Anyone else's dr. NOT a Dr. Luke believer?

CateElizabeth · December 2009

I have gained 23 pounds in 24 weeks, which I thought was pretty on target, based on Dr. Luke's book. Well, my doctor seemed to think it was a bit much. Do most of your doctors believe in Dr. Luke? Mine obviously does not...

Carmela752 · December 2009

Mine goes along with Dr. Luke.

ETA: I guess I can clarify, my OB likes the Dr. Luke book and they had me see a dietician early on (both due to twins and being so sick), but she hasn't really commented on the amount of weight I'm gaining one way or the other since the babies look good. So, it seems like loose guidelines, but not necessarily "by the book."

kelliwill · December 2009

My peri does not agree with her weight gain either. He said that the babies will take what they need from you and no need to gain a ton of weight, making it hard to lose afterwards. I followed her book for the most part though. I am 35 weeks and have gained almost 50 lbs. I am hoping for large healthy babies!! I guess we'll see how big they are at birth. I worked really hard to gain the first 20 and then after that it seemed to come on without too much effort.

gumiberg · December 2009

i started off underweight and gained 35 pounds in 35 weeks, which is quite a bit below what she wanted. i did gain the first 24 in 24 weeks though (which it think was on target?) my babies were both over 5 pounds and needed no NICU.

i think being healthy is more important. she says you should eat fast food hamburgers and milkshakes every night. I do not agree with that.

efhoping2010 · December 2009

kelliwill:
My peri does not agree with her weight gain either. He said that the babies will take what they need from you and no need to gain a ton of weight, making it hard to lose afterwards..

This is how my Peri thinks too. But I still think Dr. Luke makes a lot of good points.

preheatedoven · December 2009

kelliwill:
My peri does not agree with her weight gain either. He said that the babies will take what they need from you and no need to gain a ton of weight, making it hard to lose afterwards.

ditto. I am still -6 lbs (lost 25 in 1st tri) and both babies are measuring right on track at this point. Though, after 3 yrs of IF and 2 IVFs I had some extra 'fluff' to lose:)

robinsokj · December 2009

I have gained roughly 10 lbs and my babies are on target with their weight. I asked about the 25lbs at 20 weeks and he said that was nuts

BeccaLandes · December 2009

My doctor definitely does not agree. At my first appointment he told me I only need a few hundred extra calories a day and I should eat healthy and exercise... Definitely not a milkshake a day!

He said I am welcome to read whatever book I want but to ask his advice before doing anything.

keg · December 2009

I won't say my OB wasn't a Dr. Luke fan, but she didn't seem concerned about weight gain or lack thereof. My peri, on the other hand, was big on Dr. Luke and the importance of gaining weight. She referred me to a nutritionist the first time I saw her. And for a multiple pg, I'm going to pay attention to what my peri says more than my OB!

Temp159135562506975 · December 2009

My OB and my peri both agreed with Dr. Luke's plan for the most part.... of course- the weight gain will vary by patient - if you are already overweight when you get pg- you shouldn't gain a ton more... if you are underweight- weight gain is more important, etc.

I gained 40lbs - followed dr. luke's advice (just not her diet) and my boys were super healthy born at 38w at 6lb 6oz and 7lb 15.6oz.... I'd say that is reason enough to follow Dr. Luke for me! it worked great - my boys came right home. I also followed Dr. Luke's guidelines on taking it easy, when to leave work (i left at 27w), etc.... My OB was right on board with the whole book- and he had never even read it - I just went over all the info with him and he agreed with it all.

Not all OBs have much experience with twins - even if they SAY they do- it isn't always true... I would seriously question any OB who doesn't think weight gain for twins is important.

I call on doctors for my job and can tell you that all docs have different beliefs - and a lot of them have NO clue what they are doing - it's qiute scary... so never take one doc's advice as the absolute truth. you need to do research on your own and often go against your doc and do what you have learned to be right.

kimarino13 · December 2009

My Peri and I never discussed Dr. Luke's book, but I read it and aimed to gain 24 lbs by 24 weeks. I didn't count calories or do anything "special" and the weight just piled on. At every check, my Peri says that he is happy with my weight gain, and my babies are measuring a bit on the big side. I gained 7 lbs from week 23 to week 28, and my Peri said that was "nothing."

lnle · December 2009

I think my MFM is neutral about it, but my nutritionist is adamant about weight gain. She checks in with me at every appt and wants to make sure I'm gaining at a steady rate.

LoveTravel · December 2009

By the time I found out I was pregnant with twins I was in my 18th week- neither did my Dr., OB or my MFM mentioned about Dr. Luke's book, the only place I had heard of it was on here, with that said I doubt that they were in agreement with the book.

I did ask my Dr. and OB how much weight I should gain overall and he said around 30 lbs would be a good amount. I never did get the book. My OB was never concerned with my weight gain. I gained 40 lbs throughout my pregnancy.

