Weight Gain Question - what does your Ob recommend?

Hi There
My Ob has advised that recommended weight gain for woman during pregnancy with both single babies and twins is 26.4lbs (12 kgs) - anything more will be difficult to shift. I am already at 24lbs after 26 weeks and she is telling me to watch my food intake.
This differs to what I have read in books and I was wondering what other peoples doctors have recommended?
thanks

 

Wow, I'm surprised she told you to watch it. I know it depends on your pre-pre weight but my OB said the general recommendation is 35-45. Dr. Luke suggests more, in the ballpark of 50 (I think) and she would probably say you're right on...I remember reading that it's good to gain 24 lbs by 24 weeks...and I've also read it's important for weight gain to be steady, so you wouldn't want to suddenly halt. I don't have a lot of experience yet, but that's a bit of what I've read. it will be good to read others' posts.

 

My doctor always said 25-35 for a singleton and 35-45 for twins, but he said up to 55 for twins is fine. I think your doc is being a little unrealistic. I wouldnt worry. I know a ObGyn that gained 80lbs with all her singleton pregnacys! lol

 

That sounds WAY low to me. I am a big fan of Barbara Luke's book. There is a great explanation for why it is important to put on enough weight in the first two trimesters especially. If you are not very overweight, I would try to gain as much as possible. I had gained between 55 and 60 pounds by 38 weeks and it all came right off in the first 3 months. I am within 5 pounds of my pre-pregnancy weight now. As long as you eat healthy food, not junk (ice cream is ok!), it is fine to gain quite a bit of weight. Remember that by the end, 10-15 pounds will be the BABIES' weight (mine were almost 7 pounds each), the placentas, the amniotic fluid, your boobs will be 2-4 pounds, etc. it all adds up. Do your babies a favor and gain enough weight so that they will be healthy and full term.

 

I wish I could help, but my doctor hasn't commented on how much weight I should or shouldn't gain. I thought for sure he would being that I'm overweight and he commented on it when I was trying to get pregnant. However maybe it has to do with being lucky enough to have only gained like 1 pound total. I think I was around like 22 weeks at my last app. Also everything I've read says like 40 pounds with twins. So not really sure.

 

My Dr. has only told me to eat an additional 600 calories per day, but hasn't advised much about weight gain. With my first singleton, I gained 60 pounds, but my daughter was 9.3 so my doctor wasn't concerned. I lost it all within 3 months and it came off really easily.

My peri has just says, "Eat, Eat, Eat!" and don't worry about your weight unless I tell you to. I was trying to stay under 60 pounds during this pregnancy, but the last time I checked I was already up 40 lbs, so I don't know if I'm going to be able to do it. Either way, if my doctors are not concerned, then I am not going to be either.

 

That seems low to me too. I had heard more - from the books, from our mulitples birth class, and from my doc. But - that said - my weight gain seems to have stalled at 27lbs at 32.5 weeks - I haven't gained anything in the past two weeks. But my doc isn't concerned - he said that as long at the babies are gaining weight, then that's what really matters. These weight numbers are a guideline, to make sure you are making an effort to get enough nutrition - but the reality is going to be different from everyone.

 

My doc said 35-45 lbs too with twins...but the last appointment I dropped a couple of pounds and the doctor was not concerned about it.

 

My doctor said 60 pounds!!

 

A few appts. I went in and I had gained 11 lbs between the appts. (1 month between) The nurse just laughed and told me "you're carrying twins" don't worry about it.

 

My doc suggested I aim for about 30-35 lbs, knowing that most women go over the recommended gain by a little. He felt I would have more probs with BP, etc if I gained too much. My sis is 32 weeks pg with G/G twins and has only gained 21 pounds...last sono at 29 weeks showed both girls well over 3 lbs so I guess it can be done!

 

My doc said 25, too. I am not sure if that's right, but he's been an OBGYN for 26 years now. He's done a great job delivering 3 sets that I know of here, so I trust him. But, you should be gaining according to the week at this point if you're overweight. Just watch what you eat, and do the 1lb a week or whatever it is at this stage. Can't remember myself!

