Has Anyone Low Carbed While Pregnant?

JennyKitty · 10-03-2004, 09:25 AM

I know that everyone says that you shouldn't be on a weight loss plan while pregnant. But can one safely low carb (we're talking around induction levels) while pregnant?

If I remember, Dr. Atkins advises against doing the Atkins diet while pregnant. If carbs aren't necessary for our health, then why would they be necessary to a growing fetus?

DH and I would like to have a baby, but at 242 lbs., I cannot see myself 9 months pregnant - I feel heavy and tired enough as it is now and I'm NOT pregnant. Therefore, I wasn wondering if you can have a healthy baby AND avoid carbs and reduce body fat while pregnant.

Laprettygurl · 10-03-2004, 09:28 AM

I was going to low carb during my pregnancy but I got so sick with morning sickness that all I could eat was carbs. Then I didn't want to eat at all. I had to force myself to eat and the easiest thing to eat was carbs.

I did get super bloated and didn't feel so hot but when I got home from the hospital I was 1 lb lighter than I was when I got preggo.

3boys4me · 10-03-2004, 09:30 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by JennyKitty

If I remember, Dr. Atkins advises against doing the Atkins diet while pregnant.

Dr. Atkins does NOT advise against doing Atkins while pregant. He does advise against being in Ketosis while pregnant....huge difference.

There's a pregnancy thread over on the Maintain Lane board.

JennyKitty · 10-03-2004, 09:38 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by 3boys4me
Dr. Atkins does NOT advise against doing Atkins while pregant. He does advise against being in Ketosis while pregnant....huge difference.

There's a pregnancy thread over on the Maintain Lane board.

Ahh, thanks for clarifying! I should know better to check these things out!

Denise85 · 10-03-2004, 10:37 AM

You should NEVER lose weight (or try losing weight) while pregnant. It can be very dangerous to the baby. If you want to get pregnant then do so and go to maintanance but if you want to lose weight then lose more and then get pregnant once you're at a weight you'd be comfortable with and be pregnant. I'm 7 weeks pregnant and as soon as I found out I went on South Beach maintanance. Please do some research on losing weight while being pregnant. You'll find it can be very harmful. I can understand where you're coming from but when you're pregnant you have to think of that baby first and not about losing weight. If you're already over weight they recommend gaining 15-20 pounds. That's not too bad.

Sleeping Beauty · 10-03-2004, 11:27 AM

I think you should lose a little more weight first and then get pregnant, and then during your pregnancy be very vigilant about not gaining too much weight.

I've had two pregnancies while obese, and they were very dangerous pregnancies. I developed preeclampsia in both pregnancies and almost died and almost lost my baby.

An obese woman is up to *four times* more likely to get preeclampsia as a normal weight woman. I got it, and it wasn't fun, I promise you.

Pregnancy issues aside, you can't always control the kind of delivery you have - I had to have c-sections both times. Recovery is so much harder if you're out of shape! You might think, Well I believe in naturaql delivery anyway. Me too! But sometimes there's truly no choice.

I promise you that if I were thinner and in better shape the recovery would have been much easier both times. The nurses kept telling me how slowly I was recovering compared to "most" women - "most women are already able to walk by this point" "most women don't need so much pain medication" etc. And they were right - I saw other women at the hospital a day or two after their sections walking around and only taking Tylenol and stuff, and I was laying in bed moaning and begging for more drugs. You don't want to suffer like that, you really don't.

I felt like I left half my life on the operating table, and I swore not to have another baby before I lose at least sixty pounds and only if I've been walking or exercising at least three times a week for at least three months. No joke.

I know that many, many women at your size and bigger have easy pregnancies and smooth deliveries. But I wanted to show you the other side as a testimonial to the importance of losing weight before getting pregnant.

If you don't lose weight first then for sure do maintenance not to gain weight. Just stay out of ketosis becase ketones can cause brain damage to the fetus. Good luck!

3boys4me · 10-03-2004, 02:03 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Denise85
You should NEVER lose weight (or try losing weight) while pregnant. It can be very dangerous to the baby.

I guess I should clarify what I was saying. I wanted to correct that Dr Atkins does say not to be in ketosis while pregnant but it's ok to low carb.

The distinction I should have made tho was that it's ok to eat low carb, while pregnant, for health reasons....but not to lose weight. ie: low carb maintanence.

