dr. said I have gained to much weight!

Okay, so, last week at my 20 week appointment my doctor told me that I have gained too much weight and to take it easy on the food. I am 5'4 and started out at 137lbs (muscular). Now I am 168. (still 5'4"..just kidding )..

Anyway, I had read Dr. Lukes book about eatting during twin pregnancy and that gaining weight in the beginning is important, etc.. also about all of the servings of the different food groups that you are supposed to get. I was finding it hard to get that many servings. Also, the nurse had originally told me (apprently incorrectly) that I should gain 20 lbs in 20 weeks. The doctor said only 2-3 lbs a month.

Now I dont quite know what to do. I am happy he said something for sure because he said that at my current rate, I was going to weigh 195 when the babies are born. I cant imagine that! I am really pretty petite and normally wear a size 6 pant. So, I am going to cut out the Tropicana which ads a lot of extra calories that I really dont need, cut the ice cream out, and skip the occasional treats.

How is everyone else doing? How much weight did you gain from 20 weeks on?

 

I followed Dr. Luke's guidelines and my Peri had no issue with that. By 20 weeks I'd gained 25 pounds but now total weight loss is 23 pounds and declining (see my posts on the other weight gain thread). Does your OB have much experience with twin pregnancies?

 

I am 5'4" and weighed 130 before I got pregnant. I gained 70 lbs and had just passed the 200 lbs mark at my last appointment before delivery! My OB was not exactly thrilled, but she said as long as the babies were doing well and I was healthy overall, she wasn't going to worry about it. She had initially told me I should "plan" to gain 45-55 lbs, but it wasn't something I had much control over -- I was just driven to eat nearly all the time.

Anyway, I lost a lot of the weight in the first 3 months after delivery, and all of it by 9-10 months after delivery. My stomach will never be normal again, but that might be true even if I had only gained 45-55 lbs. I'm proud that I had big healthy babies.

 

I follow Dr Luke's book too. I would also like to know if your dr has much experience with twin pregnancies. I am 33+ weeks and have gained 36 lbs so far. I gained 24 lbs by about 24 weeks. So, in the last 9 weeks or so, I have gained about 12 lbs. As you get bigger, it really is hard to eat a lot at any given meal. So, I eat several small meals a day. Not to mention, I have been diagnosed with Gestational Diabetes and have to watch my carb intake (darn it - I am a carb-aholic!!!). Don't worry. As long as your babies are growing well, that is what is most important and why gaining the weight early on is important. There are days now that I think I eat even less than I did pre-pregnancy because my tummy is so squished and I get so full so fast. I started out petite as well (5'2" 120 lbs). Trust your instincts....I thought gaining a lot early on was silly, but the more I read and talked to people about it, the more I was convinced it was the right thing to do. Good luck to you!!!!

 

By 20 weeks I had gained 30lbs,{I'm 5'4" and was 135 prepregnancy} and really my doctor wasn't too worried. Your doctor can't predict what the end result will be. I ended up gaining 50lbs by the end of the 39 weeks. I really did slow down towards the end of the pregnancy, as I really couldn't eat as much. If you are really worried, yes eat healthier and all, but cut back to much on your intake.

 

I'm about your size and followed Dr. Luke's book... you are right on track. If you are eating healthy, don't worry about the scale and remember OB's are NOT adequately trained in the nutrition of twin pregnancies. I was shy of 200 lbs at the end and now 13 weeks pregnant with one, I am still in my normal range of weight.. so no, you won't hold on to it!

 

2-3 lbs a month is REALLY low - even for a singleton!!!

I think it should be about 2 lbs a week - although you probably won't gain steadily. I lost in my first trimester, then gained. Most of the time I gained 2 lbs a week, although sometimes less, sometimes more. I've gained 40 lbs total so far. My gaining really slowed at week 30 and I didn't really gain much until week 33 or 34 when one dropped and I got my appetite back!

