Hi there,
I thought I would start this group, Meg had the thought to have a good pregnancy support group where we can discuss our goals, and perhaps the unique problems with pregnancy. there are a few of us due in October and fall so this could be a good place to start, and then we could stick together for those of us who would be nursing our babies, and if you aren't it would still be a great place because all moms need help and from my experience it didn't matter if I breastfeed or bottle I still gained weight post partum. We can discuss helps for eating on those days when food is a problem, when emotions are just too strong, and when exersice is just not happening. We can help with Ideas to combat all kinds of difficulty.

I'm due October 30, expecting baby #4, My first two are soon to be 15 and an 11 year old, and my 3rd is a sweet little soon to be 11 month old. We wanted another baby, so this is good for us and as all of them it is a miracle to even be expecting at all. I low carbed with baby number 3, and did very well I also exercised all through the preganancy until about the month before when I just wore out, but I kept trying to to do pilates, and some other yoga work. I know I can do it with this one too. I have had a hard time the past few months with cravings and just not ever feeling satisfied no matter what I ate. That was the hardest thing for me with nursing.
I hope other's will want to come and post and just be there for each other. I can post during the week, the weekends are when I tend to not be on the computer. Hope to see you all around.
Tanya

Today I stepped on the scale and I was down to 203. I have also managed a good workout today. I'm trying very hard to avoid cravings of all kinds and just stay in control. I know my emotions will be more in control if I do that. I need to go get lab work done this week, this being stress because I'm not sure how this insurance works and where I should go to have it done. I don't have our cards yet, either so it is just nerve racking to try to figure out.
Tanya

Here I am, not feeling good today, so eating is rough. It looks like I'm all alone here.
Tanya

Hi Tanya! I'm 5 weeks today and REALLY need to lose some weight. My midwife told me not to, because pregnancy is a bad time. She also told me the only diet that's safe during pregnancy is the diabetic diet.

I still plan on doing low-carb, but not induction. I'll probably eat a little more fruit than I usually would too. I just don't understand how it can possibly be any worse for me than me eating sugar/carb filled foods

(Plus I'd really love to LOOK pregnant instead of just round at some point!)

Hi there, I had put low carb out of my mind for the past 10 weeks, but I had my first weigh-in yesterday (I'm at 16 weeks) and the doctor looked through my file and said that I weigh the same as I did in my last pg at this point (230). That kind of hit me, because I ended up weighing 276 by the time I had my last baby and it took me a year to lose 70 lbs afterwards. I had hoped to gain less this time around (#5) but so far I am heading down the same sugary path. And when I got home and had supper, I ate 3 hotdogs - with the bun, and girl guide cookies for dessert. Its like if I am not on a dedicated low-carb diet, I have no control over my eating. As soon as I decide to go low-carb, I am fine, but I can't seem to make myself eat at a maintenance level. Is all or nothing. I had this problem last year before I got PG, I had already started gaining weight before hand. The only thing that kept me from gaining was eating low-carb desserts and now I can't do that because I don't want to eat artificial sweetners while PG. I really want to look pregnant and not just fat this time around!

Well dumb me, I lost the big post I had going. LOL
It is good to see both of you here, Underjoyed and Donna.
I was telling you both that you can do this safely. I ate about 100 gms of carb a day with my last pregnancy, I'm hoping to do that again. I wanted you both to know that I lost weight with my last pregnancy, had a healthy baby, and I did the best I ever did with any of my pregnancies, I felt better, I had more energy and I recovered better.
Because I had gestational diabetes, I had to watch my BS and that is what I based my carb intake and my eating plan. I wanted to keep my BS around 100 or less and I did that most of the time. I had a baby smaller than my other two, she also has been the one that didn't grow really fast after birth, and my most active.
My doctor luckily didnt' mind me loosing weight although my dieticains were freaking out about it.
I ate lots of veggies, I was not to eat any fruit at breakfast, I drank low carb milk, lots of plain yogurt, almonds, good protiens, and good fats. Do what makes you feel the best with the best energy. I also fudged a bit on my food logs, I didnt' write all the fats I ate, and I ate lots of high fiber, low carb tortias, breads etc, that had a normal carb count, but a low total net carb count. Does that make sense? One other thing, don't forget to do workouts. I really love pilates for pregnancy, and I also do some firm workouts I adapt, and walk, walk, walk.
I hope we can be a good support because I have been rather weak on this too. Hope to continue to see you both around.
Tanya

