Weight Matters
>> Friday, January 16, 2009
Warning: Anyone who doesn't want to read a pregnant woman's freakout about weight gain should turn back now. I know it's a tedious subject but I just need to let it out.
So. I had my 24-week appointment today (a little early). I have now gained 22 pounds. That's up nine pounds since December 22. Um, oops? Guess who went a little crazy over the holidays! I was doing so well, too. I felt good about being up 12.5 pounds at 20 weeks. But now? I'm trying not to freak out about it. It's really not so bad... right? If I gain a pound a week from here till the end, which I understand is normal and reasonable, I'll have gained 38 pounds. ... Okay, that's not making me feel better. The books all say that since I started out overweight, I should gain 15-25. I've obviously blown that goal right out of the water.
I've spent so much time during this pregnancy telling myself that weight doesn't matter and that I'm not going to stress about it. Whenever I complain to Keith that I look or feel fat, he says, "No, hunny, you're pregnant. There's a difference." I know.
I know.
But I've spent my whole life worrying about my weight. I was a chubby child teased by classmates. I remember getting dieting tips from my skinny, pretty best friend when I was nine years old. It was only a couple of years ago that I finally managed to shed some weight and started to feel kind of good about myself (although I was still a good 15 pounds from my stated goal). It's really hard to watch the scale swing back the other way. I especially didn't want to see it go past my all-time high, but it looks like it's going to.
Deep breaths. It's okay. It isn't forever. It's for the baby.
3 comments:
HMMM I'm finding it hard to feel sorry:) LOL!!!
I came across your blog and your post was so familiar to me. My son is 11 weeks old and I worried about the same thing throughout my pregnancy. I was also a chubby child and lost weight as an adult. My partner refers to me as a 'fat phobe" because I am terrified of gaining weight and obsess about it constantly. I just wanted to tell you that between 19 & 24 weeks I gained about 10 lbs. Before 19 weeks like you I had only gained about 11 lbs. I totally freaked out with the sudden gain of weight! I was terrified that at this rate I would be up 60 lbs by 40 weeks.
I want to assure you that it will be okay - I had actually lost a pound or two by my next appointment. I only ended up gaining 25lbs total before I delivered at 40 weeks (my son was born on his due date.) By two weeks after birth I was down 20lbs. I actually kept eating the same way I was when I was pregnant too (I think the breastfeeding helped). Now at 11 weeks after giving birth I am 6lbs lighter than before getting pregnant. Honestly, it was hard to watch the scale go up ever couple of weeks during pregnancy but know that it will all come off easily right after you give birth. Relax and enjoy your time to indulge and watch your baby gain a healthy amount of weight.
I just wanted to say as a former classmate "I'm sorry". Not that I think I was one of the kids that made fun of you and I know I wasn't the one to give you diet tips! But I wished that I'd quieted those people who did. I do remember my Mom telling me that you hadn't lost your baby fat yet. I think that was around grade 3. Oddly that thought stuck with me my whole life and whenever I see a pretty round face girl like you I always think "baby fat".
Just for the record I always felt fat and out of place in school too. My glasses never helped either. We went to school with some oddly skinny girls!
I think that you have to do what's best for your baby. Eat the right foods and walk every day. You can't be focusing on your weight now, it's not the right time.
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