I also had gained 24 lbs by 24 weeks - and my doctor said that was perfect. As long as you are eating HEALTHY, you are fine!

 

I personally do not agree with your doctor. Two to three pounds a month in a twin pregnancy is not enough. That said I gained 60 pounds (my doc was not concerned by this at all) which was probably a little too much, but both my babies weighed six pounds which I thought was good for twins. I hardly gained any weight the last 6 weeks of my pregnancy.

What I would do is make sure that you are getting all the good stuff you need first and then you probably won't be as hungry for junk food.

 

I gained alot of weight (probably 70 lbs) and towards the 30th week or so my doctor told me to slow it down. I was following Dr. Luke's book, so I ignored my doctor and kept on how I was going. I am convinced that the reason my boys were the weight they were when they were born is because I ate like a champ!!! Mine were born at 33 weeks and weighed 4 lbs 5 oz and 5 lbs 4 oz and only spent 10 days in the Level II nursery. As long as you are eating quality food and not just downing the oreos, I would say keep going.

 

I am 5'3 and started out at 115 lbs and gained 60 lbs in 30 weeks!!! I was gaining about 2.5-3 lbs a week in my second trimester...Around 24 weeks my doc did say that I was gaining too much weight and I should slow down, but I just kept on eating. I figured my body and my babies know when I am hungry and need food, so I listened to my body and ate when I was 'told'....

 

I think it is crazy to say you are gainig too much. I was told that I should gain 24 lbs. by week 24. I have so far gained a little over 30 lbs., and I did start 20 lbs. over what my weight was when I got pregnant with my third. My first three pregnancies I gained 50 pounds. I didn't go crazy eating, it is just me. My mother loves to talk about how she left the hospital wearing her size 6 jeans, buttoned and zipped! Whatever. I believe everyone is different. We should focus on making sure we get the right amount of the things we need, and I am a firm believer that we deserve a treat here and there.

 

yep just eat lots of good foods im eating more protein,fruit,veggies,dairy-its hard to make room but your doctor needs to stop nagging thats great weight gain so far! your growing 2 babies thats a big deal

 

Here Here 5girlies..... A treat for all our hardwork every now and again is not a bad thing at all. My Ob / Midwives do not beleive in weighing you.... it is just not the done thing. As long as the babies are doing well and within their percentile band - they are happy. Of course they encourage healthy eating - but there is no strict weight gain boundaries - it is just something that is not focused on at all.

Happy treat eating :winking0009:

 

I"m sorry to say but when i was pg with the boys, i started at 132 and ended at 198....and my doctors said it was just fine. My boys were 6.2 and 6.4 .

 

I gained about 46 pounds by the time I was 27 weeks. I have slowed down since then, I have only gained about a pound or so every week or so since then. It is harder to eat a lot at a time anymore and I've been sick so that would explain it. I think you are right on track. My OB has never shown any concern over my weight gain, even when I gained 10 pounds in 2 weeks. Just make healthy choices and make sure the babies get the nutrition they need. I would find out how much the OB knows about twin pregnancies, you definitely want to make sure the babies get the nutrition they need. Get a second opinion if you need to.

 

I agree with what ever one else said. As long as it's not just cake and cookies you are eating. I didn't get the expecting multiples book until I was 26 weeks pregnant and I had only gained 16 pounds. No one old me I was suppose to be eating more, I thought I was doing so well. After I read the book I started eating more protein, fats, dairy etc. and in the last 5 weeks I gained 15 more pounds.

 

I was told that by the end of this pregnancy I should weigh a whoppong 220 lbs. I'm 5'9" and started at 165 or so. That is heavier than I have ever been (and hopefully will ever be after this). I think you should eat how you feel like eating. You have 2 babies in there and they are hungry! BTW, right now I'm at (eek!) 208. I just have to stop looking at the scale now. Also my OB is telling me I'm not gaining enough. And it is harder to eat the closer you get to the end. Good luck!