Donna,
What part of Alberta are you from. I lived in Calgary until I was 9 1/2, and My father was from Lethbridge.
Tanya

Tanya ~ Did you end up losing a lot of weight during your pregnancy? I'm not sure what my weight is on my sig because I haven't been on here in quite some time, but the scale at the Dr. had me at 250 last month. When I went this week it said 267 and I almost fainted. 17 lbs in a month?? My clothes all fit the same so I know one of the weights is wrong..but I don't know which one. I think the 267 is wrong because last time I weighed 260 I was in a sz 24. Right now I'm between an 18 and a 20 (mostly 20 because my stomach is so bloated now) I seriously have to watch everything I eat from now on. It's depressing too because I had just lost a lot of weight in September/Oct. and was wearing sz 16 very comfortably..

Now they scream for help if I look at them!

Yes, I lost weight during my last pregnancy. I had a high weight of 199 at about 20 wks and then I ended up at about 183 by the time I delivered.
I did want to mention, so others don't think I'm nuts, that I am a registered nurse, I worked in Newborn Intensive Care for the majority of the years I worked. I quit working about 4 years ago. So the health of the baby is very, very important to me, and if I thought this way of eating would harm the little one I wouldn't do it. I know way to much, particularily with gestational diabetes and the risks to that baby, which are significant.
As far as your weight goes, I would question it if you are comfortable with what your clothes size says. Me I'm a short 5 ft 2 1/2 so 200 pound looks like a lot, I wear about an 18-20 right now. My hope is that I can loose a bit again, and end this pregnancy at about 188, or so. I'm not going to tell that to the Doctor, just do my best, and see what happens. I'm not sure about the 17lbs, but I bet a great deal of it is water weight, if you can control the carb intake much of that should go and you should be able to see where you really are at.
Tanya

Hi Tanya, I am living in Cold Lake (much chillier than Calgary!) but I did grow up in Edmonton, and I spent a couple years in Calgary (good ones too!).
Your posts are very encouraging, having just gained 30 lbs in my first 17 weeks, I am feeling like I want to put a halt to gaining (I can only dream of actually losing!) and even though I have read on occasion of plus-size women not gaining during pg, it makes me feel better knowing that you're a nurse and you still are OK with it. I know that I am eating healthier, but the carbs just put me way over the edge. I am starting to get that feeling that I had the first time I decided to do low carb, I think I am just going to bite the bullet and go for it! Before I tried low carb I felt like I couldn't possibly give up potatoes, bread and pasta, and even though I have done low carb for years now, I have that feeling again just because I am pg.
And I like the idea of a smaller baby, at least smaller than my 9.12 pounder! It would be nice to have a use for newborn size clothes!

Yay!! Here is the group! I didn't know if it had been started. Our modem has been broken and I haven't "forumed" in a little while.

I want to put a halt on the gain for a little while. (runs to the bathroom to check weight) 172 YIKES!

Generally I'm a VERY athletic and sporty person, I'm comfortable, though not completely satisfied with a weight around 150 (5 10"). Unfortunately I gained a LOT of weight over this fall and winter at school starting from when my feet were out of order for a few mos in late summer.. January 10th or so I started my intense training and dieting for summer sports, only to find I was too tired to actually do anything and had a monstrous appetite. Ooops! I had accidentally gotten pregnant I ate a lot in the first couple mos and am now uncomfortably (for me) chubby. I don't mind being a little chubby - I'm pregnant - but my feet are absolutely killing me, KILLING and it's really frustrating. I remember my shoulders and arms, legs.. calves from last summer (nice and muscular) and don't want to wear a t-shirt or anything that will show skin now.

