Please excuse me while I overanalyze weight gain charts

busterbeagle · October 2011

I'm concerned about my weight gain, so I've been Googling weekly weight gain charts. Most of them are from non-medical baby websites, so I've only been slightly bothered that I'm falling below the low end of the recommendations. But I found a few from the US gov/WIC, and I think I'm more willing to trust them. I like that the charts from the gov break it down by pre-pregnancy BMI and make concessions for twins. What do you think--would you put much stock into this? Is weight gain something so individual that I shouldn't be concerned at all until my doctor is? Anyone have some reassuring stories about slow weight gain that picked up later?

I honestly never thought I would be concerned about not gaining enough weight, I always assumed it would be easy to do. And I technically don't know that I'm still below the low end of normal because the battery on my scale at home is dead. But at my last appt. at ~21 weeks, I was only up 8 lbs., and I don't feel like I've grown or gained at all since then. According to the chart, I was good during first tri but have been slightly behind all through second tri. It doesn't help that everyone loves to tell me how tiny I am and that my MIL is so obsessed with my weight gain that she asked about it before she asked how our a/s went.

And here's the link to the charts for other overanalyzers:

https://wicworks.nal.usda.gov/nal_display/index.php?info_center=12&tax_level=2&tax_subject=628&level3_id=0&level4_id=0&level5_id=0&topic_id=2463&&placement_default=0

ECHC829 · October 2011

I dont have any professional advice, but I say I think you are ok, esp if baby is growing fine and the doctor isn't concerned. I think it's more important that baby is in the right percentiles, your body will do what it needs to and you never know when it might kick into overdrive....

Also, one of my friends was soo small throughout her pregnancy (the whole time) and her baby was a healthy 6lb+ baby, doctors were never concerned. Seriously, she looked like 7months when she was 9months....

ellebelle2384 · October 2011

RachaelA:
I didn't gain anything until 22ish weeks. I've only gained 15 lbs. I was only a size 8 prepregnancy. My doctor isn't concerned.
As long as your stomach is growing like your doctor wants it to, I'm sure you are fine. Your doctor would tell you if he/she was concerned.

This. I'm sure if your doctor hasn't mentioned anything then you are okay. Maybe you can discuss it with your doctor at your next visit if you're still concerned.

Izabella22 · October 2011

busterbeagle:

Is weight gain something so individual that I shouldn't be concerned at all until my doctor is?

You nailed it right there. If your doc isn't worried, you shouldn't.

Honestly up until a month ago I gained... maybe 3# total, at my appt week before last I gained 10# between appts (4 weeks). Weighed myself this morning and I haven't gained another pound since. I was worried about the 10# but my doctor said not to worry... LO was probably having a growth spurt. Just make sure you aren't restricting your calories or "dieting" - eat balanced meals if you can and go with it. Unless your doctor specifically tells you, I wouldn't overthink it. Easy to say... not so easy to do. Definitely ask at your appt if you are concerned, I did and my doctor sort of laughed. Its totally individual.

badtzmaru22 · October 2011

I wouldn't worry about it, especially if your doc thinks you're fine. I'm on the upper end if those charts, and was concerned my doc would warn me about gaining too much, but she said sometimes you'll gain more in a month, and less the next month - it isn't always steady. My 18lbs is clearly all boob and belly, so she said I'm fine.

emd2887 · October 2011

Coming from another over-analyzer....

As long as your doctor is happy with your weight gain and baby's growth, try not to worry. At 24 weeks, I was only up 7lbs from my pre-pregnancy weight. In between that and my next appointment, I was positive that I hadn't put anything on, but by the time my 28 week appointment came, I had put on an additional 5 lbs. It's started to slow down now that I'm in the third tri, which the doctor says is normal since I can't eat as much. The baby will take what it needs first, so rest assured that even if you aren't packing on the pounds, baby is getting whatever it needs.

busterbeagle · October 2011

Thanks for the reassurance, ladies. I know logically that I am doing fine and that my doctor would tell me if I wasn't, but I feel like everyone and their mother has to comment on my size right now. I'm so tired of hearing, "I look more pregnant than you do!" "I can't believe you're 5 months pregnant, you're so tiny!" and even "You're pregnant?!" It's hard not to feel like I'm doing something wrong when everyone else makes such a big deal out of it.

Izabella22 · October 2011

busterbeagle:

Thanks for the reassurance, ladies. I know logically that I am doing fine and that my doctor would tell me if I wasn't, but I feel like everyone and their mother has to comment on my size right now. I'm so tired of hearing, "I look more pregnant than you do!" "I can't believe you're 5 months pregnant, you're so tiny!" and even "You're pregnant?!" It's hard not to feel like I'm doing something wrong when everyone else makes such a big deal out of it.

Lol - I think they do this no matter what size you are... and no matter what, you're either too big or too small... I heard a lot of comments like you are right now until about a week ago... Now people pat their bellies when they look at me and go "Whoa" - either way you are fine... THEY however, need to learn its not ok to comment on peoples size! Ever!

Eris-Alexis · October 2011

I think it is so individual that I wouldn't put a lot of stock in those charts. I would be more concerned with what your OB thinks, and if you are concerned, I would just ask her. I have gained about 9 lbs at this point (27 weeks) and my OB was not at all concerned, although I did start out overweight.

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