I've lost it all +, but was worried about it. I think nursing has helped me shed off my weight.

MoMandA · December 2009

Goldie_Locks_5:

Not all OBs have much experience with twins - even if they SAY they do- it isn't always true... I would seriously question any OB who doesn't think weight gain for twins is important.

IMO - This is very good advice. I have heard too many stories of someone whose OB delivered many twins or had "twin experience." Any OB can tell you when you have a problem but not as many can help you prevent them.

I saw a regular OB for all of my prenatal care, but she referred me out for preventative high risk care as a matter of course and not just in response to an emergency.

My OB agreed with Dr. Luke with respect to weight gain for people of average weight. She explained to me that it was so important to gain weight early because you had no way of knowing how much "later" you have. When I made it to 30 weeks my weight gain tapered off naturally, and I actually lost weight in the last two weeks. When you stop moving you stop being hungry. Also it became really hard to eat because my stomach was so squashed.

She did not agree with Dr. Luke about leaving work early. She was a bigger fan of reducing activity when indicated. She told me to stop going to court though at week 28 and then allowed me to return to court at week 34, when it didn't matter if I went into labor. I stayed at my desk job past 38 weeks.

In the end my twins were huge and I carried them to term. They would have probably been in there until 41 weeks if I wasn't eventually induced. My cervix is made out of concrete.

piccolina09 · December 2009

I'm not, I read about 2 chapters & put it down all it did was worry me! I gained 31 lbs and my doc was very pleased.

PianoPlayingSarah · December 2009

My triplets were discovered at 17 weeks. I was already seeing an MFM (at Mass General in Boston) and had experienced severe m/s in my first trimester. My start weight was 105 and I had not gained much by 20 weeks. I remember talking to my MFM after the triplets were found about how much more I needed to eat b/c family & friends were sending me emails saying I need to gain all this weight, etc. He told me that I only needed an extra few hundred calories a day. Dr. Luke's book was never mentioned. I didn't even know about this book until after my babies were born and I joined a few message boards.

I gained 50-55 lbs in total - I ate when I was hungry and whatever I wanted to eat. My girls were born at 35 wks, 6 days and weighed 5.3, 4.13 and 4.13 - which I think is awesome for triplets. Two of my girls came home from the hospital with me and Anna would have as well but she needed to have surgery on her spine.

Rose.9.6.03 · December 2009

My peri never mentioned anything about Dr. Luke. He told me to shoot for weight gain between 35 and 50 lbs. But then he said, I find that women gain what they're going to gain during pregnancy and I don't nag women unless they are severely underweight or severely overweight. I gained 42 lbs. total and he never said anything about my weight, except for one month where I gained a bunch of weight suddenly. Only then did he mention my weight gain because he was worried about pre-e, not because he was actually worried about the gain itself.

MNheidi · December 2009

Thank God my OB didn't agree. She said the same as a pp, if you eat a healthy diet (W/ FAT), the babies will take what they need. I know someone who followed Dr. Luke - her babies were no bigger than mine and she worked HARD to loose the weight (jeez, she was eating protein rich ice cream shakes EVERY night).

jenkm · December 2009

I didn't bring up Dr. Luke's book to my OB, but he instructed that I gain about 35 - 40 lbs. His nurse was HAPPY when I gained zero pounds at a monthly appt 2 months ago, which annoyed me. He said you basically have to be starving for the babies to be deficient nutritionally. I disagree.

Until an OB shows me RESEARCH instead of "opinion" that it's better to gain less weight than Luke suggests, I'm going with her book. I started at a BMI of about 20, I'm a normal healthy weight. I'm up 23 lbs at 21 weeks, and honestly can say it feels right. I feel big - God knows - but not obese or like I'm gorging myself. And I'll lose the weight after.

Most of my friends gained 40 lbs with one baby! If gaining more even *might* improve my chances of having heavier babies that aren't in NICU, it's a no-brainer for me.

The fact that Luke has been recognized by the March of Dimes and numerous other prestigous groups helps. I don't think she's some random quack.

ErinCB · December 2009

I haven't discussed the book specifically w/ my OB or MFM. But from what they've been telling me, they are on track w/ it.

In fact, my OB is on me right now to gain MORE weight. I was doing great until 26 weeks. And then the last 4 appts. (26, 28, 30 and 32w) I've basically held steady. I lost 4 pounds at my 28w appt. Gained it back by 30, so I was the same that i was at 26w. And then this week at my 32w I hadn't gained anything. I haven't gone the milkshake route yet, just adding healthy fat and protein to my diet (flaxseeds, eating more PB, etc.) But now it's on to the shakes to try to avoid losing any more at this point.

My OB said, "It's important for you to gain weight as these babies may very well come early and they need all they can get." Which seems on par w/ the book to me.

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