slowing down weight gain

[tralyn]

I'm at 21.5w now and according to the doctor's scales have put on 22 pounds. I don't think that is quite right, it is afternoon when they weigh me and I've been having some hand/feet edema(swelling). I'm to the point now where I can work out again modified. I'm doing pregnancy videos I have including 2 step ones. If I try Cathe's I get too involved and get overheated so I'm having to take a break from them till afterwards.
How can I slow this down? I don't eat bad (follow WW guidelines), just my portions had been getting a little wild. They want me to stick to 2000 cals a day for a target 2 pound gain in the next month. I guess the hope is too lose some fat and at the same time have baby growth.
Geez, this is hard.
Traci'

 

[Sheila]

"Slowing down weight gain.......

Hi Traci,

Keep with the exercise. Even 20 minutes of cardio a day will help with overall weight gain and decreased fat deposition related to pregnancy.

Hang in there. We are pulling for you!

Sheila

 

[Alison]

Gaining Weight

I'm only at 8 weeks, and I'm always hungry. Even when my stomach is really upset, I want to eat. I'm also very, very tired, so I haven't been able to exercise much lately. I've gained 5 pounds in the last month.

Any tips to get through this?

 

[Stacey DeLapp]

Weight Gain and Pregnancy

Hey guys. Not sure I can help, but I'll give it a try!

Basically, The key factors that I believe really helped me were that I worked out consistently right up to delivery. I didn't do anything really high-impact. My workouts consisted of the treadmill, a pregnancy workout video, and 4 mile walks through the hilly downtown area of Gig Harbor. I wasn't really into working out before I had my first child, though so I know this time will be a lot different. I plan on doing my Cathe tapes for as long as possible, I will continue strength training as possible, and will still incorporate walking and cycling (recumbant exercise bike) for cross training.

Aside from exercising, I weighed myself everyday. I'm sure a lot of people will tell you not to do this, but it made me feel in control. I could tell if I had a bad day or two and knew to be more careful the rest of the week. I would set up this reward system where if I only gained the alloted 4 lbs. in any given month, on my way back from the doctor's office, I would get my favorite, super rich, chocolate brownie with chocolate frosting and eat the whole thing! Yummy!

Regarding diet--this was the hardest. I remember being so hungry and feeling like I was actually eating less than before and still gaining a pound a week! It was so frustrating! My stomach would literally be growling as I was eating! What I would do, is eat small frequent meals, and make sure that I picked healthy choices. Inbetween meals consisted of fruits, vegetables, and salads, and I drank a lot of water. I delivered at 41 weeks and gained a total 32 lbs.

Just do the best that you can, and remember that after you have the baby, you will have plenty of time to get back to your prepregnancy weight. I am thinner now than I have ever been after delivering my first child. And, I was wearing my jeans 3 days after delivery--they were a little tight, but they fit!

Good luck!

 

[momincharge]

WOW!

Jeans 3 days after delivery tight or not is amazing! I remember my first 2 pregnancies thinking I was so thin after delivery ( i guess you are compared to what you looked like hours ago). I would go home and try on some of my bigger jeans a few days later and there was this big 4 or 5 inch gap where I could not pull them together. I was so shocked and disappointed! I didn't put myself through that again. I have gained 26 pounds with all 5 of my pregnancies.I found continuing to exercise(if you are able) and good food choices(have to watch the Blue Bell!)helped me stay healthy,made delivery easier, and enabled me to come back strong post-partum.Remember it takes 9 months to get your belly in that shape and for mostof us it takes at least that long to get it back in shape.

 

[Sheila]

Pre-pregnancy jeans in 3 days

Hi Stacey,

Congratulations on being able to fit in your jeans after 3 days. You were one of the very fortunate women who can say that. (I myself am envious!) I can honestly say that after working with over 1500 pregnant women and new moms over the last 12 years I can count on my two hands the women who were able to do that. We always tell the moms in our classes that they should give themselves twice as long as they think it should take to get themselves "back in shape." The important thing is to focus on the new life that your body created and not on how your pants fit at first.

Again, hats off to you.

 

[Stacey DeLapp]

Thank you...I doubt I'll be so lucky the second time around

I think the main reason that I was able to fit into my jeans so soon after delivery is laregly attributed to the fact that my waist (size 2) has always been quite a bit smaller than my butt (size 4-6--until after I had Connor and started exercising regularly) so my jeans were always pretty big in the waist even though they were snug in the rear. After I had Connor, it took a couple of months before they were loose in the waist again, and a couple of months after that, I had to replace my jeans with size 2 and size 4 (previously I wore a 6) so I have already been telling myself not to expect to fit into my newer jeans immediately after delivery the second time around. However, I did keep my size 6 jeans just so that I will (hopefully) be able to wear them again after delivery before I get back down to what my normal size is now.