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Second pregnancy weight gain

February 5, 2010 in Uncategorized by julessilver | 2 comments

I’m having trouble coming to terms with weight gain this pregnancy.

This time around I am starting lighter than I did when I was pregnant the first time. Although I have already gained 6-7 lbs and I’m only 17 weeks pregnant! Last time I started where I am now, but by 16 weeks I was still at the same weight I am now. Nausea has been much more intense this time, and eating helps me feel better.

My first pregnancy I was more relaxed and had more time to myself to sleep and rest etc. With a toddler running around now I have little time to myself, not to mention to rest.

I am worried and a little anxious that I might gain too much weight this pregnancy. My midwife tells me it’s about quality of nutrition and not to worry about weight gain. In my first pregnancy I was quite unwell around 33 weeks with a nasty stomach flu (I’m still convinced it was food poisoning but that’s another story), and lost 5-6 lbs one week, I never regained it before I gave birth. I was already light when my son was born but actually gained weight postpartum because of depression etc. So in the long run I still had to work the weight off anyway. My son was smaller, born at 6 lbs 13 ounces about 5 days early. I would like this next baby to be a little heavier, as I contribute it to having troubles breast feeding with him. I wondered if his mouth was too small to get a proper latch.

It sounds silly, but it’s bugging me! I’m already into my pregnancy pants, the ones with the panel stretchy band attached fit, the other ones (low rider ones) still don’t fit.

When I was pregnant with my son, it took a really long time to look like I was pregnant, or “pop”. I would say I was almost 5 months pregnant before I showed with my son. With my son people would actually ask me if I thought the baby was okay because I was so small tummy wise.

This time I told work earlier than I did the first time, and someone at work one day said “it’s beginning to become obvious” and I was only 14.5 weeks pregnant at the time! I’ve told most people at work I am pregnant now and circumstances are different. People in my workplace know me now, when I started here I was already 14 weeks pregnant with my son. Perhaps people are more comfortable asking or saying something because they know me?

Some examples of what people have said are:

  • I said oh if you didn’t know I’m 4 months pregnant, and she smiled and said yeah I know with a smirk.
  • Another colleague said yea I figured.
  • My male massage therapist said I thought that might be the case, then I thought maybe she just ate too many donuts.

Sorry pregnant or not it’s not okay to talk about a woman’s weight. Like most women I already have a weight complex and am often worried I am too fat. I think it is all tummy based now, or I feel mostly looks it, but I am really shocked at how my body is changing so quickly this time and honestly a little upset and jealous of ladies with a proper waist line.

I continue to exercise regularly. I would say I am more active than I was in my first pregnancy; I go to practices regularly (I was going 3x a week, 1 hr each time, now down to twice weekly for 45-1hr) with a Master Swim Club, I wouldn’t say they are easy workouts. From a post I wrote when I was pregnant with my son I got some good feedback on where to get a pregnancy race swimsuit. My husband ordered it for me for Christmas. It is too large, so I just ordered another one a size smaller. Likely I will be able to wear the smaller one until 6 months, and will have to use the larger one when my belly gets bigger in the last trimester.

I don’t feel I am eating poorly. I think I ate more poorly before I got pregnant actually! I have definitely cut down on the sweets and added in more fruits, veggies and whole foods. I am guessing I don’t eat more than 1800-2000 calories a day, which I think is okay for my 5’3” frame?!

I am open to any suggestions on how to get over this? I would like to embrace this change and stop worrying about it.

Picture of me 17 weeks 1 day preggers below:

Since I posted this post yesterday I have since spoken to my Naturopathic doctor and she said I need to gain at least 17lbs this time. She said the 17lbs needed is all for the baby, the rest you need fat for breastfeeding and postpartum. She thinks a good goal is 25lbs – 35lbs. The more fat I have on my boobs a hips the easier it will be produce milk and breastfeed. She assured me it will come off. I’m just concerned if I gain all 30lbs and I’m not able to breastfeed exclusively then the weight won’t just “come off”, of course she told me to let her worry about that and we will make sure to figure it out. Makes me feel slightly better.

My ND also mentioned that it’s not good to assume you will gain a certain amount each trimester. Some women gain the bulk in their first trimester, little in their second and nothing in their third. There is no right amount in each trimester, every woman and every pregnancy is different. I found this site made me worry about gaining in the first trimester, I don’t recommend basing your weight gain off this one: http://www.hc-sc.gc.ca/fn-an/nutrition/prenatal/qa-gest-gros-qr-eng.php Your GP, OB, midwife or ND will have a much more realistic recommendation when it comes to weight gain specific to you and your pregnancy.

With my first pregnancy I only gained about 10-12lbs from start to finish. I did start heavier than this time, and I got stomach flu ill when I was 33 weeks pregnant and made up for what I loss while ill. I was “proud” of only gaining that amount my first pregnancy (a little sick head wise I think now). Now I see it wasn’t healthy. Baby and I would have been better off had I added another 5-10lbs at least.

