Baby Bumps or Mama Guts?

ajwils_04 · February 2011

This weekend proved truly stressful for me as I went to get dressed on Saturday morning and was suddenly unable to fit into any of the jeans I had just been able to fit into on the previous Saturday. I work in an office during the week, so the need for jeans isn't apparent until the weekend, and needless to say I was both shocked and disturbed at my sudden need to upgrade to my fat pants.

The problem with my "fat jeans" is that they are baggy in all the wrong places and tight in all the wrong ones. Once I decided to just leave my normal jeans unbuttoned, I happened to walk by a mirror and saw a stomach that hasn't protruded so far past my boobs since I went on a "lifestyle change" and dropped about 70 lbs two years ago. I was incredibly upset at first and sent a pic to my friend who gave me two options: a) I'm farther along than I think or b) I have multiple babies building a condo in my uterus.

Neither are exactly comforting options when I've got a wedding happening at the end of April and I've already gotten my dress.

Also, when I went to my first doctors appointment she said I "felt early pregnant," whatever that means. I'll have an u/s at my next appointment on March 7th which will satisfy my questions, but until then I'm afraid of the last option:

What if I'm really only 10 weeks along and despite my attempts at watching what I eat I have gained back too much weight in just 10 weeks? It scares me even more because I'm already obese and I don't want my weight to be a health issue for me or the baby.

I have had body issues for a very long time that resulted in me struggling with an eating disorder for the majority of my teen/young adult life. I'm terrified of what these changes are going to do me mental and I feel incredibly guilty that I'm even thinking about that way.

I really mean to rant for this long, but I'm hoping someone can give me some insight into this topic. Thanks ladies.

sunflower8710 · February 2011

I too am categorized as "obese" and thats a scary label to have, especially when your pg. The best advice I can give is to do what the doctor says, and thats all you can do. Worrying about it will get you absolutely nowhere. Except maybe a few steps back. Eat a healthy diet (can you see a nutritionist/dietician?), get in your exercise, and drink lots of water.

I'm sorry this may not be a lot of help to you, but its all I can say I'm doing. Well actually, at this point I am not doing it because I have HG and don't have the stamina to exercise and when I have an appetite I eat whatever I crave because thats only about once a day...

Follow the rules, don't stress too much if you break one here or there, and realize that worrying will get you nowhere! Its hard not to worry, being overweight I feel like I think about my weight several times a day, which isn't comforting and difficult to deal with during pg. Right now I tell myself, "this is the body I have for now, and the best I can do is follow the rules and theres nothing more I can do".

Good luck!

ajwils_04 · February 2011

sunflower8710:
I too am categorized as "obese" and thats a scary label to have, especially when your pg. The best advice I can give is to do what the doctor says, and thats all you can do. Worrying about it will get you absolutely nowhere. Except maybe a few steps back. Eat a healthy diet (can you see a nutritionist/dietician?), get in your exercise, and drink lots of water.

I'm sorry this may not be a lot of help to you, but its all I can say I'm doing. Well actually, at this point I am not doing it because I have HG and don't have the stamina to exercise and when I have an appetite I eat whatever I crave because thats only about once a day...

Follow the rules, don't stress too much if you break one here or there, and realize that worrying will get you nowhere! Its hard not to worry, being overweight I feel like I think about my weight several times a day, which isn't comforting and difficult to deal with during pg. Right now I tell myself, "this is the body I have for now, and the best I can do is follow the rules and theres nothing more I can do".

Good luck!

Thank you so much. I haven't spoken with my nutritionist yet, so I'll schedule an appointment with her. Sometimes I have a hard time accepting the "nothing more I can do" part, but it makes me feel so much better to know I'm not the only one out there.

sunflower8710 · February 2011

Hope I helped! The hardest thing about the worry for me, is like I said I think about my weight several times a day. I think "man Im so fat, or man I wish I could lose 20 lbs, I hate that I weigh ###". I talked to my sister about this, she's never had weight problems or anything like that and I asked her how often she thinks about her body. She said maybe once a day when she gets dressed or showered... So add the compulsive thinking about your weight with wanting a healthy baby theres a lot of worrying there... Combat it with positive thinking and affirmations. Cheesey, but what else can you do!?

aquamizi · February 2011

are due date and wedding anniversary are the same

mollybloom · February 2011

I think mine is a combo of both. I have noticed that my "fat" is kind of hard, so some of it could be bloat too.

Whatever it is, I would try not to worry about your weight. You gain weight with pregnancy and as long as you are not eating haagen daz all day long and you are following your doctors advice, don't think too much about it.

emmielou83 · February 2011

Please don't feel bad. I am a gal who ALWAYS gains weight in my middle when I gain weight. When I got pregnant with my son, I showed SOOO quickly that everyone made the twins comment to me as well. When I asked my doc, she told me that if I had already been heavier at one point in my midsection, the skin is probably already stretched a little bit, which gives more room for the bloat to expand. It's definitely nothing to be too concerned about- it will be a "real!" bump soon enough, and then you will be happy for it. FWIW, this time around, I already look 20 weeks pregnant, and I'm only 9 weeks pregnant. There's no hiding this wee baby for me!

