Weight Gain and Pregnancy?????

Hi All,

I've been with CC for almost 2 yrs. (this Oct.) anyways since my time I've lost 100lbs.  I am now 9 weeks pregnant and I'm SCARED to step on the scale anymore, I haven't been working out (only walking) and I'm ALWAYS hungry (NO JOKE!).  I stepped on the scale about a week after finding out I was pregg and it said I had gained 7lbs. can this be??? lord knows how much I must've gained by now then :(  This is my 3rd child and with my other 2 I didn't gain too much weight, and I wasn't hungry all the time.  I also didn't really care what I ate with the other 2, but since I'm always hungry and eat all the time I always feel guilty like I"m going to make this baby HUGE! :(.  I try to eat healthy but I've had some of the bad stuff as well.....I look huge for being only 9 weeks maybe, its just fat (although I've been told it looks like a preggo tummy, not a flabby one)  or maybe it was twins (highly unlikely i know!)  anyways I'm going to put a picture in my gallery, if you wouldn't mind telling me if you think I'm too big for 9 weeks? and any other suggestions or comforting stories so I stop feeling so darn guilty!  Thanks

While it is true that fat cells mostly develop in utero as well as during adolescence, I think it is much to early to worry about "making this baby huge".  There are a lot of things your body does in order to prepare and support pregnancy. I'd say a lot of what you are seeing is hormonal ....just like the weight gain and bloating a lot of women (myself especially) get when it is close to that time of the month. I have only been pregnant one time and being short in stature and running out of room (doctor's words exactly) for my stomach...ending up throwing up on 1/2 glass of water and having to have IV for dehydration...I didn't gain much at all and it was NOT healthy AT ALL because I couldn't eat and the developing baby didn't get what he needed...now he's disabled. Sorry, I cannot supply a don't worry pregnancy story for you but I think it is safe to say you are going to gain weight! You need to think about what you are putting into your body though. Think about natural non-processed foods and divide up your food so you are scheduled to eat about every 2.5 hours. Get an idea of the caloric need you have from your OB-GYN or some other professional and find ways to eat within that caloric budget. In the end, you may have a few extra pounds to get rid of but I bet if you follow a daily calorie goal it won't take much to get back where you are now.

I'd wager a bet that if 1/3 of your snacks...or mini-meals were based on salads you'd not feel guilty and eating fresh, raw, leafy greens allows you to eat more volume so it takes longer to chew and you will hopefully feel a bit more satisfied and don't forget it gives developing baby a lot of natural folic acid for healthy brain development. Also think about eating homemade healthy soups like vegetable soup..again it is high in volume but low in calories and IF you make it at home you get to control how much salt goes into the pot. For snacks and that incurable sweet tooth, check out kasha granola or soft fruit bars. Kasha products as a general rule have fiber and protein both which keep you feeling a bit more full for a little longer. And by eating natural whole grain based sweets, maybe you can get rid of some of the guilt you are feeling.

In the end, being pregnant is hard work and your body needs energy to do it. Enjoy it and embrace it...be thankful you can eat and nourish your unborn with the things it needs and try to keep the things it doesn't need to a minimum....like salty/fatty quick meals from mcdonalds or from hamburger helper or nitrates from cold cuts.

Good luck.

Everyone is different in the way they gain pregnancy weight. I personally didn't show with my first until I was almost 7 months pregnant however, with my second, I was showing at 4.5 months. I hadn't gained any weight by 9 weeks. I did, however, gain almost all my weight during the second trimester (in my most recent pregnancy). Typical weight gain by 12 weeks is between 0 and 5 pounds. You only have 3 weeks left in the first trimester so even though you've gained 7 already, it's not that much more than what is "normal".

Obviously, you'll be showing much earlier since this is not your first pregnancy. You may be bloated and retaining water which are both early pregnancy symptoms. Maybe you are carrying twins, who knows?

The important thing is to eat when you're hungry as long as you're eating healthy foods. Drink a glass of water before eating to make sure that it is actually hunger and not a craving. I think you need to worry less about how you look and more about being as healthy as possible. I know it's easier said than done but you need to worry about that baby :)

If your doctor feels you're gaining excessively, he or she will let you know and probably offer some advice. At one point in my pregnancy, I gained 16 pounds in 6 weeks and my doctor said "walk more, eat less." Hah! Staying active will also help curb the weight gain but, more importantly, will help with labor and weight loss afterward.

Congratulations :)

I completely share your fears.  This is my first pregnancy and I am almost 14weeks now, I feel huge and I am terrified of stepping on the scale or even going shopping.

I joined CC a long time ago, in the first year I was very diligent I lost 30lbs I only had 20lbs left until my goal weight, I went abroad for a year and wasn't able to count very much but the weight was slowly trickling down still I managed to get down another 10lbs to 152lbs at my height of 5'6 there was still a little extra padding but I felt good and I entered the healthy BMI range for the first time ever.  Since returning home a year ago my weight had already skyrocketed to 172lbs without me even noticing I had been trying to get back on track but the diligence I had before it's missing I kept telling myself when summer came I'd be able to exercise more it would all get better...

With the baby at my last doctors appointment I'm now up to 178lbs.  I went to buy some new clothes at the maternity store I had to get size large!  I am constantly hungry and the cravings for junk food are unreal, though the naseau is easing up now the first 3 months I could only eat very select things without puking none of them any good for me or the baby (chicken/pork in any form was out the only thing I could stomach for weeks was kraft dinner and taco bell tacos!)

I try to keep active, but my yoga teacher has essentially demoted me to the remedial program so I don't even break a sweat even when I insist I am comfortable with the poses, my husband doesn't want me cycling the 6km to work alone and he will rarely go out with me, and hiking on the weekends does not seem to be enough for the gobbling monster I've become *sigh*

Megan I feel your pain, I am pregnant with my first. I have always struggled with my weight, I initially only planed to gain 20 pounds through out my whole pregnancy but now I am seven months and have already gained 20 pounds! I did not gain any weight during my first trimester and have just recently gained the weight (over the past two months), like the other said, eat healthy, avoid foods that are high in fat and low in nutritional context also try to eat foods high in fiber which will make you feel fuller. Hope this helps!