At 20 weeks and have only gained 4lb. Is this a big deal?

bobaby06 · January 2015

I am at 20 weeks and have only gained 4lb. My Dc. Is not very happy about it. should I be concerned or scared? What can I do to make this better? I have a 17 month old at home. I guess my appetite is not like it was the first time around either. It's not like I'm trying not to gain weight. I just don't know. I eat eat healthy. my first pregnancy I gained the proper amount of weight. At birth I had gained about 25 pounds total. It was never an issue. This time I'm worried.

Trampslikeus · January 2015

What did your doctor say? If he/she had concerns, please don't look to us to tell you it's no big deal and to ignore your doctor. If he/she wasn't too worried but just told you to start trying to increase your calorie intake... Well, then I'd say do what the doctor said but don't borrow trouble and freak yourself out.

agapeflower117 · January 2015

Maybe you can make substitutions for things you already eat? Full fat yogurt instead of light, add some avocado to something, eat more cheese? You can also add more calories to smoothies if you don't want to "eat" them. It's not permanent, and you'll be able to recalibrate after the new baby comes. Good luck!

mrs1374a · January 2015

I'm 19 weeks and 5 days and I've only gained 5 lbs. my doctor is not concerned and I am very happy. I am a STM and with my first i gained 60 lbs. My baby is healthy and actually measuring 6 days ahead so we are fine with it.

staciecoffey · January 2015

Please consult with your doctor about the steps you need to be taking. This isn't a topic that we can tell yes/no you should be worried because your doctor has already expressed concern. They can give you the information you need and help get you to the weight that your doctor feels you need to be at.

Trampslikeus · January 2015

mrs1374a said:

I'm 19 weeks and 5 days and I've only gained 5 lbs. my doctor is not concerned and I am very happy. I am a STM and with my first i gained 60 lbs. My baby is healthy and actually measuring 6 days ahead so we are fine with it.

Cool story bro? God I Haaaaaaaaate how weight threads always end up full of comparisons and anecdotes. It's not a fucking contest. OP has a concern/question that has literally nothing to do with how much weight YOU gained. Different people, different bodies. If OPs doctor has concerns, it's probably because of actual reasons. What may not be a "big deal" for you could be a big deal for her, or maybe not. Either way, personal comparisons are absolutely useless when it comes to pregnancy weight gain, and will be absolutely useless when it comes to post pregnancy weight loss too.

amyhafner11 · January 2015

With my first I had only gained 5lbs at 20 weeks (don't worry I gained 25 more). As long as you are eating ( recommendation is at least 1800 calories a day). All women gain weight different. But I agree you need to talk to your doctor. It should also depend on your pre - pregnancy weight.

ajgerber · January 2015

Did your doctor offer any suggestions other than just saying he wasn't happy? If they are concerned, they could send you to a nutritionist for healthy ways of adding weight. Call your doctor and ask questions!

Maybe track your food intake on something like MyFitnessPal and then show the doctor what you are eating and ways to increase calories without being unhealthy.

This is something we can't advise you on since there are healthy ways and not so healthy ways of adding weight. Your doctor really needs to be giving you some input.

thelittlestbee · January 2015

bobaby06 said:

I am at 20 weeks and have only gained 4lb. My Dc. Is not very happy about it. should I be concerned or scared? What can I do to make this better? I have a 17 month old at home. I guess my appetite is not like it was the first time around either. It's not like I'm trying not to gain weight. I just don't know. I eat eat healthy. my first pregnancy I gained the proper amount of weight. At birth I had gained about 25 pounds total. It was never an issue. This time I'm worried.

You say your doctor isn't happy about this, but did he suggest anything you could do to make it better? Maybe you can ask to be referred to nutritionist.

mrskblack11 · January 2015

Did you not ask your doctor what he/she recommends???

Your doctor being "not happy" isn't the same thing as him "being worried". If it were truly something to be worried about, your doctor would tell you.

This is something you need to discuss with your doctor.

