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  #1   ^
Old Sun, Aug-16-09, 10:20
I<3splenda I<3splenda is offline
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Posts: 227
 
Plan: Atkins
Stats: 175/127/120 Female 5'4
BF:
Progress: 87%
Default General Low Carb Pregnancy Discussion

Anyone else pregnant & struggling with the lack of information regarding low carb pregnancies? Let's support each other here!

I am pregnant with my second, due in March but totally look 6 months pregnant already

I haven't been counting carbs as much lately - I was eating a lot of fruit when I was feeling sick but it quickly transformed into an aversion. I've just been so hungry. For some reason I thought the low carb would curb that, but nope! Just as hungry as the next pregnant lady!!

The OB I saw briefly (for my "official" pregnancy test) told me to stop taking my Metformin which I take for Metabolic Syndrome/Insulin Resistance, so I did - but now I'm reading that many women continue taking it for insulin issues! I have a note in to my Pdoc, so we'll see.

I found new midwives (my midwives from my daughter's birth are on sabbatical) & they are AWESOME! One was actually an intern with my other midwives & we loved her then. It's really kissmet! I'm looking forward to midwifery care again. There is such a difference!

I pretty much want eggs with bacon or ham and cheese ALL the time. Grilled meat is a yummy treat for dinner and I've had peanutbutter & celery as a snack once a day for over a week. Mostly it's eggs and some smoked pork product. Mmmm. Eggs. Can't get enough. One night I went face down in a bowl of popcorn, but I don't really know what to say about that

Nausea is WAY better & easily remedied by eating something (which is usually eggs with bacon or ham and cheese :lol ) All around I'm feeling pretty much back to "normal" save for my ginormous uterus that seems WAY bigger this second time around.

Except... today, after a month of fixation, I made a chocolate layer cake with cream cheese frosting using This recipe. It was effing amazing, let me tell you! Actually, I made the basic batter, but I used cannalini [white] beans - as a long time beanconfection skeptic, I just couldn't ditch the disgusting image of black beans in a cake. For some reason white beans seemed more approachable.

Then I split the batter in half and made 3 vanilla cupcakes & 3 lemon cupcakes with 1 half & 1 mini chocolate layer cake with the other :lol My husband and daughter (& ME, of course!) were THRILLED to have such delightful tasty treats in the house!

I frosted the vanilla with chocolate cream cheese frosting, the lemon with lemon zest cream cheese frosting & the chocolate with vanilla cream cheese frosting. OMGZ!

The amazing woman who writes the blog has a delicious coconut milk glaze recipe, I just decided not to use it I had to go for it or my fixation on confections was sure to reach dangerous heights.

So yeah - carby beans and cheesey goodness... I'm having a REALLY hard time feeling guilty about it if you know what I mean Man! That was every pregnant lady's fantasy without the sugar rush and carb coma.


Anyway! If anyone else is out there I'd love to chat!

xo
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  #2   ^
Old Sun, Aug-16-09, 15:20
ambimorph's Avatar
ambimorph ambimorph is offline
Senior Member
Posts: 420
 
Plan: Carnivorous
Stats: 183/131/138 Female 5'6"
BF:
Progress: 116%
Location: Colorado
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I *am* 6 months pregnant! Unfortunately for me, even though I tried to stay very low carb (zero-carb, in fact), I was way too sick, with the most intense carb cravings I've ever had, to do it. I've been eating lots of carbs for months. Just in the last week or so did I start to try cutting carbs again. The cravings are not a big problem now, but I'm still very easily nauseated. In fact, I just threw up. :-(

I would love it if were craving eggs and meat all the time! I'm just trying to get it down the best I can.

What do your midwives think of LCing? I haven't brought it up with mine yet, but will have to next appt, because of the glucose tolerance test.

