First trimester weight gain

For all of you moms who have recently gone through the fun of the first trimester, did any of you intentionally try to maintain your weight during the first 13 weeks?  The more I look around the more I see recommendations to only gain 0-5 lbs and to eat 0-85 calories more.  I would rather not gain until the second trimester as I'm still running and don't feel like carrying around more weight than I have to.  I'm 5'6" and have been staying in the 127-129 lb range.  I'm almost in my 7th week and haven't had any symptoms except eating more frequently so that I don't get dizzy and growing out of all of my sports bras!  I plan on asking my doctor lots of questions, but my first appointment isn't until December 23.  My friends give me weird looks when I tell them I don't want to gain yet and tell me that I just need to let my body do what it wants to do.  Obviously I don't want to hurt the baby by not eating enough, but if being careful during the first trimester doesn't hurt anything I would much rather go that route.  I'd love to hear anyone's experience and advice on this!  Thanks.

The only weight gain you should be gaining in the first trimester is about 5 pounds, and that's due to breast growth and water retention. There really isn't any necessary weight gain in the first trimester, you see, because the baby/uterus/placenta/amniotic fluid etc. (anything baby related that causes weight gain!) is all still very tiny and not contributing to any sort of weight gain, except maybe a pound or up to.

Your body DOES need to store extra fat during pregnancy, but I think that generally comes on later.

Don't try to diet - I strongly recommend eating exactly what your daily caloric needs are (most generally somewhere around 2,000). That's not insane, that's simply healthy. Make sure it's full of healthy food and not wasted calories!!

I'm currently 30 weeks and 2 days with my 3rd child, and I wish I could practice what I preach - I'm 5'10 and started out at about 145 pounds, and I'm up at 190 now. Yeesh! But I gained a ton of weight with both my other two children, and lost all of it (and then some with my second). I also think pregnancy causes some of us to just gain, due to thyroid changes, water retention, extra fat stores your body deems necessary, etc. I gained about 10 pounds in my first trimester with this pregnancy. With my first pregnancy, I lost 10 pounds in the first trimester (due to being so violently ill all day with morning sickness). And my baby was born completely healthy!!

Try not to worry excessively about calorie intake and weight gain, but be smart. Whatever excess you do gain, don't worry, you can take it off after your baby is born. Just make sure you ARE getting what you need for you and your baby (and a little extra is okay!) to ensure a healthy baby and a healthy you!

Thanks, Coconutpia.  That was very helpful.  I think part of my problem is that with my activity levels (I exercise 6-7 days a week) I have days that CC tells me that I burn 2700+ calories (like when I do a long run on the weekend).  I've been eating 2000-2200 calories of really good food, but I also have a feeling that I'm undereating just a bit.  Partly I don't trust CC's numbers because they didn't seem to match up before I was pregnant but partly, with feeling constantly bloated I don't think I could even get that much down.  Hopefully I'll figure out some balance somewhere... probably just in time to start gaining. 

one of the drawbacks to this site is that they don't take into account pregnant women. Unless you are loosing weight, I think your current cal intake/expenditure isn't too horrid. Baby will suck all the nutrients it can though, so I recommend a pre natal vitamin to help you out. If they make you sick then you can take a Flinstones vitamin. Of course ask your doctor and follow THE DOCTORS instructions, but these are just my observations. Congradulations!

PS don't worry about gaining too much weight. If you eat healthy and keep a mild-moderate activity level you shouldn't have too much to worry about. It will also help with delivery!

My advice:  eat when you're hungry, stop before you're full, and snack when you get between meal hunger.  It's pretty straightforward, really.  Your body should respond appropriately--I gained 10lbs in the first trimester, 15ish in the second, and maybe 8-10 in the third.  My first tri gain was high, but I went from hard core working out (100+ mile bike rides) to walking for exercise (due to fatigue and elevated heart rate with my old routine).  Anyway, best of luck!

I think I gained 3-5 lbs in my first trimester with this baby and nothing with my first because I was sick all the time. Your friends may think you're crazy for not gaining weight right away but your doctor won't and that's more important. Think about how little that baby is...the size of a grape!...there is really no reason to gain weight except for that whole water retention thing or needing to cut back on exercise because of fatigue.