Not gaining enough?

Okay, I am 4 months pregnant and have only gained 7 pounds!!! I started out at 135 and now am 142. That really doesn't seem like enough. My doctor didn't seem too worried about it at our last check-up, but now it is two weeks later and I haven't gained a single pound. I am eating healthy most of the time and then once a day I usually have a really high calorie treat (ice cream, chocolate, etc.). Last night I was so worried about it I told my husband to bring me McDonald's chicken nuggets and fries!! Gross!!! I can't stand that kind of food. Ha! Anway...what do you guys think?

How much weight had you all gained by 16 weeks?

I should tell you that with my first pregnancy...a singleton...I gained 65 pounds!!! So...I am a little concerned about doing that again. It is really hard for me this pregnancy to just eat whatever I want because I am afraid of gaining way too much. But at the same time I want to gain the right amount for the twins. Anyway, any suggestions for putting on weight with healthy foods would be greatly appreciated. I don't want to feel like I need to eat McDonalds ever again!

Manda

 

the better question is, are the babies growing and gaining weight? i met with a dietician at the start of my pregnancy and she was far more concerned with the babies' growth than mine. Here's an example - I went to the doctor yesterday and had lost 3 lbs since my last appt. But the babies had each gained over a pound since my last appt. SO, it totally didn't matter that I had lost the weight. If your doctor isn't concerned, that may be b/c the babies are doing just fine. There's no need for McDonald's! If you keep eating healthy, high protein, high calcium meals and snacks, you may not gain 65 lbs again, but your babies will still get everything they need.

 

Not to worry. I agree with the pp - the important thing is that the babies are growing. Besides, I am not a nutritionist, but I do know that McDonald's chicken nuggets and fries are not going to make babies grow. Protein, calcium, good carbs, whole graines, etc... this is where you get more bang for your buck.
I am 36 weeks and have only gained about 33lbs. my entire pregnancy. I started around 130 and am at 163. I feel great and my babies are right where they need to be. I eat much like you - pretty healthy all day with at least one yummy treat - ice cream, chocolate, etc... I have also tried to stay active throughout the pregnancy.

HTH
Amy

 

I was 135 pre pregnancy, lost 7 pounds by my fourth month from Morning sickness and now I gained my weight (AND SOME) back. I'm 36 weeks and I weigh 169 lbs. Babies are healthy, and thats all that matters. Don't worry about it.

Netty

 

Agree, agree. Put it in perspective, your babies only way MAYBE 8oz each (so one pound of babies at this point). Your weight gain right now is really not an issue. I had gained maybe 4lbs at 15 weeks and 7lbs at 19 weeks; my most recent appointment was 19lbs. at 27 weeks. My babies are right on track.

Don't worry about it. Eat healthy, eat when you are hungry, and drink tons of water; the rest will take care of itself.

Jen

 

I had only gained a handful of pounds when I had my ultrasound at 20 weeks and was told I was having twins. Now I already looked very pregnant but my weight was not reflecting that yet. It seemed like right after that ultrasound I started to really gain weight. I packed on the majority of the 46 pounds I gained with my pregnancy in the second half.

I weighed 115 when I got pregnant, 161 the day I delivered at 36 weeks, 3 days (babies were 6lbs 9 oz, 6 lbs 2 oz), 122 when I left the hospital and 4 weeks later I weighed in at 114. So don't worry, I had probably only gained 5 pounds at 20 weeks and put on another 40 in the last 16 weeks.

 

Until just the past couple of weeks, I was down from my pre-pregnancy weight, but the babies were big and strong. I'm just now starting to put on some. I'm right at what I was pre-pregnancy now. I lost at the beginning due to MS and not really feeling good or knowing how much extra it was taking! I'm 23 weeks today and am exactly what I was pre-pregnancy, but had an US yesterday and the babies are almost 1 1/2 pounds each!

 

i haven't gained much weight yet, either. but at our ultrasound last week, the babies were actually measuring a few days ahead of schedule. hmmm...

 

I am almost 24wks and have gained 14lbs. All of that has been in the past 4-6wks. I didn't gain anything til my 19th wk. I was not concerned because both girls have been measuring and gaining exactly how they should, so I don't worry about it. I thought for sure I would gain sooner faster, but that was not the case. Now I am gaining, so you will probably too. As long as the babies are good, I wouldn't worry to much about it.

April

 

By 16 weeks i had lost 15 lbs! Its more important for the babies to be developing correctly anyways!! It doesnt matter how much weight you dont gain unless the babies arent developing or gaining the weight!!

 

Oh wow, I feel so much better. I think the only thing that was freaking me out was that I read somewhere with twin pregnancies...one should gain 24 pounds by 24 weeks. I just felt so far off from that goal. Anyway, thanks ladies for the reassurance.

Manda

 

I'm at almost 30 weeks and have gained 17.5 pounds. Don't worry, if the doctor is concerned, he'll let you know what you need to do!

 

I wouldn't worry too much. I didn't gain a pound with the boys until about 18 weeks and then proceeded to gain 50 - I delivered at 34 weeks!

 

I am 17 weeks and i have gained 7lbs. Doctor is not concerned...he did mention though that bread products and fruit can add the weight on quicker!