I'm glad that you are feeling relatively normal. I hope that keeps up!
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  #3   ^
Old Sun, Aug-16-09, 16:39
fireballgi fireballgi is offline
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Posts: 4
 
Plan: Modified Brewer
Stats: 230/230/140 Female 5'3"
BF:
Progress:
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I'd love to have some LC pregnant buddies! I followed a LC woe about 10 years ago and lost about 90 pounds. Then I got sucked into the "LC is bad for you" stuff and tried to follow a "healthy, balanced diet" and ended up putting most of it back on. Last winter/spring, I read Gary Taubes' Good Calories, Bad Calories (has anyone read it? amazing!) and was convinced that this is the way to go. I started "induction" and then found out that I was pregnant with #3.

I got really sick (sinus, flu, etc.; thank goodness no morning sickness) for about a month and it is really hard for me to eat anything, especially protein when I have a cold. Then I came to visit my mom for 6 weeks, and have been binging (partly lack of sleep, partly just too many nasty, good tasting things around). To add to the temptations, I have been concerned about ketones and their negative effect on fetal brain development, and have also used this as an excuse. (I did have ketones in my urine at my last appointment, even though I was following a moderate carb diet.)

So, does anyone have any reliable information on ketones and how they affect brain development? There are some concerns that ketones do not allow proper brain development. The best I've been able to come up with is from the MFM doctor who finished my ultrasound last week. She said that she's only heard of it as a concern with someone whose diabetes is out of control and is in a state of ketoacidosis. In that case, she would recommend more protein and fat. So it seems like the information out there may be similar to the concern about ketosis--where people confuse ketosis with ketoacidosis. Does this make sense? Based on that, I'm going to go ahead with my diet.

This next week I'm going to a conference, so it should be a pretty good week to start, as long as I plan ahead and take good things to eat.

I<3Splenda...yay for your midwives!! I had a hospital based midwife that I absolutely loved for the first two babies. She was a 45 minute drive, but amazing and worth it. But then I found out that she had left the practice and thought it would be a good time to find someone (and hospital) close to home (ie 5 minutes away). So far, I've tried an OB and Family Practice and am not happy with either. So I tracked down my old midwife at her new practice and am going to switch to her when I get home. Even though she's 45 minutes and the hospital is an hour away, I would rather be with someone that I really trust.

Looking forward to supporting all of you and getting to know you!

Amberly
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  #4   ^
Old Sun, Aug-16-09, 18:26
ambimorph's Avatar
ambimorph ambimorph is offline
Senior Member
Posts: 420
 
Plan: Carnivorous
Stats: 183/131/138 Female 5'6"
BF:
Progress: 116%
Location: Colorado
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Quote:
Originally Posted by fireballgi
To add to the temptations, I have been concerned about ketones and their negative effect on fetal brain development, and have also used this as an excuse. (I did have ketones in my urine at my last appointment, even though I was following a moderate carb diet.)

So, does anyone have any reliable information on ketones and how they affect brain development? There are some concerns that ketones do not allow proper brain development. The best I've been able to come up with is from the MFM doctor who finished my ultrasound last week. She said that she's only heard of it as a concern with someone whose diabetes is out of control and is in a state of ketoacidosis. In that case, she would recommend more protein and fat. So it seems like the information out there may be similar to the concern about ketosis--where people confuse ketosis with ketoacidosis. Does this make sense? Based on that, I'm going to go ahead with my diet


Here's a post I wrote about that a couple of months ago, see #35
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  #5   ^
Old Mon, Aug-17-09, 03:29
bestrange's Avatar
bestrange bestrange is offline
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Posts: 230
 
Plan: hunter-gatherer
Stats: 000/000/145 Female 5'6"
BF:breast feeding! ;)
Progress: 0%
Location: london, england
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hi ladies, congrats on your pregnancies! I'm not pregant, just broody at the moment I have an almost 3yr old daughter right now, and will trying for another in the next year or so.

ie ketones and fetal development. I have hear different things, some say ketones are optimal for brain growth, other say it is to be avoided. often pregnant women will go in and out of ketosis naturally without trying to on a regular pregnancy.

I think I will not try to be in it, or fear ketosis when I'm pregnant. Keeping my carbs low enough really helps me stay on track, so I will just try and stick with a general low carb diet.

Our ancestors evolved on a ketogenic meat based diet, and that is often tributed to why our brains got so large, so I don't think there's much to be afraid of. Problem is testing pregnant women in a controlled environment, so there's not enough scientific evidence. Anecdotally, however, I really don't think it is a problem.