Weight distribution:

  • 7 1/2pounds is about how much the baby will weigh by the end of pregnancy.
  • 1 1/2pounds is how much the placenta weighs.
  • 4 pounds is attributed to increased fluid volume.
  • 2 pounds is the weight of the uterus.
  • 2 pounds is the weight of breast tissue.
  • 4 pounds is because of increased blood volume.
  • 7 pounds is attributed to maternal stores of fat, protein and other nutrients.
  • 2 pounds for the amniotic fluid.
  • Total: 30 pounds

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Getting closer every day

April 1, 2008 in Uncategorized by julessilver | 5 comments

I am a little more than 38 weeks pregnant now, about 12 more days until my due date.  I think a woman gets to a stage in pregnancy where she is so uncomfortable and getting things done are so much harder, so she becomes less scared of labour and just want to be “done” with the pregnancy part. I would say that pretty accurately describes me now ;-)

In March we got to meet our backup midwife, Susan. She was very pleasant and made me feel good about possibly giving birth with her as our caregiver. Our primary midwife, Colleen, is back from holidays today, and we saw her at today’s appointment.

Things continue to go along just “fine”. I have been experiencing more Braxton Hicks in the past couple weeks, and even more so in the past day or so. Our midwife did an internal exam today, my cervix has not started to dilate yet, but it is now soft. Next week I may consider getting my membranes swept depending on where I am at. Baby has moved further down into my pelvis, and I get occasional very sharp pains when a nerve gets hit, particularly in my hips or back.

My husband and I have heard a funny wet snapping noise occasionally. We cannot pinpoint if it is coming from me or my uterus. We’ve asked both our midwives and neither know what it is. Some speculations is it might be my joints relaxing and popping, or could even be my digestion (though I think it sounds different than my digestion), or possibly the baby’s joints. Always a little bothersome when they don’t know what something is, hopefully something to do with me and not baby. Of course they tell us that it is most likely nothing to worry about.

My tummy continues to grow. My fundal height measured 37cms at todays appointment.

Our bags are mostly packed and all ready to go to the hospital. I am just doing things that I want done around the house before baby arrives.

I am off work and glad I went off when I did. I went back for an all day conference last week and the day was just too long for me. Being at home I am free to get up, nap or rest when I need to. Sitting for 7 hours got a little uncomfortable.

My Mom, as excited Grandma-to-be, is throwing me a baby shower this weekend. We registered for a few items at Toys R Us (Canada) and the Mothering Touch (Victoria):

http://www.toysrus.ca/registry/index.jsp

http://www.motheringtouch.ca/

We did not register for items like: clothes, sleepers, undershirts/onsies, blankets, bibs, wash clothes, hats, socks/booties, crib sheets, or toys etc. – as we felt if people wanted to buy us these items it would be nicer if they were able to choose for themselves.

We are excited and looking forward to meeting our new family member soon.

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Don’t let some of my posts fool you, I’m doing well

February 29, 2008 in Uncategorized by julessilver | 2 comments

We had our 34 week appointment yesterday. I am a little relieved to report that my fundal height has grown since my last appointment, and it is now 32 cms. My midwife says she can feel baby’s size and he is growing, good news :-)

I had someone comment to my husband that it did not sound like I was doing very well in my blog, and perhaps I would benefit from going off work now. My husband made the comment that maybe I write about the negative things too often and not the positive. I always try tell it like it is, but also but a positive spin on it at the end. I think for some men it all sounds awful and hard to deal with. People ask how I am feeling, and I say you know little tired etc… but I AM pregnant after all. All the symptoms I have experienced are completely normal and I have had a healthy pregnancy so far. I am very fortunate and have not yet experienced any of the pregnancy complications that some woman do. I am still growing a person inside me, so it does take more energy and I am experiencing some pregnancy symptoms that cannot be called pleasant, but are all manageable. Sometimes I get overwhelmed and feel like I am falling apart, but in the grand scheme of things I am fine. I have enjoyed the journey through pregnancy thus far, and even though some things I did not imagine to be like they are (e.g. the books didn’t tell me about THAT!), it does not necessarily mean they have been bad, au contraire, just different.

My mind is constantly blown away by the miracle of pregnancy. I still cannot fathom that I am making a person inside me and carrying him around, despite his constant reminders when he stretches his little legs into my ribs ;-) Baby could come now in the next 3 – 8 weeks (which is between 37 and 42 weeks pregnant). My midwife said the statistic for first pregnancies is to go 8 days after your 40 week due date. I was born a couple days after my due date, and my husband was born a day after his. We both weighed in the 7 lbs range.

I often get my husband to put his hands on my belly to feel baby move. Baby is most active after dinner and when I am going to bed at night, particularly when my husband reads to us before bed. Often my husband will say “wowwooo!” to some of baby’s movements, because they are so large or so strong. Space is getting tighter as baby grows, so I feel less wind up kicks of punches, mostly legs stretching or hiccups. Hiccups are so funny, because baby will start hiccuping and I feel a very rhythmic knocking, then a couple minutes into it he starts to move (my guess is he is annoyed that he is still hiccuping so much and is moving around out of irritation), very cute. I feel bad for baby sometimes because they can be quite persistent for a while. Typically they happen after I’ve had something to eat or drink (which I’ve read is common).

I have baby and pregnancy on my brain. I am looking forward to having some time at home before the baby so I can focus on them and also get some more rest and perhaps even relax ;-)

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