Of Weight Gain...And Weight Loss

Hi, everyone!

You know that I've been kind of throwing myself little pity parties recently over my pregnancy weight gain, starting early on in my pregnancy. But then, just like that, I hit week 22 and lost 5 pounds instead of gaining.

What the heck?

For me, my quick pregnancy weight gain was most likely due to the fact that I was underweight at the time that I became pregnant. At almost 5'5, I weighed just 100 pounds. Not grossly underweight - eating disorders need not apply here - but I've always been very skinny due to my hyperthyroidism.

So I'm now making peace with the fact that at least the first 10-15 pounds of my pregnancy weight gain were actually just to pad my scrawny body instead of really going to baby. Ok, cool. Got it. Have been trying to gain that weight for, oh, let's see, 10 years, so thanks to Bunny for making it possible.

So beyond that and up to week 22, that left 20 pounds gained. Yeesh. Still a bit much, don't you think? Taking away those first 15 pounds, that still leaves 20 pounds at just over halfway, whereas most "standard" medical advice advises gaining between 25 and 35 pounds. Oh, and that same "standard" medical advice tends to tell you that much of that weight is gained in the 2nd and 3rd trimesters. So, um, my pregnancy weight gain was a bit early, wouldn'tyousay?

And then, just like that, POOF! Five pounds lost. That was lots easier to understand, actually. During the week that I lost five pounds, I was visiting my Mom in Pennsylvania. Mom owns a 4-story house. That's lots of stairs. And we worked on home improvements for her the entire time. That's lots of trips up and down lots of stairs. And Mom eats a bit erratically at times...Future Daddy had to ask her (nicely, of course) more than once to make some food for us to eat - or at least let us into her sanctus sanctorum (the kitchen) to make our own food, since Bunny was getting feisty from hunger. So DRASTIC increase in exercise due to stairs plus BIG decrease in food intake equaled the first time my pregnancy weight gain reversed into a loss.

We've been back from PA for five days now, and despite gorging due to my "all you can eat" ticket at a baseball game on Friday, I seem to have only gained a pound or possibly two since I got back. So perhaps, from here on out, we'll be more temperate in pace.

By the way, in case anyone is interested, here is the "standard" information on pregnancy weight gain:

Normal total gain: 25 to 35 pounds
1st Trimester: 2 to 5 pounds, total
2nd & 3rd trimesters: 1 pound per week, total

For us underweight folks, it's advised to gain between 28 and 40 pounds.
People who start with a few extra pounds should gain between 15 and 25.

All bets are off if you're expecting multiples. I'm still not convinced that Bunny isn't harboring a twin...seems like I'm on track to hit the 35 to 45 range predicted for twins. Haha!

Happy Eatin'!

~FM~