my first pregnancy

T

Tonilah

Active Member
hi ladies...

i am 34 years old and a fitness instructor. I teach cardio/toning classes two times a week. I complement that with 2 extra days of cardio.

Well, now i'm 5 months pregnant, and i can't believe how much weight i've put on. i've gained almost 30 pounds and i'm starting to really feel embarrased when i go to the gym. My boobs have exploded, my flat abs are history, and my thighs are getting chunky....i understand why my boobs are getting bigger, but there's no baby in my thighs, so why are they getting bigger?

My diet's not THAT bad. It's been hard to eat healthy because i've been having a lot of food aversions...especially to red meat, sea food...and well, healthy food :(

i can just imagine if i've gained 30 pounds by this point what my body will look like 4 months from now. I just get totally depressed, and i know that i should be feeling happy...which makes me feel totaly guilty for obsessing over my body instead of being happy over the baby.

I still teach, and i still workout on my own...why am i gaining so much weight???? i'm averaging about 6lbs a month...is that normal? is something totally off? i didn't realize that it was possible to gain that much weight in so little time.

this is my first pregnancy, and i did hear from someone that you gain the most with your first.....but i still am feeling embarrased over my changing body.
 
I wouldn't worry so much and obsess over your weight while you're pregnant. As long as you don't run into any health problems like diabetes or high blood pressure, I wouldn't be overly concerned about your diet esp. if you know you're eating pretty well and excercising. Since you're already fit, you'll lose the weight after you give birth so don't fret. Enjoy your pregnancy and the baby growing inside of you!

Lisa
 
Don't stress out!! I gained 50 with my first and about 42 lbs. with my second and third. I was able to lose all the extra weight with my first two, and now only have 4 lbs. left to lose with my third baby I had in Jan.

It is strange to watch your body change so drastically, and it does have an impact on you emotionally, so try not to feel guilty. Pregnancy (and all those changing hormones) causes enormous physical and emotional changes.

Try to enjoy the miracle of your pregnancy and what your body is able to do. Once you've had your baby, you can get back to your prepreggo size and marvel at how your body can change back.

Hope that's helpful. Congratulations to you on your first pregnancy and best of luck:)
Stacey

Ryan born 1/2/07
Emma born 4/27/03
Alex born 9/7/01
 
Congratulations!!

I know how you feel, don't fret the weight will come off especially
since you are fit for one and you care.
I had my first 18 months ago and was surprised how in the first trimester my thighs put on weight and my upper arms seemed to too.
Your body puts on what it needs to support the pregnancy. It is
temporary if you work out and eat as healthy as possible which can be
hard especially with all the turn off's ,etc. I ended up putting on
24lbs.. I had the worst case of insomnia that started as early as
8 weeks pregnant. It was terrible and I would end up eating in the
middle of the night just from boredom. I am now 35 weeks pregnant
and have put the same amount of weight on as I did with my daughter
and I am sleeping this time around or as much as you can expect
for the final weeks. I am also chasing a toddler and not eating half
as much as I was the first time. You will be surprised how your body
does bounce back. The weight does come off and you will be thrilled
with your newborn. Also if you are hungry eat, even if it seems
like you are always eating. You shouldn't feel guilty.

Good Luck to you!

Jennifer Claire 12/24/05
? 8/10/07
 
Don't worry!!!! I am pregnant with my second and I feel like my body fat doubled! I am pretty sure it is supposted to increase. You body is just doing its job. It builds up you fat stores so that incase something happens you will be able to sustain a baby and feed one later. Plus it will be so amazing to lose all the weight. I promise you will feel so accomplished when you do it is the best feeling! Right now you are supposted to be huge. So might as well enjoy it. This is the only time in my life that I don't feel like I have to hold in my stomach! Just focus on the positive aspects an try not to feel like a blimp. Envison yourself to be glowing, beautiful women who is about to become a MOTHER! How freaking huge is that. I know how hard it is. Emotionally, phyiscally, mentally. I am rambling but I just want you to know you are not alone. Just think positive! You have a great advantage of already being fit!

Congrats!!!!
 
i've been using some of that palmers strech mark cream twice a day....will that help with stretch marks or am i just getting soft smooth skin for nothing ;-)
 
Lol I think they say the gentics mostly determine whether or not you will get stretch marks. But hey I say it can't hurt! I got strech marks but to tell you the truth the really don't bother me. It's the extra skin that gets me and I don't think they make a lotion for that.
 
> i'm averaging about 6lbs a month...is that normal?

hi there, i'm 20 wks along and the weight gain is the hardest part for me too (i would say for most of us!)

my doc says in this trimester we gain about a lb a week, that is average. so you are gaining about 1.5 a week, so you are pretty close to normal! my doc also said some women gain a lot in the beginning and then taper off (what i did) and others gain more at the end (my friend did this).. just goes to show that "normal" is more of a range..

from babycenter.com:

Pregnancy weight gain: What to expect
http://www.babycenter.com/refcap/pregnancy/pregnancynutrition/1466.html
 
i am really self conscience of my weight gain. People are used to seeing me thin, and sometimes i think they are happy to see me gain all this weight. i hope that doesn't sound shallow...

i have to always remind my self that i'm gaining weight because i'm pregnant, and there is a medical reason for my weight gain.
 
