Managing Weight Durning Pregnancy

I had a weight problem close to the end of my pregnancy. I developed some health issues because I had put on almost 60 pounds. My doctor put me on a diet of grilled, baked, or broiled fish and chicken along with fruits and veggies, and a gallon of water a day (or as much as you can drink). It really helped and I actually lost a few pounds and felt really good. Good Luck

Every one is different when it comes to weight gain. I was 125 when I got prego with my daughter, worked about 60 hrs a week on my feet (40 hrs was more physical work) ate healthier than I did before and was at 200lbs when I had her!!! Now with my son I was at 135, didn't work (didn't do much physical at all besides walking) and only gained about 45 lbs with him!! Is it because one was a boy and other a girl?? Don't know!! Just eat healthy foods like fruits and veggies, don't give into all of the sweet cravings if you get them and keep on walking a mile or so every other day as long as you feel comfortable doing so.

Congrats on the baby and good luck!!
S.

Talk to your doctor and nurse practitioner about the eating plan for women with gestational diabetes. It's a VERY healthy pregnancy eating plan designed to keep women from ballooning too much and ingesting too much sugar and sodium. You don't have to have gestational diabetes to follow it. I would walk one or two miles at least 3 times a week if not more. Talk to your doctor about that too though -it depends on your current fitness level as to what they want you to do. If you can, swimming is a really great exercise during pregnancy -you burn lots of calories and it takes stress off of your joints.

Hey T.,

I am a mother of four and have 8 years experience in the OB/GYN field so I would suggest that you drink 64 oz of water a day, STAY AWAY FROM SODIUM as much as you can and try to eat 6-8 small meals a day that consists of protein and veggies and fruits. That way you will fill full all the time and it allows your blood sugar to remain the same throughout the day and not jump up and down sporatically. Also, keep up your walking and don't forget your dairy products.

Congratulations and I hope you have a GREAT remaining 8 months.

My thoughts are that if you eat when you're hungry and don't when you're not -- and eat healthy things. Exercise is also very important. Walking is great -- you can walk at a "slow burn" or step it up and really get an aerobic workout. Definitely, pregnancy is not the time to be trying to "manage weight" as in keep it down. Just keep in mind that much of the weight you gain will be the baby and his/her support system. You want to be as HEALTHY as possible. The good news about having a baby is that you can nurse the baby once it comes -- which is a great calorie burner!

(Your OB will have a lot to say if you mention your weight concerns. They will have dealt with the question before and should be able to provide you with information.)

Good luck and congratulations!!!

Walking is great during pregnancy. Just remember all you need extra for the baby is 1/2 of a pb&j sandwich a day, if even that. Alot of people that I know that were in your weight range pre-pregnancy. Naturally gained 10-15 lbs because they didn't need any extra weight. This was without diet & exercise.

If I where you I will talk to my doctor on puting you in a diet and that way you can control your weight and at the same time eating healthy since now you are eating for two.

Congrats!! I don't know if you have read any pregnancy books, but "Your Pregnancy Week by Week" helped me. It tells you how much you should gain each week/month and makes recommendations on what to eat. Just make sure you drink plenty of water and keep walking every day!! Good luck!!

J.

Hi T.,

I am no expert in any this, so I'm only speaking from my own personal experience. During my pregnancy, I did pregnancy yoga and walked. The yoga I did wasn't through a class but was a book ("yoga for pregnancy, birth and beyond"). Though a class would have had its own distinct benefits, the book was great, and it enabled me to do a little every day rather than wait for my next appointment. I recommend yoga because it's relaxing, strengthening, and increases your flexibility (huge during labor). The book did a great job describing the benefits of certain poses/exercises and had a section for help with pregnancy related discomfort (this one stretch saved me from a developing sciatic nerve problem). The walking I did actually was on the job (managing a large clothing/home store), so it wasn't as focused as your mile walk probably is, but I think the point is to get out and move on a daily basis.

