein intake, make sure I'm getting enough protein (approx. 80-100g is what she said) for the baby, but not try to gain weight by eating unhealthy stuff. I eat a pretty healthy diet typcally, but I started making a whey protein shake in the morning to throw in the extra 25g of protein, just in case. Good luck and try not to worry too much about it. You may not gain until the 3rd trimester, or you may start staying pretty consistent. A lb/wk from this point on out is the average (per the typical baby books/health articles) which would put you at 25lbs by the end which is still totally normal.

heart_of_virginia · September 2012

It's funny how different each OB/MW is. I'm 5'6" and my prepregnancy weight was 147. I now weigh 143 and my OB told me on Friday just to keep doing what I'm doing and my weight was just fine.