Weight gain

binxybaby · August 2018

I read online that you should base it on your BMI. If your BMI pre-pregnancy was such and such, you should gain this amount. Thats what I've been referencing so far.

Weight, especially pregnancy weight, is such a PITA topic. I'm a FTM so I have no previous pregnancies to compare to. I was in the average BMI before pregnancy and at 26 weeks, I've gained 16 lbs. This BMI calculator says I should gain 25-35 so I'm going with that.

I figure if you're taking care of yourself and baby is safe and healthy, then weight gain doesn't matter. You are beautiful and creating life, dammit!

omnommer · August 2018

binxybaby said:

You are beautiful and creating life, dammit!

@binxybabyThat's all I want to hear these days.

Another colleague mentioned how "big" I was looking yesterday... I responded that I had just started a birth class with folks further along than me (it was a choice of finishing the class 8 weeks before due date or 0 weeks... I took 8 weeks haha), and I look tiny compared to them. I think she got the memo.

echo-charlietango · August 2018

Welp, I doubled my weight gain! At last appointment I had gained six total pounds, this morning that total moved to 12lbs - OB said that I'm still good and on track! Good to know that my feeling bigger is real, and that LO really is having a growth spurt. Grow baby, grow!

AdorkablePixie · August 2018

I'm having a hard time with the weight gain thing. I used this website earlier to make sure I am in the normal range. Any weight gain/body change I have such a hard time with, but it's harder this pregnancy. I just feel fat and gross, last time I felt beautiful and womanly. Maybe it's hormones from it being a girl? Or maybe I am making that up. Anyway, here is the website if anyone wants to take a look. https://www.calculator.net/pregnancy-weight-gain-calculator.html

mcgeeva · August 2018

@AdorkablePixie that's a cool weight chart. I hear you I feel the same. I have definitely been depressed this time around with weight because I started bigger to begin with so having my old maternity clothes not fit stings a bit

runrinserepeat · August 2018

So 20-24 weeks is usually a big gaining period for me. With my first, I gained 11lbs in that time. With my second, I gained 13. I managed to keep it to about 7 this time around. And I mean, gaining 7lbs in 4-5 weeks is not anything to be proud of, but damn. I'll take it.

Overall weight gain, I've gained 5lbs less than I had with my first at this point, and 9lbs less than my second. So hopefully I'm trending for a normal weight gain this time.

kadeephd · August 2018

@AdorkablePixie I've been using that calculator too. It's helpful to get a sense of where you are. Still, weight gain during pregnancy is often not a linear, 1lb per week process. There may be periods when you gain little, and periods when you quickly gain, and that can be perfectly healthy. I'm just reminding myself that the little dot may be above or below at any given week, but it's the overall gain that matters.

ab_canada · August 2018

@kadeephd The linear nature of that graph just made me sad. A month ago I was at the bottom range of normal and today I am at the top

So it would have made me happy last month and sad this month..

On a related note, my mom asked me how much I gain every week. I said "I prefer not to think about that". So she tried to tell me some number per week as appropriate. I told her that's all BS because pregnancy weight gain is not linear, which is why I prefer not to think about how much I am gaining every week. Also, the doctor tracks my weight and will let me know if it's a concern. So hopefully she will leave that topic for a while

kadeephd · August 2018

@ab_canada I'm in the same boat. I think/hope it's normal to have a growth spurt during the second trimester.

mcgeeva · August 2018

@ab_canada tell her to eat a butt! I can not get on a scale weekly. I took out the battery weeks ago and yet to replace.

ab_canada · August 2018

@mcgeeva Haha, maybe I should take the battery out too! Lol, I just log it "for posterity" and forget the number after a while. I'm a numbers person, so it will be interesting for me to see afterwards how my weight gain went. And that way for my next baby I will have a good idea of what to expect..

katy0990 · August 2018

@ab_canada my mom has said the same thing. She is 4 inches taller than me and had to comment on the fact that she did not need maternity clothes with her first two pregnancies until 20 weeks, but I was wearing some at the beginning of second tri. She only gained 18 pounds with me and has to rub that in my face every time it comes up. It drives me nuts! I was only 6 lbs. 9 oz. and I was 10 days overdue. My husband was over 10 pounds, obviously our babies are just bigger.