 

I am at roughly 30lbs in 32 weeks. Didn't really start gaining until the last month or so.

 

QUOTE(aussiegirl @ Mar 2 2008, 09:30 PM) [snapback]649758[/snapback]
Here Here 5girlies..... A treat for all our hardwork every now and again is not a bad thing at all. My Ob / Midwives do not beleive in weighing you.... it is just not the done thing. As long as the babies are doing well and within their percentile band - they are happy. Of course they encourage healthy eating - but there is no strict weight gain boundaries - it is just something that is not focused on at all.

Happy treat eating :winking0009:



Wow! You don't get weighed? That is awesome. I wish I didn't have to get on the scale every appointment! I try to wear really light clothes and shoes! lol

 

I know that during the 3rd trimester my weight gain really slowed down. I think the energy I used just lugging my body around consumed many of the calories that I could manage to get into my squished stomach. I didn't follow any eating regimen ever... I just ate when I felt hungry. I wouldn't force yourself to eat. Cutting back on junk probably is a good idea anyway. But don't get down on yourself if you have the occasional treat. (I think I actually ate ice cream twice a day for the entire second half of my pg!) I think if your babies are doing well then it's not a big deal one way or the other. My kids each weighed in just shy of 6lbs at 37 weeks 5 days and yet my total weight gain was 31lbs. And on the other hand some women gain 100lbs during a singleton pg, my aunt did, and their kids are just fine. I think as long as gestational diabetes isn't a concern and everything else looks fine, then the only motivating factor should be that the more you put on during pg the more you will have to lose after pg. Don't diet, but eat healthy and eat when you are hungry.

 

I gained 60 pounds (plus more in fluid wieght at the hospital) and my Dr was fine with that. He originally said I should gain around 50lbs and wasn't worried when it was a bit more. I delivered 34 weekers that weighed 6lbs and 4lbs14oz. As long as you are eating healthy most of the time, not to say you shouldn't indulge sometimes - - I sure did I think you're fine. I still have some to lose, but the first 30 pounds melted off so fast!!

 

I'm 5'0" and started at 123. By 20 weeks I had only gained 5 or 10 pounds. From week 25 to 36 I gained A WHOLE LOT!! By the end when I delivered, I was 196.

It took FOREVER to lose the weight, and am still about 15lbs. above pre-pregnancy, but it's coming off.....

 

My doctor recommended gaining 35-45 pounds total, I gained 42 by the time I delivered at 31 weeks. I had a devil of a time getting just that off though, so if I ever do get PG again I am going to try to watch what I eat better (not so many turtles).

Your weight gain will slow down now, because it gets a lot harder to eat with so much baby in there.

 

I'm a little worried about whether I'm eating/gaining enough. I still have a little nausea after a horrible first trimester (in which I didn't gain anything) and had only gained about 13 lbs. at last week's appointment (21 weeks). I thought I was doing fine because I didn't realize it was twins, but now I'm not so sure. And I already find I get full really fast. :huh: I've been trying to snack more but I hate snacking. My doctor didn't say anything to me, but then we were all a little dazed by the whole twin thing . . .

 

As for me, I have only gained 15 pounds thus far. This is after losing almost 20 pounds during the first trimester. So currently, I am very near my prepregnacy weight.

 

I am 34 weeks. Total gain is 28 lbs so far. i lost 17 lbs initially... morning sickness, so from start weight to now I have actually only gain 11 lbs thus far.

 

When I was pregnant with twins, I had two months where I had gained 11 lbs each month. :shok: I was disappointed but the nurse told me (both times) "it's ok, you're pregnant with twins!" I was overweight to begin with. It sounds as if you are monitoring your weight and what you eat yourself. I wouldn't worry too much. You need to eat & the babies need to grow! :hug99:

 

I gained 10 pounds in 4 weeks and my doc said, "Are you eating everything in sight?" After that, I was worried about every weigh in.

