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I cannot eat this much!

MomHopes
MomHopes
So I just got the book "When You're Expecting Twins, Triplets or Quads" and I am shocked at how much they tell you to eat! I don't think I can possibly eat as much as they say I should be. My doctor told me to gain 4 pounds in the first trimester which I did. I'm now at 14w3d and I think I've gained about 7 pounds. This book says to gain 25 by 20 weeks. I don't think I'm going to gain 18 pounds in the next 6 weeks! I'm starting to get worried. This book keeps saying how if you don't eat enough your babies will have very low birth weights. On a positive note they actually encourage eating ice cream and shakes...mmm...I can probably add a few pounds that way.

Anyone else have trouble gaining the right amount of weight. I'm not scared of getting too fat I just don't know if I can physically eat as much food as this book says.
deleted_user
deleted_user
Don't worry about it. My OB said not to read too much into the books and that each doctor will figure out how much weight over how long is appropriate for you. Most books say that gaining too much weight can actually be a bad thing for you and the babies. I would ask your doctor next time you go and see how much they think you need to gain. I'm 10 weeks right now and my doctor said to try and gain 1lb-1.5lbs a week until I see them in a month but that is only because I lost so much weight due to m/s. She also just said, eat when you are hungry and if you get full stop. Your body knows what it is doing and what it needs.
deleted_user
deleted_user
OMG I probably had the same exact discussion post when I was first pg. I read that book and completely flipped out. I could hardly hold anything down and they are telling you to EAT EAT EAT. Bottom line do the best you can. If you can only hold down a jelly bean then good for you! The babies will get all they need. Your body will give to them first. I only gained less than 15lbs during my whole pregnancy. My girls were born at 37wks weighing 7lbs 5oz and 5lbs 15oz. NO NICU!
deleted_user
deleted_user
I wouldn't read those books - I think the one I had said I had to gain 50-60 lbs and I freaked! My OB told me that things have changed a lot and they realize the weight gain is important, but it doesn't have to be as high as they thought. He told me 35-40 lbs would be fine, but honestly as long as the baby is growing at a good rate, even if I didn't gain that much it was ok. I gained 40 total (a lot of that was at the end) and even though my boys were 5 weeks early they were 5.5lbs which the nurses said was big. I wasn't TRYING to gain weight though or eat myself sick. I just ate more often (when I was hungry) and tried to eat calorie dense foods (like proteins and cheeses and such). Just remember if your doctor isn't concerned you shouldn't be.
mich2
mich2
I agree that the books are out of date. When I was pg with my twins, my ob/gyn said I probably would only gain 5lbs more than I did when I was pg with my son. I gained 32lbs and my girls were born at 37 1/2 weeks at 5lbs 1oz and 6lbs 3oz...no NICU. I was incredibly uncomfortable with the weight gain and I think the more you gain, the more uncomfortable you will be which makes you not enjoy the pg as much. What does your ob/gyn say?
deleted_user
deleted_user
A great way to add calories and not have to eat non-stop (which is what I found I had to do to gain the weight the book recommended), is to add a can of "Ensure Plus" to your diet. I'd drink one a day. It's the calories of a full meal, but only fills you up like a glass of milk. :) And they're GOOD. (I like vanilla.)

I know that everyone is going to have a different opinion about that book, but it was written by an expert. So IMO, it was a better resource than my own GP who has had minimal exprience with twins.

And, because I ate what the book said to eat (or I'd suppliment with the Ensure if I couldn't eat that much), even though my twins were born at 30+2, they were 3 lbs., 14oz., and 2 lbs., 12oz. Which we were told was huge for 30 weekers. :)
deleted_user
deleted_user
I also freaked out when I first read how much you're supposed to eat. Now I try to eat really balanced meals over the course of the day. I eat fairly large portions (more than I did before I was pregnant, but part of that is b/c I'm that hungry! :) But I eat until I'm full and then usually have a bite of dessert :) I gained about 5 lbs in the first trimester and have gained one lb so far in the 2nd. I think it varies from person to person and your body will tell you. My perinatologist said 35-40 and my OB said 45 so everyone has different opinions! Don't stress out about it, enjoy it!!! :)
deleted_user
deleted_user
I've always heard that your body will give to your babies before you, so as long as you ARE eating, and you are checking out their weights and sizes along the way, you should be okay. One good suggestion I've heard is to eat nutritionally dense foods- so yes those full fat dairy products (mmm milkshakes!), bananas, etc. Also, eating small amounts of food at a time slowly throughout the day, vs. trying to eat three big meals.
deleted_user
deleted_user
I thought I was normal by gaining 50 lbs but from the looks of it, it seems I am the weird one. :) However, I did go to 38 weeks so maybe it was mostly at the end.
deleted_user
deleted_user
I was shocked by those numbers, also. I asked my Dr: "How does my rear-end growing significantly help my babies?" She laughed and said weight gain is all over the place, and they're more worried about the babies' growth. Since you get so many scans with twins, that will be well-monitored. I only gained about 30 pounds and my girls were 5lb,6oz and 6lb,7oz, so they were great size.

I wouldn't stress about it, but definitely enjoy the ice cream and shakes! It is hard afterward once you stop BF to stop eating all of those yummy calories - darn metabolism!
deleted_user
deleted_user
Right now, my main goal is to keep anything down. And, then how to avoid indigestion from anything I eat. But, I've managed to gain 8 lbs. so far and the girls are growing just fine.

As long as I'm eating balanced meals, I feel the babies will get what they need. :)
deleted_user
deleted_user
As long as your babies are growing and you are not losing weight, you are fine. I am about 27 weeks with twins and I have only gained about 20lbs. This is my second pregnancy so I learned my lesson the 1st time. I gained 50lbs with my 1st singleton pregnancy and i never lost all the weight. This time I am being more sensiable. I eat plenty and my babies are measuring ahead. Just listen to your body and your doctor will let you know if things are not progressing right. Relax and enjoy your babies :) I too eat the icecream and shakes. They are yumm!