So, yeah - I'd like to halt the gain for a while. Perhaps some moderate fat loss will make pregnancy things easier on my body. I know lowcarbing will make me feel better. I want to be in good condition for the birth... and to be active soon after birth, walking and hiking with my baby.

A friend just lent me an EXCELLENT book which I am going to buy: Preparing for Birth with Yoga, by Janet Balaskas. If anyone is interested in making the whole process easier take a look, get it from the library or something - seriously. There are a lot of things we can do ourselves to make more room for the babies head and to make it a LOT less injurous and painful for ourselves Anything to minimize my damage and promote the little one's health!

I skipped school today. I'm about 30 days from graduating and was too tired last night to study for our myology and kinesiology test today. Will go hiking in the sun instead. PLEASE feet.. just last until the end of the hike.

I'm sorry Meg your feet are bugging you so much that can really make this hard. I do Leisa Hart's prenanal workout that has a lot of Yoga in it. It is hard sometimes because when I'm pregnant I can't put my hands over my head, it is really stressful, but once she starts to move faster it is okay. I also love the Prenatal pilates, one of my favorites, since it really works on the core muscles. For has heavy as I was with my last baby, and now I'm even more so, the nurses couldn't believe my abd muscles were so hard, they had a hard time finding my uterus because of it. LOL
I'm glad you found us.
Tanya

Wow, am I psyched! I'm 15 weeks and just trying to maintain - I haven't gained any weight and here you guys are talking about losing! I may have to reevaluate...

I can't post a lot right now, but I'm thrilled to find you guys and will post more later. Right now I have to make sure my three boys aren't bleeding (yet ) outside!

Hi,

I have been doing the low carb diet since January and have lost about 25 pounds. I just found out that I was pregnant and so now I am needing some help on what diet to do. My last OB/GYN did not want me to do low carb. I have read several posts to this forum and they make me think that I could still do a low carb diet as long as I increase the carb intake. I do not want to take any chances in harming my baby as I know that the ketones can be fatal, so can someone email me to help me with this issue. I would like to try to lose more weight, but want to do it wisely, if possible.

I'm only about 4-5 weeks pregnant. I exercise at my gym 4-5 days a week, take dance lessons once a week, plus dance practice, so I am very active already and don't want to stop all of that just because I'm pregnant.

The ladies who have done a low carb diet while exercising during pregnancy, I would love to hear from you and your suggestions. Are there any books that I can buy that tell me how to do a low carb diet safely?

Thanks,
JoAn in Florida
joanstead~mchsi.com Please email me if you can!

I don't see why you'd have to stop any of what you're doing - as long as you feel good. You MIGHT (maybe not though!) find that you need to put a little less intensity into your dance just because so much energy is going into the baby... but that is by no means a reason to stop. The only reason I stopped certain activities is for a while I was just too tired.. I slept and slept and slept.. and now I'm only limited by my feet pain and the breathlessness I have when trying to work hard Also, 'm not sprinting now because I think I would pass out if I tried.

The consensus here seems to be that low carb is fine during pregnancy - just add a few carbs so you're at 50-100 per day, instead of 20 or lower. You may find you're craving a little more, mainly listen to your body. As for ketones being dangerous.... what about all of the women who CAN'T eat because of severe morning sickness? They lose fat.. and when fat is lost ketones are produced. What about certain tribes or cultures who NORMALLY eat a ketogenic diet? I think we'd have heard about it if all of their kids had died or were born defective. I think the big fuss is about ketones produced because of diabetes.. not ketones normally produced when fat is burned by a healthy individual.

As long as your focus is on getting the nutrients you and your baby need (nutrients do not equal large amounts of carbs) if you lose weight along the way I'm sure you'll be fine. IF the focus is only on losing fat then there is probably more of a chance of harm along the way.