Stopping too much weight gain

Amber - posted on 02/24/2010

Okay update, thanks for everyones comments. Had another doctors visit today and in the last four weeks gained 6 lbs, and the Doctor even made a little crack about it and then just said that it was fine as long as I am gaining weight on veggies and good food and not cookies and ice cream, which is in fact the case I am very healthy in my eating habits, tons of fruit and veggies and my home made salsa that I love mmmmmm. Anyway I think I am finally starting to accept my new body form especially since I look more pregnant now and not just like I gained weight, my belly pokes out and I think it is cute, I think people might look at me and say oh when are you due instead of suggesting diet plans for me- ha ha. I can't fit into any of my old pants at all, I can't get my legs into them, which is weird cause I always had thin legs and that is one thing that is odd to me how my thighs have definitely gotten bigger, but again I am accepting of it and I feel that it is much more important that the baby is healthy, which it is and growing away! I finally got to hear it's heartbeat today last visit they couldn't find it so they did another ultrasound and it was fine, but I really wanted to hear the heartbeat. Today the nurse put the thing on my stomach and it was there immediately. That was really special and in 3 weeks I go back in to find out what it is, I can't wait cause I really want to start preparing for it's arrival and not that I am a big fan of pink or blue, I would like to decorate with a name and the baby in mind, not just random and yellow or beige. Thanks again to everyone and their words of encouragement. If any of you have any yummy recipes that are healthy that you have been making I would love to try them... My favorite veggies are broccoli, brussel sprouts, cauliflower, artichokes, pretty much anything, hearts of palm, bamboo shoots, just about everything.

Trish - posted on 02/23/2010

a tip my dear... if you find yourself a lil bloated after you have had your baby, breastfeed as much as you can and drink LOTS of water... xx hope things go well for you!

Megan - posted on 02/23/2010

Spicy food only gives you headaches!!! You are soo lucky then, anytime I eat anything with even just a little spice I get such bad indegestion and reflux!!! I can't even eat Taco Bell! My food cravings have all been healthy too mostly fruit and the one bad thing I wanted was garlic butter for my pizza!!!

Amber - posted on 02/23/2010

Thanks Julia, honestly the only thing I have been craving has been spicy food and my usual craving of salmon sushi with lemon, but I won't eat it raw and cooked salmon just doesn't taste anything like raw salmon so I just have to wait for 5 more months or until I can pump and then I am having a salmon with lemon sushi feast :). As for he spicy food I was having no problem until recently and realized that spicy food had started to give me headaches, but I have been lucky for the most part the cravings have been healthy like my beets and blue cheese which then I had to find pasteurized blue cheese, but I have always liked that so I don't know, just haven't had too many weird cravings yet, now that I said that though I am sure they will come :)

Julia - posted on 02/23/2010

Sorry if I was a little harsh with my earlier post. And yes it did sound like you wanted to diet and not gain weight. But I hope this helps...

http://www.mypyramid.gov/mypyramidmoms/i...

that is a link to the government website my pyramid for Mom's and moms to be. It will give you a ton of information and even a meal planner!

Another suggestion is to not ignore your cravings, but only eat enough to satisfy them if they are for junk food, for example I don't eat hot dogs however when I was pregnant with my first I craved them all the time so I would get 1 hot dog and then try to eat something healthy to go along with it. With this pregnancy I crave potato chips every once in a while so I will buy a 99 cent bag and that helps. If you try to ignore it, there is the possiblity of not satisfying yourself until you get it.

Amber - posted on 02/23/2010

Thank you Melissa. I am just curious but did I say somewhere that I was trying to or contemplating a diet? Most all of the responses address "dieting" somewhere in there comments, but I hope I have never said that I wanted to or even thought about dieting, I don't know much but I do know that is a no no especially pregnant. This is my first baby and this is a whole new experience and I really want to know how people found ways to get the calories in and stay eating really healthy because I am a huge healthy eater and I imagine that there a ton of women out there who eat healthy. I hope this relieves any concerns that I might have conveyed. I also joined that recipe swap group and have seen some nice recipes on there that I want to try. I actually feel very fortunate that I don't like junk food that much and love broccoli and brussel sprouts, I think it has just been bewildering to me how much my body is changing. Honestly I can' wait to feel the baby and I look forward to everything just becoming more real for me...