I do think that people confuse ketoacidosis with ketosis, my mil recently thought that we were talking about an epileptic ketogenic diet as opposed to that natural ketosis that happens on low carb. sheesh, i think people like to just make assumptions and be nay-sayers some times!
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  #6   ^
Old Mon, Aug-17-09, 10:16
ambimorph's Avatar
ambimorph ambimorph is offline
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Posts: 420
 
Plan: Carnivorous
Stats: 183/131/138 Female 5'6"
BF:
Progress: 116%
Location: Colorado
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An epileptic ketogenic diet *is* natural ketosis, isn't it? They eat low carb and high fat. It's true they add MCT oils.
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  #7   ^
Old Mon, Aug-17-09, 10:58
I<3splenda I<3splenda is offline
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Posts: 227
 
Plan: Atkins
Stats: 175/127/120 Female 5'4
BF:
Progress: 87%
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Quote:
Originally Posted by ambimorph
I tried to stay very low carb (zero-carb, in fact), I was way too sick, with the most intense carb cravings I've ever had, to do it.


What do your midwives think of LCing? I haven't brought it up with mine yet, but will have to next appt, because of the glucose tolerance test.

I'm glad that you are feeling relatively normal. I hope that keeps up!


Hey!!! That reminds me of my first pregnancy. I was vegan & ended up SO sick with the craziest meat cravings ever - RAW meat, specifically. There have been studies that correlate and those that don't correlate pregnant cravings with defeciencies, but as soon as I started eating meat my cravings & the deadly sickness (opposed to the normal queasy sickness) dissappeared.

This time around my sickness is definitely better. I definitely got sick & had days during which I was vomiting pretty uncontrollably (I even managed to puke down the sleeve of my sweater at a restaurant - classy!) but in general it's been way better.

I still get pretty nauseated when it comes to eating time, but if I push myself through it & cook something nutritious (which I did NOT do my first pregnancy - I succumbed to take-out a LOT!) once I stuff it down my face I feel better I think that's the egg thing - super quick to make, so there's immediate relief of vomitous rex!

I haven't met with my midwives yet, we have an appointment in a few weeks! I'm not sure how it's going to go. They're big into Nourishing Traditions style nutrition, so if anything they'll be more open minded than the medical SOT of pregnancy. They might refer me to a naturopath or RD, which would be fine by me! I'm basically stumbling through this anyway!


fireballgi - I'm also concerned about ketones and their effect on a fetus. I'm only convinced of one thing: Nobody freaking knows. I'm just trying to eat according to what I'm comfortable with. I know I am definitely not comfortable with my typical >20c ketogenic diet while pregnant. My carb counts have been all over the place - 40-150g! I go day to day - I definitely find my more moderate carb days are my best days, but sometimes my ravenous hunger dictates such a large quantity of food that the carb count naturally rises.

My midwives with my daughter were incredible. The care is just so different - I feel for women who don't know there are options out there, you know?

I had a home/water birth with my daughter, and after a BRIEF experience with an OB this time around I'm definitely going to set it up that way again.

For me the best part about planning to labor at home FIRST are the options I have. Once you go to a hospital you're there, no matter how long you have left to labor. At home I could decide at any time to go to the hospital or not go to the hospital whenever I wanted. I could go for a walk, sit outside, sit in the shower, sit in the tub, pace around my own home, have my own food & drinks - it was awesome! I should note I had 2 midwives, 2 doulas and my husband there for support.

There are 2 rental tub companies in Seattle (we're lucky ducks!) and you can call them to set up/take down at your home OR a hospital, so really where I actually give birth is pretty up in the air until it happens! I just like having the options AND the personal space I need to labor. Everyone is totally different, but I would be pretty distracted and uncomfortable if I were laboring normally and in a hospital.

Of course, my labor was really long! 48 hours of prodromal labor followed by 24 hours of active labor! I don't know how that would have gone in a hospital setting - I hear they can get impatient.

Anyway!! YAY!!!! Preggers low carbin ladies!!!!