 

I think it depends on your pre-preg weight, but my peri recommended 35-45 pounds...I gained 42. Started out normal weight for my height.

 

Mine suggested 40 lbs for me and I started off on the high end of normal for my height. I ended up gaining 55 lbs but he still didn't say anything...a lot of that was fluid from my edema that I tried to control from 16 weeks until 6 weeks pp. Go figure.

 

QUOTE(bighairwoman @ Aug 18 2007, 10:50 PM) [snapback]372907[/snapback]
Hi There
My Ob has advised that recommended weight gain for woman during pregnancy with both single babies and twins is 26.4lbs (12 kgs) - anything more will be difficult to shift. I am already at 24lbs after 26 weeks and she is telling me to watch my food intake.
This differs to what I have read in books and I was wondering what other peoples doctors have recommended?
thanks


My OB had recommended 35-45 lbs total, I had to see a nutritionist during the beginning of my pregnancy. My doc said this weight gain is ideal both for you and the babies. too much and it is hard to lose afterward, also it makes the pregnancy more difficult-movement/ activity and such. I have gained 44 lbs at this point and am all belly. Just each healthy and don't over do it-you will be glad afterwards.

 

Hi There,

I'm also unsure about weight gain, because I've heard different things from different sources. A nurse practitioner at my obgyn's office said that they don't even really concern themselves with weight gain anymore. She likened the twins to parasites, who will suck all the goodness out of you! Then I read in one of my twin books, how critical it is to gain a large amount of weight in the first and second trimesters as an insurance against preterm birth. This seemed to make sense to me, however my current weight gain is no where near the recomended target they give. Also, I found a website that gave a graph to show weight gain for a woman expecting twins who starts out with a normal BMI. Here's the link...This site has lower targets than the book that I read...

http://www.storknet.com/ip/reproductive_ye...ormal_high.html

I've got so many mixed messages that I'm just trying to eat healthy food when I'm hungry. At my last ultrasound the twins seemed to be growing well, so I'm thinking that it's working... :huh:

 

thanks for the great advice - all appreciated

 

Has your OB had much experience with twin pregnancies? I think 26.4 is low (what is the .4???weird). Mine said 35-45 and I was about 10-15 pounds over my comfort zone before I got pregnant. Most of what I read is 35-45 and that's what my peri recommends too. I'm at 37 pounds today. I'm sure I'll get close to the 45 just in fluid in these last weeks.

 

I am concerned about this whole weight gain thing also. I had always heard 35-45, but per Dr. Luke, she wants you to pack on a lot. I don't know how that is possible because I can only make myself eat so much during the day. I am making myself sick with worry though because at 12 weeks I only gained 1 lb. I have my next appointment the end of this week and will just be turning 17 weeks. I only gained 27 lbs with my son and he was 8, 8 so I think part of it is your body, but you still worry. I don't want tiny babies. I'm glad to hear not everybody is packing on this huge amount of weight.

 

I get totally offended when I hear people criticize a pregnant woman who has gained "too much" weight. I've gained close to 50 lbs at 34 weeks (I was 10-15 lbs underweight when I started) but I think I'm on track and my doctor has said that its really not something they focus on, but if I gained way too little or way too much, then they might say something. YOUR weight is not whats important, its the babies. As long as you are giving them healthy foods to munch on, don't focus on that. I also would try and have a better talk with your doctor. Bring up what others have said, ask him what really is his reasoning about not gaining more weight. I would ask for clarificiation and his sources. (I may annoy doctors but I am boiund and determined to stay well informed!!)

Shannon

 

Why would the gain recommendation be the same for twins as a singleton? That makes no sense. My second baby plus placenta and amniotic fluid weighed at least 9 pounds at birth.

Anyway, I wasn't given a specific number but told that I should concentrate on eating healthful foods and eating to hunger and she'd let me know if there was a problem with my weight gain. I was told I was doing perfectly at each visit and my gain was 50 overall. 45 of that was gone in the first couple of weeks and the remaining 5 was gone two months after that. I've lost an additional 17 since then :banana:

 

My Ob said 35-40 lbs.

I gained 40 and for the record, mine shifted just fine! I look better now then I did before I was pregnant!