Can Someone PLEASE Help Me Understand This!

Interesting question!

I'm petite at 5'0 and 102lbs. With both my pregnancies my doctor told me 20 pounds was fine, she actually said I shouldn't gain anymore than 20 lbs. In my opinion 25 - 30 pounds is just a safe number that will ensure that M. is eating enough calories per day to ensure fetal development. Someone who is overweight probably consumes more calories a day then someone who is not overweight, so they don't need to increase their calorie intake much because its already above average. I eat a lot less than my husband who weighs 170lbs. I think its really an individual thing that really depends on a person's overall health. Also, remember that fat is also needed to help produce milk after the baby is born.

~N.

I am a bit overweight, and I really watched my diet for my 4th pregnancy and did not gain any weight at all. In fact I lost 3 and the doctor was fine with it. I ate a 2000 calorie diet which was recommended for being pregnant (with my height and weight) got some sample meal plans from a nutritionist and exercised everyday until 8 mos. prenant. I ate no sugar, and only drank water. I started dieting right before I got pregnant and didn't want to let that all go to waist, so I asked the doctor what I could do. He said to see a nutritionist and to keep up with the exercise regiment as long as I could handle it. I am so happy I did. It feels so good to walk out of the hospital 2 days post pardum wearing your old jeans!!
Now that being said, eat a proper diet for your height and weight, and ask your doctor about exercise. Do what is right for you and you can gain a little or gain a lot. Eating proper is most important. See a nutritionist if you need, its usually not covered under insurance, but I saw a pregnancy nutritionist and the cost was $20/visit (I usually went 1x per month, but for the first several weeks I would go 1x week, then 1x every 2weeks.

You are so funny with the things you stress about, did you find out the sex of the baby yet (from your last post)?

Anyways, women who are underweight need to gain a lot more because their bodies may be deficient of some key nutrients.
http://www.babycenter.com/0_pregnant-and-underweight-how-...
When you're overweight, you put your body at risk when gaining more weight & it can seriously complicate your pregnancy. For instance, I have a friend who was overweight (200+lbs) with her third baby and encountered many issues-high blood pressure, an out of whack thyroid, etc...
As far as someone with a healthy BMI only gaining 10lbs, BS!
If you have an 8lb baby & the amniotic fluid, placenta, and extra body fluids and blood in your body add up to another 8 to 12 pounds, how is that even healthy?
Now gaining too much weight (with healthy BMI), you run the risk of having macrosomia (a fat baby who can't pass through the birth canal).

I would just say eat with your hunger & if your hunger wants more, then keep it healthy. They say 3-5lbs during your first trimester and a lb a week after that. Honestly though, in your third trimester you really should be putting on at least a 1/2lb every week because that is all "baby" weight.

At 5'4" and starting at 133, I gained 36lbs with my first son & lost it within 4-5mos. Then, I was underweight after a year of breastfeeding.

I'm sure being on your third pregnancy you know what "normal" is for you.

Don't even worry about it. You relax - no stress hormones to your baby - and just eat well. That's far more important!

I would try not to worry too much Robyn. My dr told me with both my pregnancies that i needed to gain 25-35lbs. I am 5'7 and 165lbs. I gained 50lbs with my son (my first) and i only gained 19lbs with my daughter. They were both 8lbs 3oz. (my son was 2 weeks late and my daughter 2 weeks early)
I lost all the weight in the first 6 months with my son and my daughter it was gone the first couple of months. I still need to get back into shape but working on it!
I think drs just want to make sure you are consuming enough calories for you AND baby. But the baby only needs 300 calories a day. So just add an extra 300 to your diet. I think with overweight people they are already eating ALOT of calories so the dr is not worried about them needed to consume more calories cause they are already consuming for them and baby. Just make healthy choices and add an extra snack in a day and you will be great!
Good Luck!

I've read that doctors are going to be changing the pregnancy weight guidelines in the near future, because they were originally written in the 80s when women as a whole were thinner and healthier. Nowadays so many women are overweight, so they don't need to be packing on an additional 25-35 lbs. I'd ask your OB/GYN about that study. He should be familiar with it.

I gained so much during my pregnancy and my doc never said a word about it. Everything about me/pregnancy/baby was totally perfect so ignore # of Lbs and eat healthy, be active... we're all made different, stressin over it is not good. Please get a doc that can answer your questions.

they only want you to gain so much in a month period so they can ensure your getting enough. as long as you are eating well i wouldnt worry too much about your weight gain as long as your baby is growing well. i was told i was under weight being pregnant with my daughter. im 5'7'' and was 220 at the beginning of my pregnancy in the first 4 months i dropped 20lbs (due to severe morning sickness) and i weighed 215 when i gave birth. my dr kept telling me that i needed to eat more and i told him that i ate when i was hungry but i didnt and wouldnt stuff myself full. keep in mind i was told i was under wieght through out my pregnancy and i birthed a baby that was 8lbs 15oz. all i can say is eat normal dont stuff yourself just eat till your satisfied. if your hungry then eat. good luck!

There is the whole growth hormone thing where you are going to gain at least some weight while prego. I think the whole thing is that if you are overweight you tend to lose some of your own weight while the baby takes away from your caloric intake (like a diet) but if you are at typical weight you don't lose your own weight. So the thinner you are the more weight you can gain opposed to being overweight and losing some of your weight to the calories the baby is taking out of your diet. I am a type 1 diabetic and that's how they explained it to me.

those numbers are just averages for everybody, they aren't true for every person and if you have a doc that doesn't see that it may be time to change docs, you need a doc that sees you as an individual.

can i ask why you are asking though? i would think the 1700 calories is a bit now no matter where it's coming from during pregnancy. if you're hungry and not eating that is a problem but if your body is telling you it's time to stop eating then stop. just listen to your body. the nutrients are great and you need those but fat is also important as long as it's from good sources, not saying to go chomp down a bag of potato chips or anything.