[PacSunMama]

I am not pregnant anymore but I can tell you about my experience! I just had my little guy on 4/12 at 40 weeks, 4 days. I managed to gain 8 pounds total by 39 weeks, was up 12 pounds at 40 weeks which I count totally as water weight since I spent the week throwing up, not eating and not sleeping. Anyways... I somehow lost weight at first, and slowly gained back up to my starting weight. I had to stop and really try to manage what I was eating after 32 weeks since that's when I actually started to gain. It wasn't too hard, but I had to make sure I was making good choices as much as I possibly could. It was a good thing I craved tomato salad and apples!

Try not to drink your calories, that was a challenge for me at first! I finally just started drinking water only, and then some milk each day, but had to work hard on cutting out everything else- juice, soda, sweetened teas, etc. I started gaining weight at 32 weeks because I was put on modified bedrest/"take it easy" orders because I was having contractions. So if you're able to take walks, even a few smaller ones rather than one big one if it wears you out too much... do it! It really does make a difference!

[Everlasting]

I'm not really sure what I should do about my weight for my pregnancy. I lost about 70 lb in the last year so I was down in the 180s when I got pregnant... still overweight, but not as hugely as I was. I'm sure glad I lost the weight first now that I'm gaining again.

I gained 9 pounds in the first 16 weeks... now going on week 18 tomorrow and as for todays weigh in I was down 2 again over the past couple of weeks. I think this is actually just due to being more conscientious about what I'm eating (cutting out junk and sweets). Still drinking juice as it's helping me with the... bathroom issues.

I'm trying to walk a few miles a day and keep very active. I have a summer job starting in a month (that will extend for 2 months) where I am going to have to be leading kids on nature hikes daily!!! Albeit they are physically disabled or obese children, and in past experience the "hikes" go very slowly, on even to moderate terrain (accessible for walkers, crutches, and wheelchairs), and not too far. Just enough to get them active and enjoying nature. Shouldn't be too bad right? I've assured the camp directors that I can still perform on my job and currently I'm still in a state to do so... so I hope it holds out!

I guess my goal is to simply get all my nutrition in, while maintaining close to my current weight... I'd like to not gain more than 20 lb over the whole course of events. We'll see what happens.