The other part of a healthy pregnancy, of course, is your diet. I too recommend the www.blueribbonbaby.org website (mentioned by the doula in another response). My Bradley Method birthing class recommended Dr. Brewer's diet, and I followed it with some modifications. I gained within the recommended range during my pregnancy and had no complications (and I didn't eliminate salt from my diet!).
I understood the philosophy of Dr Brewer's to be that proper nutrition (balance) is MOST important during pregnancy (rather than the avoidance of certain things). The Brewer's diet is a pro-protein diet and there is some research supporting pregnancy health and fetal development to adequate protein consumption by expecting mothers. In fact, the complications often related to too much salt (bloating, preeclampsia, etc) appear to be avoided through this nutritional plan. Besides the recommendations of the Brewer's diet, I stayed away from high fructose corn syrup and had minimal caffeine. I doubt those two had any effect on my weight gain, but it seemed like a healthier approach to feeding my baby.

The best way to keep your weight down is eat more vegatables and drink a lot of water. Also eat fruit. Have the six small meals and don't sanck on a lot of junk. When you feel you want something sweet get something with little sugar in it. just do some walking always keep exercise in your routine. I think that way only baby fat will you have and not weight you have to worry about.

Congratulations!I am now 35 weeks along and was the same weight as you starting out. This is my 3rd baby. I am now 218. It seems like every pregnancy is so differant. With my first I gained 65, second 85 and this one 43 so far. I was active with all my pregnancies & ate good. If you have a health diet, get good rest your body will do what it is supose to, and you'll get back to normal later. Your baby is the #1 priority. If you are eating healthy and still walking you won't need to "diet" Just enjoy this time... relax! I have had 2 healthy 9lb babies and currently I think this is another one..... don't get scared about you baby size either alot has to do with genetics. My hubby and I were both over 10lbs when we were born and I"m 5'10 and he's 6'2. Good luck!!

I have had 4 children ranging from 17 to 6 and 1 more on the way. I am 4 months pregnant and i have to tell you the best way to manage your weight is watch what you eat. Exercising is great, keep that up as long as you are comfortable. If your doctor has no concerns, you shouldnt either, you will drive your self crazy. I have gained 5 pounds from my original weight and i eat what i want within moderation and stay away from salt and MSG. Drink plenty of water, eat lots of fruit and veggies, keep your red meat intake to a minimum, you can get you protiens in other ways. I say this because red meat is harder to digest. Stay away from steaky fish(Tuna, Shark ect,) because of the mercury, and eat frozen yogurt more than you would ice cream. Never miss a meal. Remember your baby needs all the nutrients you can give, stay happy and active. Good Luck and Congrads!!
Georgia Mom

Keep in touch with your doctor about your concerns with weight and exercise. Although people are more than happy to share their advice with you, nothing is more important than listening to your own body and your doctor.

A.

Hi T.,

Go to the gym and sign up for a personal trainer. They can give you a list of meals that will give you the calories to eat for 2 instead of us just thinking that we need to eat for 2. Start there.

Take care and God bless!

I can completely relate! After gaining entirely too much the first two pregnancies, I did much better with my last few. In fact, with two of them, I actually lost weight. (Example, beginning weight = 200, gain 15 pounds during pregnancy, leave hospital at 190.) For me, the trick was eating lots of fresh veggies and lean turkey meat (like turkey lunch meat). The turkey meat is high in protein, but low in carbs and sugar. I also ate a LOT of canned or frozen spinach, because I can't tolerate iron pills. The spinach helps fill me up, it doesn't add weight, it is not constipating like the iron pills are, and it adds lots of iron and vitamins for the baby. Avoid juices, unless you can control yourself to only 6-8 ounces a day. The sugar in the juice will really pack on the pounds. Avoid sugar, unless it's in the form of an apple or orange or something. Eat lots of carrots, celery, cabbage, broccoli. I avoided pasta and rice, but I did eat baked potatoes, just not every day. Eat lots of salads. Tuna fish is also great - especially if you eat it on healty bread - avoid plain white bread. The multi-grains are really good for you. Hope some of this helps!

