What I Wish I Had Known #7
>> Thursday, April 19, 2012
Anyone who does any kind of reading about pregnancy has read the information about pregnancy weight gain.
If your pre-pregnancy weight was in the normal range, you should gain between 25-35 pounds.
If your pre-pregnancy weight was below the normal range, you should gain between 28-40 pounds.
And if your pre-pregnancy weight was above the normal range, you should gain between 15-25 pounds.
Now, I am no medical professional (obviously) but to this I say a big fat whatever! (Please pardon me if you disagree.) But here's the deal. I am CONVINCED that there is no standard for weight a woman should gain during her pregnancy. I am CONVINCED that every woman responds to pregnancy differently, not only different from one woman to another, but from one pregnancy to another for each individual person.
I am not saying that we should sit around all day doing nothing, and eat 23 donuts, 2 packages of Oreo cookies, and a couple cartons of ice cream and just have the attitude of "I'm pregnant, so I'll gain whatever I gain." We obviously have to be smart (within the means of being smart while having pregnancy cravings) and that we should do what we can to get physical exercise. But the fact of the matter is, I started both of my pregnancies at a normal weight. With my first, I gained about 60 lbs and with my second about 35. (Although, you can almost say all that extra weight during the first pregnancy must have been due to the Texas sized feet I got.) I didn't eat completely crazy during either pregnancy, and I didn't stay stagnate during either pregnancy. Although, the first was a boy and the second was a girl, and I think that can make a difference with some woman. My midwives gave me a hard time for gaining so much weight during my first pregnancy, and I was really bothered that I was gaining so much beyond what I was supposed to.
And I say all that to say this: I wish I had known not to hold myself to some "standard for pregnancy weight gain". I wasn't doing anything overtly unhealthy. And it goes the other way, too. If you are doing everything you can to gain weight during pregnancy, and it just isn't happening, don't feel bad. Everyone is different, everyone's body is different, and everyone's bodies reacts in a different way. Don't be upset if your normal isn't the "standard" normal.
Posts
4 comments:
Thank you! I am pregnant with my 2nd pregnancy and I get so tired of hearing how "big" I am getting from the people who should probably be the most supportive (Mom and sister). Fortunately I have friends who are nice and understand and an amazing Dr. who totally gets it. with both pregnancies I have been exercising and trying to eat consciously. There is NO reason I should gain like I do, other than that's what my body thinks it needs to do. And probably the Texas sized feet in my first pregnancy didn't help too. Thank you, seriously. It's so nice to know I'm not alone!
I actually lost weight with my second pregnancy due to morning sickness (which I didn't have with my first) and kind of got in trouble with my doctor. However, with that said he was really nice about it and I ended up gaining it all back and another 25 lbs during the rest of my pregnancy. I totally agree with what you said about each pregnancy being different and not the same when it comes to your weight.
Anon--You're welcome! I will refrain from getting on my soap box, but it's health we need to focus on, not weight!
Megan--I lost weight during the first trimester of my second pregnancy, too. It was funny that then they started worrying about my weight loss when before it was the opposite. It was a new midwife at the practice that I had the appointments with and was showing concern. It told her not to worry...I would gain plenty of weight later, and I did.
I think a more logical way to look at it would be baby + percentage. Take the average baby, placenta, and amniotic fluid, and that's a given. Then add a percentage of pre-pregnancy weight for breast changes, fat stores, etc. Why should I, at 6 feet tall and normal weight, be expected to gain the same as a 5 foot tall woman of normal weight?
Post a Comment