A "Weighty Subject"--Weight Gain during pregnancy! What are your thoughts?

[peekawho]

Here's a short Health Page that may begin to answer a few questions on a subject that nearly every newly pregnant woman worries about.  
Feel free to add your own opinions on the subject!  

http://www.medhelp.org/health_pages/Parenting/Weight-Gain-and-Pregnancy/show/1205?cid=71

Here's the link for our Pregnancy Application http://www.medhelp.org/forums/apps/152?user_app_type=MyPregnancy .  It tracks your weight gain in a graph!  Take a look & download it today - you won't be disappointed.

[seattlemom2plus]

Last week I found out that I have gained 11 pounds so far.  I started at 137 and I am now 148.  The first trimester yes I had to eat whatever would stay down.  So granted I was eating some odd things for me... going from saltines to meat.  I have some food diversions now to chocolate that I didn't have before.  I usually gain about 30-35 pounds as my normal.  How is everyone else doing so far?

[angela418]

Joy - I got one of those mugs at the hospital when I had my son and used it all the time when he was an infant...especially when I was nursing...boy did that make me thirsty!  Thanks for the reminder - I should get it back out again...it's now in my son's tupperware cabinet in the kitchen...we call it "Paul's cabinet"..the only one he's allowed to play in.  LOL

[JoyRenee]

Is it bad that this thread is making me hungry?! LOL! One very difficult thing to overcome when pregnant is constantly feeling hungry. I always try to remember to drink water before I reach for something but I think we also have to remember that 6 small meals is ideal for our shrinking stomachs (and helps keep that nasty heartburn at bay!).

Angela - I have a big mug (a plastic one) that I got at my last birth. I know it's 32-ounces so I try to drink about 3-4 of them a day. Perhaps if you get a special mug or cup that has the ounces marked on it it can help keep track of water intake. If I don't pay attention then I have no idea how much I got during the day and I make up for it at night before bed which means waking in the middle of the night with a very, very full bladder. Ugh, hate that!

[angela418]

I started my first pregnancy at 117 and finished at 149-150.  I was really pleased that I did not go over 150.  I was ONE pound away from my pre-pregnancy weight, at 118, when I fell pregnant with my second.  I hope to stay on the same track that I was with my first baby.  So far, it seems I will be.  I don't try to keep my weight down or diet or anything like that during pregnancy, but I certainly don't over-eat.  I have always been conscious of what I eat - though during pregnancies, I tend to eat a little more "junk" - the baby needs the calories after all. ;-)  My husband and I joke about "Angela-approved" foods in the house.  Though, in the first trimester, I ate whatever would stay down - and usually that was peanut butter and jelly or pimento cheese sandwiches, and a lot of bland foods like plain oatmeal or plain toast.  Now, I can finally eat whatever without it being a problem, so it's nice I can get in balanced meals again!  I do need to drink more water, though.  With my first pregnancy I was always drinking water, but this time around, I haven't been as good with it.  Maybe writing this will motivate me to drink like I am supposed to! :-)

[peekawho]

Here's a good video on the subject, although the title doesn't quite match the content.  

http://www.medhelp.org/health_videos/Early-Weight-Gain-Could-Help-Pregnancy/show/3256

[JoyRenee]

Pregnancy is just so unique for every woman. I gained 50-60 lbs with my first daughter but with my second (who was also my largest baby) I gained the least at 24 lbs. Both were full-term. My youngest, ironically, I can't remember what I gained. I think it was under 30lbs.

I think we just need to watch our water intake, make sure we meet our target calories (which are different for mothers of multiples) and eat a balanced diet. Even women who are so careful with their diet might still gain upward of 50 lbs. I'm not entirely sure why that is but first thought is genetics.

I also know that decades ago the consensus was to gain as little as possible and women would starve themselves while pregnant thus having babies with very low birth weight. So our current thinking on average birth weights has to adjust as women in this decade are told to gain certain amounts based on their starting weight and babies are being born at averages of 8 lbs or so rather than 5 and 6 lbs of many years ago.

Right now, in the 1st trimester, my midwife instructed me to just eat what stays down. Of course I have to do this smartly. For me carbs settle my stomach so air-popped popcorn (no butter) with sea salt is a good alternative to chips or pretzel or something like that. I'm interested to hear about other healthy snacks that keep morning sickness at bay!