 

I have gained only about 3 lbs or so. I started off way above weight, so I don't need to gain anything! Just the babies need to gain! I know it will pick up some as the babies get bigger and bigger. It is strange though because I don't have a huge appitite and haven't for quite a few weeks. I am actaully eating about the same as I did prepregnancy. Maybe that just means that I ate too much before I got pregnant!

 

[SIZE=14pt]Wow!!! Reading your posts have definitely raised concerns for me. I am 18 weeks and have only gained 10 pounds. My OB said that I should not eat more food, just continue eating a healthy diet and take my prenatal vitamins everyday. I kind of thought that was strange, but I have been going along with it. My first two pregnancies I gained 40 and 50lbs, respectively. Keith weighed 11lbs and Kyle weighed 9lbs, and was born at 36 weeks.

I keep seeing mention of an expecting multiples book and Dr. Luke. Would anyone care to elaborate more on those for me. I want to be as educated as possible because I want to give my babies the best start that I can.[/SIZE]

 

Thank you very much for all of your responses. It is definately helpful to hear everyone's weight stories. We all vary quite a bit. Our bodies are all different. I have always been heavier than one would guess anyway.... My mom weighs about 102 and always has. She is the same height as me. I have always weighed right around 130. I am just more dense, not even really chunky. I always got a kick out of the fact that at carnivals I could trick the guys that are there getting paid to "guess your weight". They always got mine wrong.

Anyway, it was funny when the doctor was saying this because my husband was at the appointment with me and I was sitting there looking at the guy thinking, " you are kidding me, you jerk"..... I go do a hospital for my prenatal care, Dartmouth Hitchcock Hospital in Hanover, NH; they have a high risk team and I have been varying my care amongst all four of the doctors. This was the first time I met with him. I actually enjoy all of the different perspectives of the doctors but may choose to see the one I like the best for the remainder of my care. I may end up delivering with any one of the four though.

 

I would think as long as you are eating reasonably healthy food, erring on the side of gaining too much would be safer. After all, Mama can always lose a little more weight later, but babies need their food now!

 

I started off with my twin pregnancy at 5'1/2 at 165 pounds. When I had my last weight check at 35 weeks I was 205. I gained alot of weight the first 2 trimesters and then in my 3rd everything leveled off and I started to loose weight until the pre-e hit me. Then I gained 15 pounds in 3 days! I think what you have gained is good. My dr said with a twin pregnancy you should gain 50-60 pounds. I wouldnt worry about it to much as long as you and the babies are doing good.

 

QUOTE(charylmm @ Mar 3 2008, 03:17 PM) [snapback]651038[/snapback]
Wow!!! Reading your posts have definitely raised concerns for me. I am 18 weeks and have only gained 10 pounds. My OB said that I should not eat more food, just continue eating a healthy diet and take my prenatal vitamins everyday. I kind of thought that was strange, but I have been going along with it. My first two pregnancies I gained 40 and 50lbs, respectively. Keith weighed 11lbs and Kyle weighed 9lbs, and was born at 36 weeks.

I keep seeing mention of an expecting multiples book and Dr. Luke. Would anyone care to elaborate more on those for me. I want to be as educated as possible because I want to give my babies the best start that I can.

Hi and welcome to TS!

Dr Luke suggests that the mother should gain 24 pounds by 24 weeks with a multiple pregnancy to have the healthiest possible babies. She also has other suggestions in her book. HERE is a link to her site.

 

You know, I gained 70 pounds with my singleton, and then I also gained 80 pounds with my twins. I lost all 70 pounds plus 15 more pounds by 9 months PP with my singleton, and I'm already down 50 pounds at 3 months PP with the twins. Some people just gain more than others. Let your body do what it needs to - everyone is different! My doctors never said anything to me, and I'm overweight to begin with. With the twins, I was on bedrest and, eating a lot to help with TTTS, so that didn't help!

I think you're doing great!

Jenny