Honey, I gained 55 with my first and 65 with my second! My normally slender thighs got so big that I referred to them as my "buttresses" instead. I could have supported a large building!
Don't worry about it. Women in my family gain lots of weight during pregnancy no matter what. Case in point, I suffered from hyperemesis with my first baby and threw up 20-30 times a day for seven months. Everything I ate (or didn't eat) came right back up, and I ended up in the ER about twice a week for an IV. I still gained 55 pounds, and my doctor couldn't figure it out.
My point is, generally a woman gains what her body needs to have a healthy baby, so just enjoy the changes your body is going through while growing your wee one. It does feel like invasion of the body snatchers at times, but don't be embarrassed! As weird as it might sound, the bigger I got the more beautiful I felt. I was getting fat for a glorious reason! The weight will come off later, I
promise.

Natalie
 
As long as you and the baby are healthy, try not to worry too much about the weight gain.

I'm almost 37 weeks right now and have found that, for me, pregnancy has been a great lesson in what you can control and what you can't. I, too, gained weight early and gained it in places that I wasn't anticipting. There were a lot of moments in which I wondered -- no, was really ticked off -- that I seemed to be growing a baby in my butt and thighs and not so much in my torso. I tried ultra clean eating (while still keeping the calorie count at a level that was healthy for the baby)... I tried all kinds of different workouts...I increased my exercise duration. Nothing, it seemed, materially changed the weight gain or its distribution. I asked my sisters who have kids what their experiences were like, and they all had similar ones. A lot of this stuff is genetic, plain and simple. I still am not wearing maternity pants, with only a few more weeks to go. Why? Because my butt and thighs are so disproportionate right now I just bought larger sized regular jeans and they fit perfectly. It's either laugh or cry, so I choose to laugh. :)

You may find, as I did, that the weight gain will taper off. I gained a lot early and then gained much less than most women during the last several months. Most importantly, however, the baby and I have been really healthy, and I just try to focus on that and trust that I will return to a smaller size postpartum.

If you go to any pregnancy/labor/parenting classes, you may find it refreshing to see the huge range of sizes and shapes among other pregnant women. That was a big help to me. Every woman was self-conscious, and all the other women thought they looked adorable. And as my husband says, "All pregnant women are beautiful. Everybody loves a pregnant woman."

Good luck to you, and, if you can, enjoy the journey! All the best -
 
Hi Tonilah,

You sounds pretty darn fit so I wouldn't worry too much. They say that women who begin pregnancy underweight or with a low BMI tend to gain more. Your body is helping you and your baby out...even though it's not what you had in mind. ")

I know, I know, it sucks sometimes. I began gaining in my arms and legs too and was like WTF?! why is this happening?? I gained 10 lbs the first month or so. I cleaned up my eating and began lifting weights and doing more toning exercises. Feeling strong and building muscle on purpose has helped. The extra muscle burns more calories and keeps me focused on being strong. I've also incorporated some kickboxing to tone my arms and burn fat - it works! I tell myself that the extra muscle weighs more than fat. :)

But...I just saw my sister-in-law for the first time at 25 weeks, and while everyone else can't believe how great I look for 6 months and gives me compliments, she told her friends that she "couldn't wait to see how fat I am because I used to be so ripped."

When she saw me the first time she proceeded to point and touch every single area of my body that seemed "bigger" to her...including my boobs! (I barely had any before) It happened so fast I basically didn't do much about it. She was anorexic and gained 67lbs while she was pregnant, her whole body and face changed so I think she wanted to see if (or was hoping that) it would happen to me.

So...people can be very insensitive and fail to see the good because they're looking for a way to critique you -- these people have problems, are usually insecure, so you just have to ignore them and embrace your mama curves and beauty. You will get down to the skinny fit you, I'm sure of it. If you need motivation just check out the post-partum mom's on this board who have done just that, they're amazing!!

Oh, and Cathe herself gained 40lbs when she was pregnant...it's a great story with photos and everything ...http://www.cathe.com/2002_After_Baby2.htm

Good luck!!!

Steph
 
"But...I just saw my sister-in-law for the first time at 25 weeks, and while everyone else can't believe how great I look for 6 months and gives me compliments, she told her friends that she "couldn't wait to see how fat I am because I used to be so ripped." "

Oh, Steph, your sister-in-law must have some major body issues to even say something like that. Anyone who even refers to pregnancy as getting fat has issues.

Thanks for the link to Cathe's pregnancy photos. She is a small person to start with, and seeing her gain 40 pounds and feel okay about sharing pictures with others, is really nice. Plus - obviously she's one of the best bounce-back motivation stories around. What an inspiration.