Significant · January 2015

Is your question more that you should be considering another doctor? What did he say his concerns were? Sometimes, there are doctors that don't give good advice, or necessarily the type advice that align with the sort of birth/pregnancy experience that you prefer, (For example, some people are pro many interventions, extra ultrasounds, others aren't), but without knowing your medical history, no one here would know. You could always check out another practice to get a second opinion. There are women who at 18 weeks haven't gained anything or some who have gained 10+, etc. There is at least one in each weight gain category who has a doctor/midwife who says there is nothing to be concerned about. But, for other reasons there may be some who have been told they need to change that for reasons xyz. If you don't think your doctor is giving you sound advice, it's possible, but you should check out another practice.

Edit:

FWIW, if it was me AND I was healthy and at a healthy weight pre pregnancy and everything else was going well and on target with my pregnancy and still my doctor was overly concerned about my weight gain at this point even if everything else was on target, I'd probably look for another provider. IDK what your situation is.

MJMum524 · January 2015

There are a lot of ways you can increase caloric intake. Google is your friend in this instance. If you are worried, do something to change your situation.

babybean9 · January 2015

I'm almost 22 weeks and have only gained 5 pounds or so, but my midwife isn't concerned. Every body and every pregnancy is different, so even if someone else is in similar shoes it's hard to give advice because we have different health conditions, dietary restrictions, body types, complications etc.

Your doctor being 'not happy' about it should've triggered a conversation about how to increase your weight. Quality versus quantity too, opt for carrot with hummus instead of just carrots, or nuts/avocado for healthy fats and such. For sure follow up with your doctor.

kej0004 · January 2015

Here's a good tip for gaining weight: Little Debbies. Fudge rounds, oatmeal cream pies, strawberry shortcake rolls, Swiss cake rolls, star crunches, zebra cakes, cosmic brownies, devil cremes... I could go on.

Here's another good tip: If you have concerns about your individual health, ask your doctor. Nobody here will be able to help unless you want to post your chart and all your medical history and pay for us to go to med school.

Mama-Bear · January 2015

Talk to your doc more and find out what he recommends and/or find a different doctor. This is my 4th pregnancy and I ALWAYS have lost weight for the first 1/2 (just maybe 5 pounds) and then I start gaining and still gain the appropriate amount. My new doc (just switched this pg) doesn't care if I gain 0-35 pounds (as long as baby continues to gain on target) as I gained quite a bit on IVF drugs just to get pregnant so I have excess for the baby to pull from.

bobaby06 · January 2015

He said that he was concerned about my lack of weight gain. That they would be keeping a closer eye on it and next time I have better gained some weight. That was it. The next day I saw a other physician how basically scolded me.

effthisnoise · January 2015

Like PPs have said, keep a food journal (My Fitness Pal is a great app for this) with what you ate and the amounts you ate. Eating lots of fatty junk foods (as another PP suggested) is not what you want to do to gain weight while pregnant because you need to have somewhat balanced nutrition for the baby. Eat more of what you normally eat or seek out some healthier options and eat lots of that. This is about making sure you're consuming enough food for you and the baby, NOT just trying to gain weight. Gaining weight by eating is easy; gaining weight by eating nutritious foods is less so.

And I don't think there's anything wrong with eating fatty junk foods if you want them, but don't use them as your sole source of weight gain.

dancegurl1118 · January 2015

Try supplements like ensure or boost, it's a quick way to get 300-350 calories in a setting. Or a milkshake never hurt. How did your anatomy scan go? I'm still down 3 lbs from prepregnancy (very normal BMI) and the dr said he'll "keep an eye on it" but he's not concerned because baby was measuring great in weight and size. They are parasites, they will take what they need. I am not using my weight as proof you shouldn't worry, I am using it as something to ask your doctor regarding baby measuring on track and the right size for little weight gain.

missjenniebean · January 2015

I would definitely talk to your doctor. This isn't something we can help with as we do not know you medically.

mrs1374a · January 2015

Trampslikeus said:

mrs1374a said:

I'm 19 weeks and 5 days and I've only gained 5 lbs. my doctor is not concerned and I am very happy. I am a STM and with my first i gained 60 lbs. My baby is healthy and actually measuring 6 days ahead so we are fine with it.