Last edited by I<3splenda : Mon, Aug-17-09 at 11:04.
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  #8   ^
Old Mon, Aug-17-09, 11:02
erinleigh's Avatar
erinleigh erinleigh is offline
Senior Member
Posts: 7,028
 
Plan: Atkins/LC
Stats: 276.4/266.6/200 Female 5'8
BF:I've got some!!!
Progress: 13%
Location: Minnesota
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Hey Girls! Congrats on your pregnancies! I just had my first and she turns 2 months tomorrow!

I did LC for different parts of my pregnancy...I did however eat pasta when the craving hit me!

For about the last month or two I started to cut carbs down way low so that I wouldn't be hit hard with the 'flu" when it came to sticking to LC aftwards! The day my daughter was born I was right back on full blown LC.

My doctor did say when I asked when I found out if it was ok to stay LC she said yes but to stay around 40-60 carbs!
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  #9   ^
Old Mon, Aug-17-09, 12:36
LC-Laur's Avatar
LC-Laur LC-Laur is offline
Senior Member
Posts: 8,750
 
Plan: Atkins Induction
Stats: 170/166.5/150 Female 5'8"
BF:
Progress: 18%
Location: Western Illinois
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I wish all my fellow low carb preggos lots of luck! My name is Lauren and I'm 32 weeks pregnant with my first!

Personally, I was soooooo good in the first half of my pregnancy! I allowed some fruit and the occasional whole grain, but otherwise it was all the usual low-carb fare. Then when I hit the halfway mark I slowly started to slide downhill and have since picked up speed *sigh* I'm definitely still healthier than your typical American, but I'm far from where I want to be. It's like once I started to get into that uncomfortable "I can't sleep, nothing sounds good, I hate everyone" stage of pregnancy I just stopped caring as much. I need to get better about that because I have less than 2 months to go and I don't need to go into shock after I have this baby and cut out the carbs! Luckily even with the extra carbs, I've still been quite "healthy" and haven't been overeating, so my weight gain is right on track. Phew!

I'm jealous of all of you with midwives. I think the nearest midwife is like 2 hours away from me! But I love my family practitioner and she's totally on page with what I want my birth to be like, so it should all work out. Luckily I don't live in a huge city, so our hospital is a little more laid back with how long you labor and all that, instead of just trying to rush you out the door. Small victories I guess.
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  #10   ^
Old Mon, Aug-17-09, 13:07
I<3splenda I<3splenda is offline
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Posts: 227
 
Plan: Atkins
Stats: 175/127/120 Female 5'4
BF:
Progress: 87%
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Quote:
Originally Posted by LC-Laur
Then when I hit the halfway mark I slowly started to slide downhill and have since picked up speed *sigh* It's like once I started to get into that uncomfortable "I can't sleep, nothing sounds good, I hate everyone" stage of pregnancy I just stopped caring as much.



Hey - you're eating well! That's what's important! I hit the "I can't sleep, nothing sounds good, I hate everyone" stage of pregnancy at about 4 weeks with my first, so you're doing GREAT!


erinleigh THANK YOU for sharing your doctor's advice! 40-60 carbs is way lower than my average I think - I was so afraid to keep it "too low" (not that anyone knows what "too low" for pregnancy is). I'll definitely kick it down a notch.


This pregnancy is totally different since I have a metabolic disorder this time around. My first I wasn't taking the medications I'm on now & was pretty much free to "F-it all" when it came to my diet. I "had an aversion to cooking" and ordered out nearly EVERY night!

This time around I'm pretty much bound to a diet that is compatible with insulin resistance / metabolic syndrome. I think it's a blessing in disguise I can't stop for that delicious looking ham and cheese croissant in the window because I know it'll do awful things to my blood sugar (& the last thing I need is gestational diabetes) Now I know that an "aversion to cooking" can be remedied by cooking anyway - he-llooooo low carb layer cakes! "Lesser of all evils" right?
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  #11   ^
Old Mon, Aug-17-09, 13:15
erinleigh's Avatar
erinleigh erinleigh is offline
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Posts: 7,028
 
Plan: Atkins/LC
Stats: 276.4/266.6/200 Female 5'8
BF:I've got some!!!
Progress: 13%
Location: Minnesota
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I think they say as long as you are not in deep ketosis during your pregnancy you are fine. I had ketones in my urine through out my whole pregnancy...they sometime will suggest to higher them to 100 to avoid tricking the sticks from the fat or protein in your urine.
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  #12   ^
Old Mon, Aug-17-09, 13:44
duchesse duchesse is offline
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Posts: 3,452
 
Plan: LC
Stats: 193/159.9/125 Female 158
BF:
Progress: 49%
Location: Montreal, QC
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Hello and good luck to everyone, I am so glad you started this thread I<3splenda.

