Packin on the Pounds

A topic no pregnant woman wants to discuss: her weight. Whether with her doctor, her husband or her friends, the subject of weight is always touchy. As I have discussed here before, spending at least the years since puberty concerned about weight gained and lost, and how and why clothes fit the way they do, then being suddenly expected to gain weight is a mental shift to say the least. I've known women who saw pregnancy as a long awaited opportunity to eat what they wanted, when they wanted. (Just as an observation, not such a great idea.) I've met women who didn't seem to notice any difference, just gained the weight. I've met women who lamented the weight they were gaining despite knowing it was coming, and appreciating that it was important to gain it. I have not yet met someone with my problem, which is somewhat difficult to discuss: an inability to gain weight. I mean, only during this pregnancy! Don't get me wrong, I'm perfectly capable of gaining weight at any other time in my life. Apparently. However, after a first trimester with minimal nausea and no vomiting, I can't explain how I lost several pounds. My theory is that with no alcohol and loads more fruits and veggies, my body finally trimmed those obnoxious few pounds I've been holding on to. Which was all FINE with me. Then I hit my second trimester. I started reading about how you are supposed to put on about one pound per week from the 13th week until birth. Ok. That meant that by the last time I saw my doctor, I should have put on 2 pounds. Instead, I lost one. My doctor told me it was time to start gaining. I swear, I am eating all the time. I don't work out. I don't eat diet items, like low fat, or low sodium, or low anything really. I like fat. I like sodium. I have no idea how this has happened.

Today, however, things seemed to have shifted. I weigh myself every morning, at least since I found out I was pregnant. This morning I finally am back at my prepregnancy weight! Whoo! Normally this kind of announcement comes from a woman who has a small child and has been working to lose weight. I imagine this will be the only time in my life I will utter that sentence with the full intention of going on to put on more weight than my prepregnancy amount. Hopefully, things are headed in the right direction. I was getting worried I was going to have to have milkshakes every day...which doesn't sound too terrible, come to think of it.