Hi T.,
First I want to say Congratulations!

Second - I really think that all you can do is continue your walking for as long as you can, and just eat really healthy. I have had three children and with the first I ate whatever I wanted, when I wanted and as much as I wanted. And man on man did it show at the end of the pregnancy. I stopped counting how much I gained at about 40 pounds...I think I ended up gaining 46. With my 2nd I only gained 22 ( but I was sick for the first 5 months) and with my 3rd - I gained 28. The only thing I did was eat healthy. That's not to say that I had perfect eating habits - I just believe in everything in moderation!

Good luck!

Congratulations T.!
I agree with the PP. Keep walking and try to eat 5-6 small, healthy meals a day rather than the 3 big meals. I am a bigger girl and I only gained 16lbs with my daughter, so it can be done!! 3 big meals can make you feel overly full when you get farther along in your pregnancy and can actually make you hungrier! I really watched what I ate and thought of it as "whatever I'm eating my baby is eating". You wouldn't want your baby to eat doritos all day long right? So I lived on fresh fruits, veggies, cottage cheese and pitas or wraps, which are better than regular bread for sandwiches. Try to get your partner involved too, it will make it so much easier on you! Good luck and let us know how you are doing!

How wonderful that you are expecting a new little one. I suggest you read a book called "The diet cure" by Julia Ross MA . She stresses how important it is to eat the right foods and not limit calories. She has another called the Mood Cure that is real good also.

I am a mother of 4 ranging from 25 to 19 N. P

Hi T.,

Great big congratulations on your first baby!!!! I think the walking is excellent and something that you could continue to do throughout pregnancy. Yoga is great for preparing your mind and body for this awesome journey. Try looking into some prenatal yoga classes in your area.
Meditate daily with your favorite cup of herbal tea and take some relaxing herbal bath soaks to keep your stress levels down (most people overeat when stressed)
The obvious is cut out refined sugars and flours completely and instead opt for fresh veggies, fruits and stay away form all things processed which is difficult to do in the US today, but it's something that we as a family are managing. I have a small mamas group that is free to join where we talk about all things natural and healthy, including foods, herbs, and just staying healthy in general. Here's the link
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/mamas-with-questions/ All are welcome!

Love C.
www.LostRiverNaturals.com
~Organic Goodness for the Whole Family

My suggestion and what worked for me was to eat healthy and don't over eat. Listen to your doctor about calories needed and try to stay around that daily allowance of food. Drink plenty of water and stay busy. If you sit around you may be more likely to want to boredom eat. I only gained 30 lbs during my pregnancy and it was all belly. The healthier you eat the more energy you'll have too. Don't obsess over the weight but keep it in the back of your mind before you eat 2 burgers, large fries, and suck down a shake. Hopefully you'll get cravings for foods that are good for both you and your baby. Good luck!

ITA with Rebekah O. And if you crave it, you should eat it. Within reason off course. Stay away from processed foods, HFCS, etc. Eat as much veg & fruit as you want. I followed the brewer diet, also. Not to a "t", but as a guideline. I also did yoga, which not only helped with maintaining my muscles, but also did a lot to help me focus during birth. (I had a homebirth, no drugs)

Also, breastfeeding helped me loss any weight afterwards. A year later I'm down below my pre-pregnancy weight of 170.

T.,
Congratulations on your 'Babykins!' I think it's great you're walking a mile, but you don't say how often. I'd encourage you to do this at least 5 times a week. Exercise in pregnancy can equal fewer contractions and less pain in labor.