 

I was 137 pre-prego.... at 20w2d when I found out I think I was 139??? up until last week I was 161... then I gained 5 lbs in 3 days (though I think I have lost 1 or 2) Anyways I am 33w2d & currently weight about 166 still. So that is 29lbs for me! BUT what is important & why my OB is comfy is that the babies are both in the 50% for their growth & measuring only 1 oz different. If I can keep them in until 36-37 weeks it looks like we might have a couple of 6lb'r girls

Just make sure you are eating small meals often & try to keep them well balanced... make sure you have enough fruit, veggies, dairy & PROTEIN. Some books say you need a crazy amount... others not so much. I just try to make choices that envolve higher protein foods... protein & carbs are what make you AND the babies gain...

Just because you gained alot with your first doesn't mean it will happen this time. I THINK the books say 35-45 is average wtih twins... but all that matters is that they are growing & healthy! My friend gained over 50 with her 1st & only 20 with her 2nd (both boys) They were only a few oz different in size.

 

I think the only thing that was freaking me out was that I read somewhere with twin pregnancies...one should gain 24 pounds by 24 weeks.

I totally understand what you are saying. I weigh myself in the mornings to check to see what I am weighing. I have not gained ANY weight yet myself. I think you are talking about Dr. Luke's book which basically states that the weight all needs to be gained as early as possible since you may deliver early and may not be able to put it on later. I worry about this all the time. But I think that as long as I am eating balanced and good then it is ok. I do get some high calorie stuff in there too, some of it is cravings some just since it is high calorie and obviously all of it is going to these little ones because of the lack of weight gain.

I am sure that we will look back at this and laugh once the pounds start to come on. I just wanted to post to let you know that I totally understand where you are coming from, I worry too but assume that the babies will take what they need as long as I provide it and the weight will come! Hang in there!

 

QUOTE(pgwithtwins @ May 12 2007, 12:16 PM) [snapback]252669[/snapback]
I totally understand what you are saying. I weigh myself in the mornings to check to see what I am weighing. I have not gained ANY weight yet myself. I think you are talking about Dr. Luke's book which basically states that the weight all needs to be gained as early as possible since you may deliver early and may not be able to put it on later. I worry about this all the time. But I think that as long as I am eating balanced and good then it is ok. I do get some high calorie stuff in there too, some of it is cravings some just since it is high calorie and obviously all of it is going to these little ones because of the lack of weight gain.



That was a concern of mine, but I am gaining more now then I have the entire pregnancy! I am averaging 1-2 lbs a week... it has definitly made up for the lack of gain the first half! The trick is eating lots of small meals... buy doing that I can eat just as much now as I could before, I'mm just eating & drinking ALL the time

 

I didn't start gaing significant weight until 18-20 weeks. So far I've gained 43lbs! I started out as 111lbs, my OB said I may have been slightly underweight so its good I gained so much. Its slowed down now. At my last appointment I hadn't gained anything in 2 weeks.

 

I didn't really start to gain a significant amount of weight till about week 23. I started out at 117 and so far I have put on 50 lbs! But the doctors said that was fine with a twin pregnancy.

 

Thanks again everyone!! I really helps to read about what you guys have gained. I have to remind myself sometimes that in developing countries where there is poor nutrition for pregnant women....they still have healthy babies most of the time. We are just so accustomed to worry about everything in our culture!

Also, I was talking to my husband's grandmother (she has 6 children) about this weight thing. And she said...."You don't need to go out and try to put on a bunch of weight. These days women are getting too fat when their pregnant. It wasn't like that in my day!" It was funny. She kind of put things in perspective.

And like you all said...I bet later on I will absolutely NOT have to worry about this. I am sure the weight will come!!

Manda

 

Iam 15 weeks i gained 1 pound . yes...i said 1 pound until now. i was 160 lost 2 (158)on my last apt and on 10th May i am 159.

 

At 16 weeks for me I was back up to prepregnancy weight. I lost about 10 pounds right away. With my first baby I gained almost 100 pounds, with my second I gained 20 pounds and with the twins I gained 17 pounds.

Eat what you can. Eat right. There is that 24 by 24 rule - but just do the best you can. Some women have a harder time gaining weight during pregnancy - and each pregnancy is different!

Angel

 

QUOTE(Manda2059 @ May 13 2007, 11:17 PM) [snapback]253797[/snapback]
Also, I was talking to my husband's grandmother (she has 6 children) about this weight thing. And she said...."You don't need to go out and try to put on a bunch of weight. These days women are getting too fat when their pregnant. It wasn't like that in my day!" It was funny. She kind of put things in perspective.

Manda


Yes, it was common for doctors to even tell women to diet during pregnancy but now we know better so we do better. I am going to give a bit of a different perspective and say that I think it is important to try to gain early because it is so hard to eat later in a twin pregnancy. I literally could barely get or keep food down and I actually started losing weight in my third trimester. I agree with the Dr. Luke theory of making an effort to gain early by comsuming extra protein, calcium etc. If your babies are born at all early you will be glad that you did everything possible to put weight on them. I am paraphrasing Dr.Luke here by saying that you can't compare the weight gain in a singleton pregnancy to a twin pregnancy. With twins the weight gain is much more important. I would start to add to your diet while you can.

 

I lost 12 lbs my 1st trimester and by 16 weeks had only gained 4 lbs. I gained 17lbs over the following 2 months, but then only gained 6 lbs over the next 2 months (I was on bedrest tho.) Over the last 4 weeks I've gained 11 lbs, for a total of 44 (including the weight I had to gain back.) But my Dr's aren't concerned with my gain. The babies are measuring slightly small, but still healthy. Last thurs they were weighing in at 4 lbs 7 oz and 4 lbs 12 oz.
I would say not to worry, your Dr will let you know if there is need to be concerned.