MichiganAnnie · February 2011

It'll be ok I promise! Just like when you get a bad hair cut, it grows back right? Just like gaining weight while pg you can get it off.

We are way too hard on ourselves. I popped out at 12 weeks and looked nine months pg my whole pregnancy the first time. the second time I looked like one of those woman you try to guess are pg or just fat. This time, I've lost weight and dropped a pant size. Every pregnancy is different, Hun.

Just take a deep breath and remember that you wont gain weight every single day.

bre86ann · February 2011

this may or may not be comforting but my belly is as big at 11.5 weeks as it was at 36 weeks when i delivered Maddie. Now Maddie was only 3lbs 6oz. so i wasn't a huge 36 week pregnant person... but i am looking pretty heft for 11 weeks...i'm looking pretty hefty for 20 weeks. I thought it might be twins also even though my first ultrasound showed only one (maybe the other was hiding) but no. when I went on Wednesday for another ultrasound they found a Fibroid Cyst on my unterus that is pushing the baby forward, making me look a lot more pregnant than i really am. I had a teacher in HS with the same thing and her tumor grew to over 22 cm! It goes away after the baby is born and my doctor doesn't seem too concered about it...said it's pretty normal actually. Could be your problem too????

justrachet · February 2011

I would add an option c to what your friend said, which is that your body is making room for baby early. With my first I couldn't button any of my pants at 8 weeks. I hadn't even gained weight yet.

I think that talking to your Dr and nutritionist about your concerns and coming up with a game plan may help you feel better.

jupiterthecat · February 2011

I'm feeling the same way-- I recently (just before pregnancy) gained about 20 pounds in a short period of time as the result of medication, after an adult lifetime of being the same, healthy weight. I was still adjusting to none of my clothes fitting and even my fat jeans being tight when I got pregnant. I keep hearing that it's too early to be showing (esp. since this is my first) but I'm sorry, I see a bulge there, and if it's not baby, it's fat. It's taking some serious and continuous radical acceptance to face the fact that whatever is going on, it's out of my control--- other than eating healthfully and exercising regularly, which I already do and have always done, there's nothing that I can do to lose weight without putting myself and my baby's health in jeopardy. And, I decided, if a gut appears in perfect correspondence with pregnancy, it's got to be the baby. Screw the timelines, everyone's different.

If you are prone to eating disorders, please try to recognize and notice your eating disorder thoughts-- that harping voice that equates your self-worth with your body shape, criticizes you for eating, and praises you for restricting (or doing whatever your ED behaviors are). Separate this voice, and its goals and values, from your own voice, and your own goals and values. If you find yourself slipping into old patterns, please consider seeking help, if not for yourself then for your baby.

RobotsandRoses · February 2011

You could also be bloated. I had so much bloat the last few weeks. I couldn't workout for a few weeks after some complications. So I thought I had managed to gain a bunch of weight because I couldn't workout and was eating.

But now that I can move around again (to help get rid of some gas) and changed my diet a bit to get rid of the things that were really upsetting my stomach, my belly is close to normal again at 10.5 weeks, when it looked like it had doubled in size from weeks 7-10.

I've also had some pretty rough body issues, and I really feel your pain with worrying that might lead me to make poor choices or be upset with the baby for the weight gain. One thing I think is so important is that you are honest about your feelings and have someone you can talk to who will encourage you to remember how beautiful you are and how wonderful it is that you are supporting your baby. When you start feeling guilty and embarrassed about your feelings and hiding them from everyone, that's when you stand a higher risk of doing something unhealthy to you and the baby. I really think a strong, understanding and love support system is so important.

I really respect you for opening up on here, and if you can keep sharing your feelings and understanding that even though you have those thoughts, your baby needs you and when you eat, you're doing it for both of you, you will be on your way to a healthy pregnancy.

I think my thoughts are getting a little jumbled here, but I'm really proud of you for being strong enough to share this tough situation, and because you did, I think you're a lot stronger than you realize.

natkay02 · February 2011

aquamizi:
are due date and wedding anniversary are the same

Huh?

LadyBugLove7 · February 2011

I haven't weighed myself this week yet, that's on the list to do tomorrow morning. My pants all still fit, with the exception of one pair that was a little tight when I bought them but I had to buy bigger undies, makes no sense to me. Anyway, I've noticed that my 'belly' which has mostly been gas thus far (well I think it has) cannot be sucked in as much anymore, and sucking it in has become uncomfortable. I think I'm going to classify mine as a Mama Gut at this point.

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