Now, nutrition. I would encourage you to not work to "manage" your weight, but to concentrate on nutrition and there's a huge difference. A really good website on nutrition in pregnancy is http://www.blueribbonbaby.org/. Dr. Brewer came up with a great nutritional plan. The thing to remember, not every woman needs the same amount of calories, so you have to adjust it to your life. But, it gives you a plan for eating well. When I was pregnant with my last daughter, I was also practicing as a homebirth midwife. I really liked the Brewer diet, but knew I didn't need all those calories. So.... I ate when I was hungry and stopped when I was full. But, I made my choices from the list. So, if I was light on vegetables, that was the first thing I ate next. I found 2 really good leafy green vegetables and made sure I had at least 2 servings each day.

Choose to eat only nutritious foods and you may be pleasantly surprised at how good you feel and how well you and Babykins will do.

Hope this helps,
D. S (mom to 5, granny to 2, CBE, doula, CLC)

I started at 171 pounds for this pregnancy, my 3rd. I am 5'7" tall. I am now 30 weeks and and up 14 pounds. My goal for the pregnancy is about 20 pounds, but if I make it to 25...oh well. The main thing is not to pig out. I have more than a few friends that packed on 50 pounds. They have, for the most part, now lost that weight, but it was hard fought. Stay away from sugar/fat rich foods for your late night snack. Don't make too many trips for ice cream or any dessert, and you'll gain just what you need. Now is not the time to diet! Try to breast feed, and I mean really stick with it, even if you need a lactation consultant. That alone will help you out so much once your bundle is here. Good Luck :-)

As you know, it's very important to stay fit and healthy during your pregnancy. If you do, the easier your labor and delivery will go for you and this also means your body will recover easier from the delivery of your baby! Keep up with the daily walks however you may want to consider water aerobics as well. It's a great way to exercise for expecting mothers because you are not only keeping active but as your belly grows you will become increasingly un-comfortable, so to get in the pool and be weightless and to release the pressure on your back and hips is a wonderful feeling! Most hospitals with pools have these aerobics classes. You can also check with your local YMCA. A lot of these water aerobics classes are geared around expecting mothers as well! It's also important to drink a lot of water and to take your prenatal vitamins. Most women who start off heavier tend to gain less weight then women who start off very small and ultimatly have more weight they need to gain. As long as your eating healthy and staying active you should be ok. As your cravings kick in this is where you need to watch things. Don't completly deny yourself of your cravings. It's all about moderation. If you are craving a banana split then get one. Just don't eat it all. Have a few bites and then put it in the freezer. This way if the craving crosses you again you can take it out and have a few bites and then put it away for next time. You will do great! I'm sure of it. Most women become concerned about weight gain and the changes in their body. As long as you are exercising and being careful with the foods your eating then every now and then you will be able to indulge yourself. They suggest women gain 25 - 35 pounds during pregnancy. Keep track of your weight and what your eating and keep active and busy!! Also, listen to your OB. They know what they're talking about!! Even the men OB's!!

Hi T.,
Congrats! Your life is about to change in such a wonderful and great way! My dogs were my babies before I had my little girl too:) They will still be your babies:) First thing for your question...Make sure you are not getting ANY artifical sweetners. They go by various names such as aspartame, splenda, surcrolose, etc. But they all have the same effect, they are neurotoxins and really damage your body, plus the baby. Drink lots of water! If you dont like plain water, try vitamin water. It only has natural sugars in it. Try to dilute it down at first so your getting more 'plain' water. Have you ever heard of the Magic Bullet? It is a blender/processor and does smoothies and other foods wonderfully. If you get a sweet craving, make yourself a smoothie with banana, strawberry, blueberry (whatever you like). Add some yogurt (again, watch for the artifical sweetners) to it and its a very healthy and sweet snack for the both of you:) Try to limit the junk food you bring in the house. This will help with tempation. Offer yourself lots of fruits and veggies. Find your favorite and keep it around all the time. You wont eat too much veggies! If you do well with small quantiys, allow your self to have a quarter piece or even more of chocolate sometimes. If you dont do well with the limits, buy a bag that had the little ones in it and tell your husband to hide it. Tell him to give you one a day/every other. My point is, dont think you cant have ANY thing that is 'non healthy'. You certainly want to take care of yourself and your baby but you do need to treat yourself occassionly:) The walking is great too. If you can do this daily it will really help out. If you cant actually go on a walk, make it up by parking farther away from the store or school and you will get more steps in. Just as a side note, if you are not under chiropractic care, give it a try. It is so good for you and your baby. It also makes labor amazingly better! Your body changes a lot during pregnancy, its great to have this extra care and support for your body. Best of luck to you and your new little one. I'm sure you'll be a wonderful mother:)