Unless directed to do so by your Dr(don't know why they would advise you to) you shouldn't lose weight during pregnancy.

Shazadio · 10-03-2004, 02:32 PM

I've done it twice now. The first pregnancy was moderately low carb until I was diagnosed with gestational diabetes. My second pregnancy was low carb from pre-conception. I gained 4 pounds and felt fabulous. I was not trying to lose weight, just to get in the most nutritionally dense, LC foods I could manage.

FWIW, Atkins has to say no to ketosis while pregnancy not because it's been proven to be unsafe, but because it *hasn't* been proven to be safe and because of ethical reasons it never will be proven. My *personal* and non-medical opinion is that ketones themselves are not dangerous because there are women who are sick from conception to birth and for sure, they are in ketosis most if not all of the time.

If you're emotionally ready for pregnancy now and don't want to wait until you've lost the weight, then don't. Will it be easier if you weigh less? Maybe. But my personal experience is that women who are used to carrying a bit of extra weight don't go through nearly the trauma that smaller women do. I was 204 when I got pregnant both times and had fabulous pregnancies. I directly attribute my low weight gain, lack of edema, excellent blood pressure and overall feelings of wellbeing to a low carb/whole food diet.

I hope you decide what is right for you. It's a heck of a ride, but a wonderful one.

Denise85 · 10-03-2004, 02:45 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by 3boys4me
I guess I should clarify what I was saying. I wanted to correct that Dr Atkins does say not to be in ketosis while pregnant but it's ok to low carb.

The distinction I should have made tho was that it's ok to eat low carb, while pregnant, for health reasons....but not to lose weight. ie: low carb maintanence.

Unless directed to do so by your Dr(don't know why they would advise you to) you shouldn't lose weight during pregnancy.

3boys,
I wasn't directing my comment at yours but at the original poster. I completely agree with you and knew what you meant.

Sleeping Beauty · 10-03-2004, 04:18 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Shazadio
The first pregnancy was moderately low carb until I was diagnosed with gestational diabetes.

Actually, that's another point I forgot to mention - the risk of gestational diabetes is strongly associated with being overweight. Even if you just lost another 10 or 15 pounds and then got pregnant, you'd be doing yourself and your baby a big favor.

Bass_Betty · 10-03-2004, 05:14 PM

You can LC, but you can NOT allow yourself to go into ketosis. While in ketosis your body is breaking down fatty tissue at an alarming rate. The fetus, especially in the first trimester, is simply fatty tissue and proteins. That's it. You don't want your body to attack fatty tissue at that rate if that is all your baby physically consists of. There isn't enough information to conclusively determine the effects of ketosis on the fetus, therefore it isn't advised.

I was beginning induction and in ketosis both times I conceived. I didn't know I was pregnant until weeks into the pregnancies. I still have yet to carry a child full term. With the first one, I didn't know I was pregnant until I miscarried. The second, I stopped low-carbing as soon as I found out, (at about 4 weeks,) and miscarried at 4 months. There is nothing to say that my miscarriages were caused because I was in ketosis when I conceive. It could very well be something different. I was not being reckless by LCing, I was simply trying to lose some weight before I got pregnant so as to have a healthy environment for my baby to grow in. But, if your pregnant or even planning to be pregnant I would be sure that your are NOT in ketosis.

10-03-2004, 09:25 AM	#1
JennyKitty MAJOR LCF POSTER! Join Date: Jul 2002 Posts: 2,476 Gallery: JennyKitty	Has Anyone Low Carbed While Pregnant? I know that everyone says that you shouldn't be on a weight loss plan while pregnant. But can one safely low carb (we're talking around induction levels) while pregnant? If I remember, Dr. Atkins advises against doing the Atkins diet while pregnant. If carbs aren't necessary for our health, then why would they be necessary to a growing fetus? DH and I would like to have a baby, but at 242 lbs., I cannot see myself 9 months pregnant - I feel heavy and tired enough as it is now and I'm NOT pregnant. Therefore, I wasn wondering if you can have a healthy baby AND avoid carbs and reduce body fat while pregnant.