AdorkablePixie · September 2018

@ab_canada I log my weight too. I’m a numbers person too and just like to keep track of it.

@mcgeeva Ugh. It sucks. But it is worth it! And we will lose this weight!!

@kadeephd Very good point. I try to keep that in mind. I know I’m SUPPOSED to be gaining weight. And it’s not like I’ve stopped working out or have started eating a ton more than usual, so it’s not from eating too much junk food. But really... I want some soft chocolate chip cookies.

blueberry2mommy25 · September 2018

mcgeeva said:

@ab_canada tell her to eat a butt! I can not get on a scale weekly. I took out the battery weeks ago and yet to replace.

Tell her to eat a butt!! I'm so using that line everyday of my life now

blueberry2mommy25 · September 2018

Oh lookk... I used my first quote reply thingy!!! Lol yay me.
I'm a FTM and completely nervous about this process, weight gain being one issue I worry about. So far at 24 weeks I've gained 8lbs. I love it. But i worry about the baby. I really try to eat but I'm just always uncomfortable or I have a horrible taste in my mouth and the baby seems to love things I dont particularly care for. My mom keeps reminding me that it's not about me so I force myself to eat but the love for food has just not been the same. I keep thinking because I'm already 20pds overweight that the baby will be just fine and very well cushioned. Allow my body to do its thing naturally.

mcgeeva · September 2018

Weight gain is just a tough issue no matter how you cut it. My lovely MIL saw me this weekend says.. oh look you sides are growing. Are you sure there aren’t twins in there?! I mean wtf? You know what I look like with each pregnancy and no my shit isn’t natural so you know damn well I put one embryo in. I hate people some days.. now I sit here and eat my cheesecake lol

scaredunprepared · September 2018

@mcgeeva seriously??? I'm sorry. I've been on this earth for 33 years, and I've never once commented on a pregnant woman's weight or shape. Yet I've been the subject of many people's jokes/ comments the last couple months, like you. My SO's cousin said the other day said, "Oh you look like you've put on weight!" And then pointed to her arms. Why? Yes, I'm pregnant, I'm sure I've put on weight! Sheesh. I don't understand why people feel the need to say something, even if they think it's flattering or cute. Just don't!

Katzalia · September 2018

@mcgeeva @scaredunprepared the comments about bodies and weight are unbelievable. What makes anyone think that’s a good idea, ever?

katy0990 · September 2018

@mcgeeva and @scaredunprepared I’m sorry people are so insensitive! I don’t understand the need to say anything other than “You look great!”

AdorkablePixie · September 2018

@mcgeeva WHY do people feel like it's okay to say things like that?! A couple weeks back DH's grandmother said to me, "Oh look, you're getting chunky!" I was like, "Gee, thanks.. that's what every pregnant woman wants to hear." I know that's not what she meant, but still. Think before you say stuff like that to a pregnant woman!!!

mcgeeva · September 2018

Exactly ladies its a mind f@ck like thanks so much for pointing that out as if it's something I'm doing wrong.

ab_canada · September 2018

I just want to say - you all look beautiful no matter what size you end up as a result of this journey

Katzalia · September 2018

@Jens_Hoes and others who experienced grief from a provider about gaining more rapidly in 2nd trimester:

The commentary:
https://www.google.com/amp/s/expectingscience.com/2014/08/09/a-sudden-bump-up-in-weight-in-the-2nd-trimester-is-common-and-no-reason-to-panic/amp/

The original science:
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/m/pubmed/20669500/

And also — wtf would we assume that growth and weight gain in pregnancy is linear (such as a pound a week in 2nd & 3rd trimester as often providers will say)? Not a whole lot of linear models accurately represent nature, and pregnancy weight gain is apparently no exception. I particularly appreciated this:

First of all, a sudden bump up in weight in the second trimester, like the one I experienced, is not only common, it is the norm.