I am at 25 weeks and have been feeling really well. No nausea to start with, no headaches or anything like that.

Like Lauren, I started off really well, I think I still eat a fairly healthy diet but definitely way more carbs than I used to. I never show ketones but would love to have more information about pregnancy and ketones in general.

I am not eating any sugar at all, mostly lost of fruits, vegetables and only limited amount of grains. At the beginning I was more careful, especially with the amount of fruit, now I eat as much as I want. I log my food into fitday almost everyday and most days I am around a 100 net carbs.

My doctor is pretty good, she listens and she understands some of my concerns. For example, I really didn't want to do the glucose tolerance test and she came up with what I think is a fair compromise. She asked me to keep a journal for a week to ten days checking my blood glucose levels with a machine at home about seven times a day. Before and after meals, when I first wake up and before I go to bed.

By the way, I still managed to gain about 15 pounds in 25 weeks...
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  #13   ^
Old Mon, Aug-17-09, 14:15
Nancy LC's Avatar
Nancy LC Nancy LC is offline
Experimenter
Posts: 25,843
 
Plan: DDF
Stats: 202/185.4/179 Female 67
BF:
Progress: 72%
Location: San Diego, CA
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Quote:
I read Gary Taubes' Good Calories, Bad Calories (has anyone read it? amazing!) and was convinced that this is the way to go. I started "induction" and then found out that I was pregnant with #3.

It's a real popular book around here.
Quote:
I even managed to puke down the sleeve of my sweater at a restaurant - classy!)

LOL! This is hilarious. Were you trying to vomit discretely or did it just catch you off guard and end up in your sweater sleeve somehow? I can only just imagine...

Last edited by Nancy LC : Mon, Aug-17-09 at 14:23.
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  #14   ^
Old Mon, Aug-17-09, 15:13
LC-Laur's Avatar
LC-Laur LC-Laur is offline
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Posts: 8,750
 
Plan: Atkins Induction
Stats: 170/166.5/150 Female 5'8"
BF:
Progress: 18%
Location: Western Illinois
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I was wondering about the sweater too.
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  #15   ^
Old Mon, Aug-17-09, 15:21
I<3splenda I<3splenda is offline
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Posts: 227
 
Plan: Atkins
Stats: 175/127/120 Female 5'4
BF:
Progress: 87%
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Hey Nancy!!! Ha - yes! I had to emergency exit my table (for the second time) & ran for the bathroom - I have NO idea how it got up my sleeve though, I suspect it had the opportunity while I was holding my hair out of my face. It was quite the projectile vomit. Really, astounding!

I didn't even notice it was there until I started washing my hands... "what is.. omg!" Soooooo gnarly! At that point there was no return. We had to leave the restaurant

I'm so glad I/we have more of a support system. I want to make sure none of us view this as some accountability group - it's for emotional support, supportive discussion and supportive exchange of ideas only! No judgement or arguing the superiority of any "plan," only empathy, commisery & love! The last thing mothers need is additional guilt. This is a no guilt zone, ok?

I actually started this thread because I posted my DELICIOUS "confession" of my bean layer cake with cream cheese frosting in the "Paleo-pregnancy" thread in the Paleo forum sect I usually frequent.

Then - get this - an unpregnant MAN decides to chime in that I should quit the dairy. Freaking hillarious! Next time you're pregnant, dude, you can eat however you want!

Anyway! THIS thread is for WOMEN only, pregnant or not, who want to support each other on whatever plan they may or may not be in!

I love you ladies! Loving our adventure together thusfar!
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