Melissa - posted on 02/23/2010

Yes, I agree with Jennifer below.....you are going gain weight no matter what, and it's not good to diet, because it may take away from essential vitamins and nurishment the baby needs. I would say try to stay away from to many carbs, fast foods, or swwet/salty snack. I found in my first pregnancy that eating fruits and veggies always kept me going. Is this your first child?

Amber - posted on 02/08/2010

Thank you for the comments...I totally understand the healthy part of eating, which is what I have focused on, veggies, fruits, eggs, calcium products etc. I eat sushi but the cooked kind, which I did ask my doctor about first thing and he even said that if I trusted the restaurant that I could eat whatever I wanted but I have opted out of the raw fish and only get the cooked rolls and thank goodness the places that I like going have tons of different cooked rolls. On that note I eat no tuna at all, no swordfish, or shark, or any of the other fish that they discourage. The first thing that happened when I found out I was pregnant was that I quit nearly everything that was bad, caffeine, raw sushi, smoking, etc. See I was not planning this pregnancy and honestly never saw myself having children period so I was completely caught off guard when I found out, completely!!!! My doctor and the nurse practitioner have both told me that I need to exercise before the baby comes if for nothing else the endurance part of labor which I will not have if I don't exercise. I don't plan to start up some kind of crazy weight training thing or lose weight on purpose, I just want to gain weight in a healthy manner and according to all the charts I was gaining it too quickly in the beginning and didn't want to end up gaining 80 lbs and causing those troubles to the baby and myself. I just want to be able to walk more than a block without getting winded, how in the world am I supposed to push a baby out and deal with contractions if I can't walk a block without breathing heavily? I am sorry if I have come off like I am looking for ways to lose weight, that is not my intent, I just want to gain weight smarter and not gain too much weight, that can be just as dangerous to both mom and baby as the alternative, at least my doctor says that... Please bare with me and my comments, like I said this is my first pregnancy, never have been even scared with a pregnancy before and I am 33, I do not have any women in my family to talk things out with and that is why I am on this site. I am asking for advise that I would normally talk to my mom or sisters about but they are not in my life for religious reasons, but that is another story. I appreciate all the advise and I appreciate everyone who has positive feedback for someone who is truly scared and bewildered as to what is going on with their body... I guess some people just have it in the genes to be pregnant and know exactly what to do from day one, that just isn't me, I am scared and new to this whole experience that took me completely by surprise... A couple of you have said things about Old Navy, I am going online to look at there stuff right now!!! Thanks :)

Julia - posted on 02/06/2010

I guess my input on this and it is going to be mean sorry. GET OVER YOURSELF! You are pregnant it is not about you anymore. YOU ARE GOING TO GAIN WEIGHT. Guess what you may even get stretch marks. You need to start eating a BALANCED diet adding about 300 extra calories which means eating about 2300 - 2800 calories a day. You should NEVER start any exercise program without consulting your doctor first. And any exercise you do while pregnant is NOT going to be designed to help you lose weight or control your weight.

Cute Maternity clothes....I shop at oldnavy.com or when I want to find a funny tshirt I go to Cafepress.com/hotmommatess

Amanda - posted on 02/05/2010

Stop eatting sushi!! No Raw fish while pregnant!! You should also avoid shell fish, and cut your normal fish intake down too (god that kills me everytime I am pregnant). As for the weight gain, sometimes it cant be helped no matter what you eat. I eat very well, I am normally 115lbs to 120lbs not pregnant, with both my daughters I sky rocketed over 164Lbs, but my son I only gained 24lbs, all three pregnancys I ate the same things, and the same amounts. All three of my pregnancys I walked out of the hospital between 120-125 lbs (the girls were all water).

Amy - posted on 02/05/2010

Don't start excersizing if you didn't do it before you were pregnant! You can walk and swim, but don't over do it! Make sure you discuss with your dr any work out plans you have.

The baby will get what it needs from you regardless if your eating it or not. You don't want to starve yourself but start by not eating as much at every sitting. If you find you need to have a little snack try and make sure it's a healthy fruit or veggie type of thing.