“The pattern of GWG is most commonly described as sigmoidal, with mean weight gains higher in the second than the third trimester across BMI categories, except for obese women.” – IOM 2009 report, pg. 101.

ab_canada · September 2018

I really like this chart (she does say that it shows the "linear" weight gain, which is inaccurate, but I think it's cool to see which pieces are what portion of weight):

Image: https://us.v-cdn.net/5020794/uploads/editor/93/chixpr45gfvq.jpg

texas_t · September 2018

I was up 4 more pounds in the last four weeks and it made me upset. It's crazy how much we dwell on this.

nawmin · September 2018

Just wanted to say that I’ve really appreciated the posts on here. While comments about low weight gain are a little triggering for me (in my post-ED life), I nevertheless appreciate the reminder that everyone’s body handles the miracles of pregnancy and childbirth a little differently. I gained 55 pounds with my first pregnancy (about which my doctor hounded me regularly), and was very lucky to see it shed very quickly in the few months after my daughter arrived with little effort by me other than nonstop breastfeeding. This time around I’m at a different practice where the doctors haven’t said anything negative about my weight gain. I am absolutely huge again - seriously, at 28 weeks my belly looks like twins and much bigger than many look at full term. I know that most of why I gain so much is that I have a very high carb diet - guess it’s just easier for me to metabolize when I’m not pregnant. I am trying to be hopeful that the weight will come off again quickly and easily, but have resigned myself to the fact that I may have to start exercising (which I should anyway for many reasons) in the event that it doesn’t. Mostly it will be hard to find the time with two, but everyone else does it so it can’t be that unmanageable. Right now, the most uncomfortable part of the weight gain is that my maternity pants, which I really only wore in earlier pregnancy last time since I had a summer baby and was able to just wear sundresses every day at the end, are SO tight and uncomfortable and I don’t want to buy too much clothing since I am definitely NEVER doing this again. Don’t see that I have much choice though.

AdorkablePixie · September 2018

@texas_t Right? I agree that it's crazy. I keep telling myself this is completely normal, I am growing a human! I've gained four pounds since I was 20 weeks (I'm 24.6 now) and I am having such a hard time with it. When I look at charts though, I am on track, but it's a huge struggle.

texas_t · September 2018

@nawmin I gained 75lbs first go around and didn't have an easy time losing it. Plus, between then and now, my dad passed away, so whatever I lost initially, I gained back and then lost some again. I was 40 lbs heavier at the start of this pregnancy and even with working out and eating better and being very vigilant, at 28 weeks I'm still up 17lbs. It doesn't sound like much, but I gained 47 pounds in the last 3 months last time. It's nearly all I can think about at times.

omnommer · September 2018

@texas_t I understand how you can be thinking about it a lot because of past history, but try not to think about it all the time! The most important thing is you are growing a healthy baby in there. If you eat the recommended amount of food, with good nutritional qualities (good protein, fats, healthy carbs and a rainbow of veg/fruits, and the occasional treat) then no matter how much you gain, your baby will be just fine! My nutritionist gained more than the recommended by a bit when she was pregnant and her baby was perfectly healthy at 8 lbs. Not a scientific study, but it's cool to see. She was eating crazy healthy, but still put on almost 10 pounds more than recommended!

katy0990 · September 2018

@texas_t First of all 17 lbs does not sound excessive to me. Also, didn’t you have a pretty big baby last time, too? I think bigger babies require more blood, etc, which means a larger gain.

texas_t · September 2018

@katy0990 He was 9lb9oz - plus, I was also REALLY swollen. Ended up losing about 35lbs of that by my first doctor visit; so I know some of it was out of my control. I'm hoping by eating better and working out that I won't retain as much water this go around.

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