I'm at 15 1/2 weeks now, and I think I'm supposed to have gained 5 pounds by now -- well I've definitely put on at least 10 and I absolutely know it has nothing to do with the baby.

Since finding out about this pregnancy, I've turned into a ravenous, out of control carb eater!! I know I should not be doing this and vow every day to get it under control, but I just can't seem to stop it!! Is anyone else in this boat?

Huh, its the whole craving problem, right? bouts of carb cravings can be related to lowered serotonin levels, but what can you do about that when you are pregnant? if you weren't pregnant I would say try 5-htp, which is a tremendous help to myself at the moment.

If it were me, and it might be me in the future, I would remove those offending carbs from the house, and keep some low-carb snacks around. Plus some berries. Straw berries, raspberries, blackberries, blueberries. I would also take a good gram of tryptophan per day and see what that does. L-tryptophan is just an amino acid. The body converts it to 5-htp which then gets converted to serotonin. Conversion of L-tryptophan to 5-htp is an enzyme controlled step whose rate is under strict control by your body's needs. Any L-tryptophan that the body doesn't want to convert to 5-htp gets used to make proteins or is used for energy, so it won't harm your baby. However, should your body be craving serotonin and is making you eat carbs in order to get it, that extra L-tryptophan might be of great help in addressing the problem.

Thank you for the great ideas -- now I just need to get myself to implement them!

you can get L-tryptophan at GNC or just about any vitamin store in the states, if you are interested in that.

Wow! 5 pounds after 15 weeks? I thought it was 25-35 pounds for an entire pregnancy. That means 10 pounds doesn't sound too bad. Sadly, I've gained 7 and I"m only 10 weeks. But I count Kit Kats as a craving. I think you're doing great!!!!!

Here is a chart I found on the net, at 10 pounds for 15 weeks (almost 16) you are still within range (on the high end, but still).

Chart

Just be careful with those cravings!

But the rate of weight gain is supposed to increase as you go along and that might be what the doctor would say, but none of that matters. Just the extra fluid alone could account for 5-7 pounds of that 10 pounds.

Don't worry too much about your weight..... at the end of your pregnancy the total weight gain is suppose to be about 28-30 lbs. (includes blood,water, xtra fat for birth, boobs, etc.). I gainned inches during the first 2 trimesters and lost weight! Only to gain 30 lbs in the last trimester (didn't change anything about my eating habits). I had already gained about three inches by the time I was 6 weeks! Although Before I found out ~5 weeks I had been wondering why in the world my jeans were getting so little in the waist I read somewhere if you crave something sweet you should eat something sour and vice versa. It hinted that when our bodies crave sweets it (our body) needs somthing that can be found in trace amounts in sweets but in higher amounts in sour foods. The same goes for craving sour foods. Can't remember where I read it though

Is this your first child? I have a two year old.

I was VERY blessed and was never sick (nauses -- yes) and felt wonderful throughout my whole pregnancy. The problem was, being my first child, I gave myself too many liberties and gained 70 lbs!

I lost 40 lbs within the first 6 weeks following delivery -- so basically 30 lbs was just me overeatting. I am now just getting motivated to get it off -- plus the other weight I was trying to lose before getting pregnant.

I guess what I am saying is a little opposite of everyone else. Yes -- be concerned about what you are gainning, but talk with your Dr. about what to do.

With my second (which we are trying for) I am planning to be more on top of what I eat. I am a little nervous about continuing LC though and thus the reason I'm checking things out now. Your Dr. will be able to give you the best direction.

Good Luck and Best Wishes.

Thanks all, I'm still gaining much more than I want, but I know I am eating way too much. Can't seem to stop and I've been atrocious with carbs as well.

So far so good in terms of the pregnancy, can't believe next week it will be 6 months already!!

I tried to be really careful with my 2nd child..I gained the recommended 25lbs and it flew off post pregnancy.

I survived on grapes. They helped with the carb cravings and nausia..

Once I got into my second trimester and felt better, I ate a healthy, modified low carb diet and made sure I got plenty of fat. The fat kept me from overeating.

Well, I haven't been on the scale for a while and today I got the courage to get back on. Up to 181. That's 24 pounds gained in 23 weeks of pregnancy. Unless I don't gain a single pound more for the whole pregnancy I will definitely blow past the 25 pound recommended weight gain -- i guess I'm tracking to gain more like 50 if I keep this up.

For some reason I have let go and have been allowing myself to eat sugary things (donuts, brownies, cookies) on top of carbs (bagels, breads, pasta and rice) -- and as the addict I know I am, I get out of control with portions. It seems fun while I'm indulging, but I already regret this weight gain.

This morning I've had several slices of turkey bacon (I know, I shouldn't be having the nitrates) and decaf coffee and trying to work up the courage to get back to being better at lowering my carbs, yet eating healthily (lots of veggies and small amounts of fruit along with protein and fats). Once I get on 'sugar' it's so hard to say goodbye to it!

I saw a study somewhere (I think on Eades blog) that overindulgence on carbs while pregnant damages your baby's pancreas. The damage makes them have trouble with insulin and greatly increases the chances that they will be overweight.

I did this to my daughter 10 years ago and although she is still slim...I know she is carb sensitive and will have to be extra careful her whole life.

Don't do this to you or your baby. It is so easy to not worry about it during pregnancy. It is the moms that worry and are watchful that gain appropriate amounts. You will regret it if you don't. Be extra vigilent.

Hopefully that motivates you. Try and imagine how you will feel if you have to watch this child you are carrying struggle with weight their whole life because you thought it was too hard to not eat sugar.

I say this is tough love....not to be mean, because I know what you really want is to get back on track.

There are lots of places online to see a general idea of how much one should gain start to finish but is there a place where it says "if you're 5'3 and 4 months pregnant you should weigh about X"?

I wouldnt worry too much, you arent really going to have cravings the whole pregnancy- at least most people do not.

Your second trimester is usually the one that balances you out and the weight gain should subside and then pick up again in the third trimester.

I couldnt eat anything at all during the 1st trimester- not because of MS but i just didnt want to. I literally only ate oranges and tangerines. Lost 25 pounds, then second and third trimster I gained about 55 by the end of it- when i came home after delivery i was about 5 pounds overweight from starting weight, it really is all relative, you could gain like 10 + pounds of water easily in the end too.

Just try to eat healthy and not look at the scale.