You should never go on a "diet" while pregnant, and when pregnant you really don't need to eat much extra calleries then you would before you were pregnant.

What I've done is I monitor my weight, and when I eat I try to make sure that (on top of all those crazy cravings) that most of the food I'm eating is the right portion size. All the times I was pregnant in the first half I would eat the same (if not a little less) and was fine, then for my first pregnancy towards the end i let the cravings take over and I gained so much extra weight (which is hard to take off!).

The biggest suggestion I can give you is try to not eat too much in one sitting, if you do your stomach will grow and it's not easy to get back to normal, it took me about a year to get that under control.

Megan - posted on 02/05/2010

As far as the eating goes I can't helo you there, I have actually lost 20 lbs since I got pregnant. I was always a little over weight so it's not entirely a bad thing, but my doctor tells me everytime I see her that I need to gain more but I just dont seem to be able to.

The maternity clothes I can help you with!! You can look online at oldnavy.com, the only problem is they dont sell the clothes in stores so you kinda have to guess at the sizes. Read the reviews for each article of clothing and that should help you pick what fits best. Motherhood Maternity also has some cute stuff, but I just don't feel like paying full price for something I may not be able to wear in a few months! I have found some very cute pants at Ross and TJ Maxx but not very many shirts. The shirts are the hardest thing to find cause they are either too small or they look like a tent.

Amber - posted on 02/04/2010

Thanks Stephanie, the last thing that I have wanted to do is get into a bathing suit, but I have done water exercise before and enjoyed it, I really like swimming so much, I have though often about that but you normally have to join a gym and I just haven't found one I like yet, but I do have to look more around the new place that I moved. The good news is that when I went to the Doctor I found out that I actually hadn't gained any more weight... I am curious though because even though I haven't gained any more weight I still am fitting in less an less of my normal clothes, seriously I don't fit in any pants at all anymore, I have went up two pant sizes, and I mean in my thighs and hips, which I don't understand how I am not gaining so much weight but my thighs and hips are getting bigger by the second??? I feel like I am having major body issues and just not comfortable in my own skin or body right now, I KNOW I AM PREGNANT, but I didn't think I was going to grow out of everything so quickly, four months as of today... Has anyone found places that they would recommend finding non-ugly maternity clothes or even good ideas for buying normal clothes???

Stephanie - posted on 01/28/2010

this is my 2# baby and i'm almost 19 weeks. I live in Queensland AUS, and its summer the last thing i wanna do is walk lol the only walking i do is at the shopping centre and chasing my 21month old around. So i do aqua arobics twice a week ( i never did this until i was preggo) there's not much that i can't do in the program some things i have to alternate not to strain my stomach. But im loving it, because you can't feel the weight of your body. I gained 21kgs with my first which is alot but i'm a small girl who had a huge baby lol so i lost it straight away. But with this pregnancy i have gained most my weight at the beginning and its only now thats its setteled down. Every pregnancy is different...so dont always listen to the books, you know what feels right for your body. I'm sure you'll be fine. Good luck

Amber - posted on 01/28/2010

I am so excited that it is finally getting warmer outside. I can't wait to walk. I love walking. I have an iPhone so I just need a good mix to go by. Thanks!!!

Andrea - posted on 01/26/2010

grab a 30 minute walking tape..slightly cardio and stick with it everyday, i have found that it helps me feel good because I know im not going to get real hefty if i do this throughout my pregnancy and its light enough that i dont have to worry about causing my body or baby strain.

Amber - posted on 01/20/2010

Thanks everyone. I am a good food eater. I have vegetarian tendacies fore sure. Before I became pregnant all I ate was broccoli, sushi, and more broccoli. I did have quite a few egg whites. I think on good days I would get over 1000 calories. So when I read 2000 calories I almost cried. I just didn't know how to get there. But I got this iPhone app that has helped me keep track. I just think maybe 2000 is too much for me. I do need excersize. I have a wii fit, I just have to use it and I bought a good yoga for pregnancy DVD which I used once so far. I am so mad at myself for not having an excersize program before I became pregnant it is hard to start a routine now for me. Thanks for all the advise. I will see my doctor in 6 days and see what he thinks and how much weight I have gained according to those scary scales. :)

