WOMENS-HEALTH Messages for May, 1998: Re: Enormous belly ... but seriously

Re: Enormous belly ... but seriously

From: Angela (anonymous@obgyn.net)
Sun, 17 May 1998 01:37:10 -0500 (CDT)

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In reply to: Sian: "Enormous belly ... but seriously"

At Fri, 15 May 1998, Sian wrote: >
>I am just 14 weeks pregnant but look nearer 5 months gone. (There is
>absolutely no way that I am more than 14 weeks pregnant and I am only
>carrying one fetus). I have probably put on around 5lbs so far which is
>a bit more than I would have liked but I'm not too worried about this. [snip]
>

That's about what I gained in the first 3 months of my pregnancy. It's a perfectly acceptable weight gain. I worried about it, too, but the nurse at my OB's office seemed to think it was less than the average.

>
>This is hopefully my second baby but third pregnancy (I m/c in December
>at 11 weeks and put on a lot of weight - almost a stone - during that
>pregnancy and immediately afterwards). Would you say that such a
>"bloated" (I say that because it is not particularly solid) abdomen is
>common in subsequent pregnancies due to the weakened muscles from first
>time around? Could it be water retention, or is this more likely to
>occur on other parts of the body? As I am only 5' and quite slightly
>built I am very worried about the possibility of continuing to expand at
>such a rate so should I restrict my diet at all?

>From everything I've heard, subsequent pregnancies show much sooner than
first pregnancies, because, yes, the abdominal muscles are weaker. My mother is 4'11" and was in maternity smocks by 3 months with all of her pregnancies, *especially* the last ones. She looked full-term by 6 months, with me (but I had a twin). I'm 4'10" and was in maternity clothes by then, too, with my daughter, but that was more because snug clothing was uncomfortable.

I'm not a doctor, nor a nurse - but I did go through this last summer. The general advice I received was this: if you want to restrict your diet, restrict things with empty calories - refined sugars and unnecessary fats (which we should all do anyway). Make sure you don't restrict your daily intake of 100 gm of protein a day, 4 glasses of skimmed milk, fresh vegetables, and so on. Growing unborn babies don't need a vast number of *calories*, but they do need nutrients for building blocks, and they'll take them from your body (to your detriment) if you don't provide them in your diet.

>Thanks in anticipation of any advice.

I get to "look forward" to this with number 2, I'm shorter than you are, *and* carry all out front (see http://www.cobaltgroup.com/~angela/images/bigtummy.jpg for a very scary illustration of why I can sympathize a great deal!)

I'm sure you'll be fine if you take reasonable care with your diet. Your abdomen might enlarge earlier (and you might feel kicks earlier, too!) but that doesn't necessarily mean you're gaining the kind of weight you're worried about.

Good luck to you!

--
--angela

Next message: Angela: "Re: Erdic for bigger breasts? (long reply)"
Previous message: J.Glenn Bradley MD: "Re: OPERA for fibroids"
In reply to: Sian: "Enormous belly ... but seriously"

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