I'm back and I'm...

[babycakez]

Pregnant!!

So obviously it's been awhile since I've been back here and the reason is because after falling off the wagon for about a month I found out I was pregnant. So here I am 17 weeks pregnant and eating all that carbage I fought so hard to avoid for the past 2 years. So far I gained back 20 pounds!!!! I am devastated and fearful of gaining it all back! I mentioned to my OB how I used to follow a low carb lifestyle before getting pregnant and he actually gave me the ok to start doing it again! I always thought it was bad to be in ketosis while pregnant!? I would love to hear feedback from you guys and what you suggest I should do. I obviously don't want to lose weight right now just don't want to gain anymore "unnecessary" weight. Is there a thread for women doing a version of low carb while pregnant? If so I'd love to be directed to it!

[finallylosing]

Don't know about a thread but just wanted to say congrats!!! You must be so excited.
Keep us posted on how you are doing.

[shelby'snana]

Congrats !! I have heard some of the people here say they did LC while pregnant, maybe they will come post !!

[GailyGail]

Congratulations! So happy for you!

[Changeling]

Oh!!! That's so wonderful, congratulations!!! I asked the question when I got pregnant about a year ago and unfortunately I could not get a clear answer on whether it was OK to stay in ketosis while pregnant, so I erred on the side of caution and added "good" carbs back like baby potatoes, sweet potato, brown rice, whole wheat/rye bread, fruit etc. However, I did not eat junk!! Did me no harm, I gained 9 pounds throughout my entire pregnancy right up to full term. I still don't know what the answer is, and I'm not saying do what I did, just sharing my personal experience. Cut the carbs down once I was done breastfeeding and the weight is coming off nicely again. No harm done, and my little baby is super healthy

[JMacB]

Congratulations! how exciting!

I had gestational diabetes and was put on a low-carb diet, but I don't remember if I was checking for ketosis. (It was 8 years ago.) my endocrinologist was adamant that I should stay away from all grains, starches and sugar. I ended up with a net gain of zero. Too bad I didn't stick with it after baby was born!

[lterry913]

Welcome back and congrats on the baby...there are girls here that have been lower carb durring pregnancy...I think arcticmom was one...maybe she will chime in...or you could google her screen nam and low carb friends or low carb during pregnancy and maybe threads will pop up...good luck, we have missed you.

[Becky]

Congratulations!!! If you are not feeling 100% about doing strict low carb while pregnant you could try low glycemic, it allows more fruits and a wider selection of not quite low carbs. It would probably help you not gain a bunch of non baby weight but might make you feel a bit "safer" than strict low carb. I actually wish I had eaten low glycemic when pregnant with my last son. I craved a whole bunch of super carby crapola and not only gained way more than I did with my first two pregnancies but have also recently heard that if you eat tons of high carb foods while pregnant you could predispose the child to being overweight (he is my only overweight child, he just gains no matter what unless we really try to keep him away from carbs...like his mom!) in my case I think I believe what was said. My other two eat carbs with no issues whatsoever...I ate lower carb with both of them. But who knows...

[pocahontas]

Come over to the women's health forum! We have a Baby Talk thread full of mommies, pregnant women and women TTC. I am 24wks along today and have only gained 3-5lbs depending on the day. I stay on a Maintenance version of Atkins (added some fruit, sweet potato & steel cut oats). I did the same when I was pregnant with my son and only gained 12 lbs throughout the entire pregnancy. The support over there is wonderful! Congrats!!!!

[baileygirl3]

I wanted to say congrats on your pregnancy!!! I have been wondering where you have been.

[cfine]

You will be doing your baby a huge favor by keeping your blood sugars low.

[nspeedracer]

i did mostly no sugar and picked lower carb stuff. maybe a paleo type thing would be good? just go low but maybe not ketosis low. i dont think ketosis hurts anything because many generations of humans before us and in regions with low food sources or cold regions that eat meat and fat do just fine

[micheleredit]

I'm planning on doing VLC once I get preggos!!!


I agree with the above post. High blood sugar is worse than low carbing for the baby!!

[babycakez]

Thanks for all the great responses ladies! You have all given me hope and I'm excited to start eating healthier again. I agree with a lot of things that were said and I think I will stick with staying around 50 or so (no more than 100) just enough to hopefully maintain or only gain baby weight. With my son I ate everything is sight but had bad morning sickness and initially lost 10 pounds before putting on an additional 39 pounds by the time I gave birth. I ended up getting pre-eclampsia and being induced at 37 weeks so I'm sure the number would have been higher had I gone full term. I was super lucky and lost it all plus some in less than 2 weeks postpartum buuuut I of course gained it all back shortly after lol. My son was tiny, 5 pounds 11oz at birth and even now he is 3 years old and only weighs 28lbs. I'm curious & excited to see what happens this time if I follow a lower carb lifestyle this time!!

[clackley]

A great big congrats Lisa! You are doing yourself and your baby a fantastic thing by eating low carb (however low you decide). Let us know how you do.

[GO4IT]

Congrats on your new pregnancy!

I can tell you I had three babies while weighing over three hundred pounds. The kids are all healthy! I had gestational diabetes (diet controlled) for the second and third and just followed a diabetic low carb diet and monitored my glucose levels. That was low carb but did not care to monitor the ketosis at all. My body lost weight with all three pregnancies.

Everyone is different but that is how it worked for me. Defer to your ob about what to do but I worried about my baby's growth and wanted the best nutrients fed to them while I was pg so I ate accordingly.

I wish you the best!!