I too watched my weight during all of my pregnancies. I was overweight when I got pregnant and didn't want to gain too much weight. I gained 12 lbs with my first, 22 with my second and so far 2 with this one ( I am 26wks along.) Best advice I got was to eat a protein with every carb. It helps to digest them. I had gestational diabeted with my first and learned so much about eating habits. Cookies and milk didn't increase my sugar like a slice of pizza. If you try to eat as healthy as possible and if you do give into your craving (which we all do) make sure to eat a protein with them. A glass of milk, or lean meat with a slice of pizza.. Balance. It can be done you just have to may attention to what you are eating. Nothing new right . hehe Good Luck

I know this sounds crazy and simple at the same time, but don't eat cereal for breakfast. That was the advice from one of my obgyns. She said she can always tell who eats cereal, bc they gain the most weight. And, from my friends who ate cereal vs not the cereal eaters gained more. Her thoghts were that they thought they were eating healthy, but would eat larger portions. I am overweight, but during my pregancy I only gained 20-25 lbs and the last 10 was during the last 4 weeks due to gestational diabetes, and I had a 10lb 5oz baby! And I never ate cereal for breakfast during the pregnancy. Enjoy being pregnant! It is truly an awesome time!

Do concentrate on a well balanced diet with adequate protein and plenty of vegetables & fruits. Limite fried foods, bread and suggary deserts. Do not drink soda pop as the calories really add up. Try to drink your 8 glasses of water a day. Stay away from the artifical sweeteners. Your OB should be able to give you a written diet that will supply enough of what's needed. Take your PreNatal vitamins each day amd continue walking. Good luck with your pregnancy. V.

Don't stress about it too much, but do watch what you eat. I found it helpful to eat three smaller meals and plan on a snack in between meals and before bedtime. That way I didn't eat my normal three large meals and still want snacks too. I also tried really hard to eat fruit or veggies for a majority of my snacks. That was really hard for me since I'm not a huge fan of either, but I reminded myself daily that I was doing it for baby AND had a few splurges here and there to stay sane. Just remember too that breastfeeding helps you loose lots of weight after baby is here!!!

T.,
It is realistic to expect to gain some weight during pregnancy. What we do not know is if 175 is a healthly weight for you or if you are a little overweight at 175lbs. Either way you can maintain a very healthy pregnancy and minimize the weight gain by eating smaill frequent meals during the day that are healthy. Lots of fresh fruits and vegtabls thru out the day and cut out desserts, sugar and processed foods, potoato chips and things like that. Then you could step up your workout to more than 1 mile / day. While it is great that you are getting in that exercise if you could do 2-3 miles / day and that would be great addition since you are still so early in pregnancy. Keep it easy, so to be careful not to elevate your heart rate to much. Lastly, drink tons of water!! That will help eliminate water weight gain and if you get started on that habit now it will be best in the end. I hope that will help and honestly everyone is different in terms of weight gain so instead of looking at the scale just make healthly choices and you know then when the pregnancy is over you will drop the weight since it was all healthy foods. Also, look into breast feeding it will help get the weight off once the bundle of joy arrives.
Congratulation and good luck,
S.