Tonilah - I said it in my previous post and don't want to beat this to death, but I think it's worth repeating that every pregnant woman's body responds differently, and others tend to view a pregnant woman's body with a much kinder eye than the pregnant woman herself (Steph's sister-in-law notwithstanding, but she seems a bit nuts).

I had another breakthrough of sorts today. I visited the OB this morning and for the first time in all my visits, I couldn't have cared less what I weighed. I treated myself to a nice sized stack of blueberry pancakes for breakfast because hey, that's what I was craving and I don't have them very often, and I got on that scale and didn't care what it said. It was so freeing. And, ironically, I weighed a pound less than I did last visit. Go figure.

I'm almost 38 weeks and am actually in prelabor. WOOT! Fully effaced, dilated to 2, and feeling great. I'm an old first-time mom (39), and my doctors have all remarked on what a healthy pregnancy it's been. They have all said that the level of fitness I've maintained has probably been a huge help. They can't believe I weigh as much as I do (probably due to more muscle mass) and said that moms who keep themselves healthy and active during pregnancy seem to handle the stress of labor well and, in their opinion, have an easier time getting back to their pre-pregnancy size and fitness level. It can still take a long time, but they tend to eventually go back to whatever "normal" is for them, whereas a lot of other women never do. Obviously everyone is different, but I thought it was heartening to hear this.

I hope you and everyone else are doing well.

Take care and good luck!
Katie
 
Hey Katie,

Congrats, I hope your birthing experience is a good one, sounds like your healthy physically and mentally. I was happy to hear your comments, not just about my cuckoo SIL (you're absolutely right, she has major issues!) but from your Docs re: being fit going into labor and the positive side effects. I'm an older first time mom too - also 39.

I feel like my mood and outlook have been much more positive than my friends and co-workers who are pregnant or who have given birth within the last year or so. Most of them don't work out regularly and I think the changes in their body really got them down both during and after the pregnancy. They never worked out before the baby, the idea of suddenly finding the time, energy, and motivation while having a new baby to care for is not something they're prepared to do. The idea of adding more "to do" is simply overwhelming to them.

So..I think those of us who have the self discipline and are used to sacrificing time, sleep, etc and are comfortable making smart food choices have a definite advantage. We have "more tools in our toolbox" so to speak. For me that confidence has helped a ton going into this, and my partner has said he knows that he's not going to get stuck on his own because he has witnessed the sacrifice, discipline, and ability to stick to a routine and not give up.

Tonilah, if you're an instructor you're going to be just fine. I know it's tough not to feel big sometimes, we are GROWING...but your baby needs what it needs and it will be worth it when you get to meet your little one in 4-5 months. I'm sure you'll take the weight off in time and you're baby will be a huge happy distraction while you're getting back to your natural non-preggo build.

I'm sure we'll all be on these boards motivating each other towards our goals -- I'm so grateful to have found this forum and this community of moms & moms-to-be who care about fitness. :)

Keep the faith and best of luck!

Steph
 
Hey ladies!

Just wanted to pipe in from the 'other side of the road' :) My baby is now 8 weeks old and I'm about 4 pounds from pre-preg weight. I haven't done anything close to my normal pre-preg workout schedule, and my 'clean eating' is sporadic at best. I'm sure once I get back on track with both of those, the last pounds won't be hanging around much longer <crossing my fingers!> I totally believe that my progress is mostly due to the fact that I was active before I got pregnant and stayed active throughout my pregnancy. I didn't kill myself, either - I just did whatever I could, whenever I could. Some days were slower, some days more intense, depending on nausea, fatigue etc. Oh, and some days were naps :D

I believe that your body really DOES take care of itself as far as gaining what it needs no matter what you do, so relax and don't waste these precious days worrying about what your body is doing - enjoy it! It is soooo temporary and such a beautiful time. Take some pictures and BELIEVE that you're gorgeous! Because you really are :)

Oh, and another thing: there's a post-partum check-in here, too, that is VERY helpful for getting back in the swing of things. Keep an eye on that if you're looking for a little motivation. There are a lot of mothers in all stages of losing and maintaining who totally understand what you're going through, and they'll cheer you on when you're getting back into shape!!

KC
38 year old mother of 4
 
Congratulations KC!! Your story is inspiring, thanks so much for posting it! And good luck with those last 4 lbs...that's mere water weight for me. :)

Steph
 
I just wanted to reaffirm that some women gain more the first half of the pregnancy than the second. My entire family gained this way. I was pretty fit prior to my first pregnancy and gained 42 pounds and gained them quickly. It bothered me to gain, especially in places I knew the baby wasn't growing (my arms, my legs, my bottom, just to name a few of the tough places for me). Within 6 months post partum I was down below my prepregnancy weight. But in the end I guess my body did what it had to, to produce a beautiful, healthy little one. Do what you can and just keep in mind the weight will go away.
 
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