Cool story bro? God I Haaaaaaaaate how weight threads always end up full of comparisons and anecdotes. It's not a fucking contest. OP has a concern/question that has literally nothing to do with how much weight YOU gained. Different people, different bodies. If OPs doctor has concerns, it's probably because of actual reasons. What may not be a "big deal" for you could be a big deal for her, or maybe not. Either way, personal comparisons are absolutely useless when it comes to pregnancy weight gain, and will be absolutely useless when it comes to post pregnancy weight loss too.

Oh goodness. Really??? I wasn't making a "comparison", I was telling her how much I've gained because it's close to her and that my doctor wasn't concerned. I'm not an idiot, I know everyone is different. Some people lose weight during pregnancy and still have totally healthy babies. Some of you really need to find something else to do with your time. Because I was in no way talking to or referring to you. I was talking to the woman who posted. But thanks for your negative, rude and totally irrelevant comment just to "call me out".

ElRuby · January 2015

I don't know about your specific issue or eating habits but sometimes (hopefully) women eat much healthier in pregnancy and therefore end up not gaining weight or even losing weight because they are changing the way they eat ... No clue if this might be true for you but might be worth a thought!

amhowell14 · January 2015

I'm 20 weeks, and have only gained 5 lbs. mentioned it to my OB Wed at my a/s, and he said baby was right on track, and not to worry.

mamalmd · January 2015

kej0004 said:
Here's a good tip for gaining weight: Little Debbies. Fudge rounds, oatmeal cream pies, strawberry shortcake rolls, Swiss cake rolls, star crunches, zebra cakes, cosmic brownies, devil cremes... I could go on.

Here's another good tip: If you have concerns about your individual health, ask your doctor. Nobody here will be able to help unless you want to post your chart and all your medical history and pay for us to go to med school.

You forgot Girl Scout cookies. Don't worry, I got your back.

allyshaa · January 2015

I'm 23 weeks and haven't gained an ounce.. As long as baby is healthy, everything's ok.. Maybe depends on your doctor, my doctor doesn't care.. But I have heard no weight gain could cause preterm labor

dedebush02 · January 2015

Op I suggest you eat everything you can get your hands on and sleep all day. Don't listen to your dr. At all costs. Oh and don't do any exercise ever.

Cateash77 · January 2015

It depends what your starting weight was. If your doc is not happy about it then I would ask him what his suggestions are to gain weight. If you are not at risk of GD, flavoured milk and juices can do the trick as they are easy to digest and also high in carbs and calories. I gained weight really slowly with my first then PACKED it on in the last two months, for a total weight gain of 12 kg (26 pounds). I guess the real issue is....is baby growing okay? If they are then you have less to worry about, good luck!

bobaby06 · January 2015

Thank you everyone. Yes, the baby is right on track! Or I should say she!!!

CurlyMom78 · February 2015

Ask your doctor! I've only gained 6lbs at week 20. He wasn't too concerned and I'm not too concerned. He said have some hearty snacks take seconds at dinner and add some ice cream.

I have a very high metabolism anyways plus the women in my family did not gain that much weight during pregnancy. Everyone is different but ask your doctor why he's unhappy with healthy suggestions to gain if you should.

rodriyessi94 · February 2015

I'm 5 and a half months pregnant and gained 2 pounds , hey my doctor say my baby is healthy and normal

and I still don't show , people get surprised when I tell them
I'm pregnant.

disney815 · February 2015

At 20 weeks I hadn't gained much, but I am gaining it quickly now! As long as your doc isn't concerned, don't worry

MamaBish · February 2015

This all depends on how much you weighed to begin with. Some of us had some extra to go off of so 4 pounds is fine (me, for instance, I have gained 6 pounds at 21 weeks and Dr isn't concerned), while some of us were slightly underweight and should gain more.

I'm guessing since your Dr is concerned, that you probably weighed a little under what is average. Try eating lots of protein, drink milk, etc.

liliwright · February 2015

I'm 21 weeks and have gained 5 lbs... I think too, it depends on how much you weighed when you got pregnant. I'm overweight, so I'm only 'allowed' to gain 15-20 lbs. Smaller people tend to gain more weight. Good luck! But I think you should be fine!

tanners5360 · February 2015

I'm 22 weeks and have gained 15lbs!

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At 20 weeks and have only gained 4lb. Is this a big deal?

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