Ashlee - posted on 01/20/2010

I am 29 wks prego and have gained 12ibs, starting the 3rd Trimester I was told by my Dr. that most women gain about 8-10ibs during this one so I'm right on track to gain 20-25 ibs. during the pregnancy we'll see how it goes. My Dr. and I have had so many discussions about all of the recommended servings and food related conversations because it's my 1st pregnancy and I have a ton of questions, worries etc.! She has a really relaxed attitude about getting all of the food groups and basically told me that if I'm taking my Pre-Natals, eating when i'm hungry (not just eating to eat you only need about 200 additional calories/day the first and second trimesters and most people are over eating that many calories/day to start with and over eating food groups without even knowing because our portion control is so out of control) and drinking plenty of water (alot of people don't get enough water and the body signaling for more is sometimes mistaken for hungar when it really needs water) that she isn't concerned either way. So I wouldn't worry too much about getting all of those food groups, but do the best you can and don't starve yourself! I'm with the other women when they say each women is different and each pregnancy is different but you also have to really watch the blood pressure issues and diabeties especially if your have a family history so good for you for starting now if it's out of control! You can fix it and continue through all happy and healthy! Good luck!

Sarah - posted on 01/20/2010

Mary, I'm in the same boat as you! With my first pregnancy I gained almost 60 lbs. This time around I've been sicker, more active (chasing a 20month old), and in general eating healthier (from trying to lose the weight after the first baby). I did get back down to my weight before I got pregnant again, but at 18 weeks I have gained less than 5 lbs so far. Try walking, watching portion sizes... I have a Wii Fit Plus that I love for getting some activity in! SOOOO much fun! Good luck, don't stress about it! My doctor is pushing me to gain more, and I just can't... I think his pressure is stressing me and that's part of the problem?

ME - posted on 01/20/2010

With my first pregnancy, I gained 52 lbs...I am 34 weeks preg. now with my second child, and have gained 22 lbs....I have done nothing differently ACCEPT maybe exercised LESS this time...I am a vegetarian; so, I pretty much always eat healthy foods...I think that controlling weight gain is very difficult, just like controlling other aspects of pregnancy and delivery is difficult...DO NOT beat yourself up, just do your best!

Jennifer - posted on 01/20/2010

eating for two is definately a myth. your body needs about 300-400 extra calories a day to suppor the baby. thats NOTHING. like a peice of cheese and an apple.

Vivian - posted on 01/20/2010

take a 45 minutue brisk walk I do about two miles five days a week and do some prenatal yoga, eat more fiber or whole grains, don't eat late at night and stay away from junk food. I had same problem with the weight gain and these things helped me to lose a little and sustain a healthy weight. plus the prenatal yoga is good for getting your pelvis region stretched and in a ready comfortable position for child birth. I usuallt do a fruit and yogurt smoothie in the morning with a high fiber cerel kashi go lean, organic raisin bran etc. the fiber helps keep your bowels regular as some prego women get constipated and there are lots of antioxidants in the smoothie especially if you use blueberries. Sometimes i have eggs with spinach mushrooms and cheese with whole wheat toast and apple slices. I switch to vanilla soy milk cause regulas milk gave me really bad heart burn. I can buy a case of organic vanilla soy at costco for $12.00 and it'll last me more than a month. I use it over the cerel and in the smoothie I do miss regular milk but the calories are less and I don't miss the heartburn. try not to eat after 7pm as your metabolism works mainly at night and during your sleep so the late night calories don't really get burned. drink lots of water, sure youve heard that befor lol. anyhow you may also want to consider the portions you are eating. they say youre eating for two but seriously what they really mean is make sure you have enough folic acid and nutrients to share with your growing baby. anyhow I hope this info helps a little best resort is to also ask your doc what you can do. take care

Jennifer - posted on 01/19/2010

you are going to gain weight. it is inevitable. Some women gain alot. some dont gain much at all. it depends on your body and WHAT you eat. do NOT cut back on eating to keep from gaining. dieting in any way while preggo is dangerous. try not to eat snack foods ( candy, chips, cookies, soda) but if you are already eating a good diet, and still gaining, then there is not much you can do.