10-03-2004, 10:37 AM	#5
Denise85 Way too much time on my hands! Join Date: Jul 2003 Location: Chicago burbs Posts: 21,926 Blog Entries: 11 Gallery: Denise85 Stats: 261/148/140-5'5" WOE: Dietician's plan	You should NEVER lose weight (or try losing weight) while pregnant. It can be very dangerous to the baby. If you want to get pregnant then do so and go to maintanance but if you want to lose weight then lose more and then get pregnant once you're at a weight you'd be comfortable with and be pregnant. I'm 7 weeks pregnant and as soon as I found out I went on South Beach maintanance. Please do some research on losing weight while being pregnant. You'll find it can be very harmful. I can understand where you're coming from but when you're pregnant you have to think of that baby first and not about losing weight. If you're already over weight they recommend gaining 15-20 pounds. That's not too bad. __________________ http://www.myspace.com/deniset85

10-03-2004, 02:32 PM	#8
Shazadio MAJOR LCF POSTER! Join Date: Sep 2002 Location: MA Posts: 1,260 Gallery: Shazadio Stats: 217/155/150 5'6" WOE: Atkins/Traditional Foods	I've done it twice now. The first pregnancy was moderately low carb until I was diagnosed with gestational diabetes. My second pregnancy was low carb from pre-conception. I gained 4 pounds and felt fabulous. I was not trying to lose weight, just to get in the most nutritionally dense, LC foods I could manage. FWIW, Atkins has to say no to ketosis while pregnancy not because it's been proven to be unsafe, but because it hasn't been proven to be safe and because of ethical reasons it never will be proven. My personal and non-medical opinion is that ketones themselves are not dangerous because there are women who are sick from conception to birth and for sure, they are in ketosis most if not all of the time. If you're emotionally ready for pregnancy now and don't want to wait until you've lost the weight, then don't. Will it be easier if you weigh less? Maybe. But my personal experience is that women who are used to carrying a bit of extra weight don't go through nearly the trauma that smaller women do. I was 204 when I got pregnant both times and had fabulous pregnancies. I directly attribute my low weight gain, lack of edema, excellent blood pressure and overall feelings of wellbeing to a low carb/whole food diet. I hope you decide what is right for you. It's a heck of a ride, but a wonderful one. __________________ Sharon - 40

10-03-2004, 05:14 PM	#11
Bass_Betty Senior LCF Member Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: Colorado Posts: 196 Gallery: Bass_Betty Stats: 193.5/171/140 5' 8" WOE: Low Carb (Non-Denominational) Start Date: Restart: July 12, 2004	You can LC, but you can NOT allow yourself to go into ketosis. While in ketosis your body is breaking down fatty tissue at an alarming rate. The fetus, especially in the first trimester, is simply fatty tissue and proteins. That's it. You don't want your body to attack fatty tissue at that rate if that is all your baby physically consists of. There isn't enough information to conclusively determine the effects of ketosis on the fetus, therefore it isn't advised. I was beginning induction and in ketosis both times I conceived. I didn't know I was pregnant until weeks into the pregnancies. I still have yet to carry a child full term. With the first one, I didn't know I was pregnant until I miscarried. The second, I stopped low-carbing as soon as I found out, (at about 4 weeks,) and miscarried at 4 months. There is nothing to say that my miscarriages were caused because I was in ketosis when I conceive. It could very well be something different. I was not being reckless by LCing, I was simply trying to lose some weight before I got pregnant so as to have a healthy environment for my baby to grow in. But, if your pregnant or even planning to be pregnant I would be sure that your are NOT in ketosis. __________________ "I dream of simple things I can believe in." "Being forced to work, and forced to do your best, will breed in you a hundred virtues which the idle never know." ~ Charles Kingsley

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10-03-2004, 09:28 AM	#2
Laprettygurl Mother of the year Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: Not Alberta! Posts: 2,758 Gallery: Laprettygurl WOE: Atkins '72 Start Date: Jan 24, 2006	I was going to low carb during my pregnancy but I got so sick with morning sickness that all I could eat was carbs. Then I didn't want to eat at all. I had to force myself to eat and the easiest thing to eat was carbs. I did get super bloated and didn't feel so hot but when I got home from the hospital I was 1 lb lighter than I was when I got preggo.

10-03-2004, 11:27 AM	#6
Sleeping Beauty Senior LCF Member Join Date: Sep 2004 Posts: 545 Gallery: Sleeping Beauty	I think you should lose a little more weight first and then get pregnant, and then during your pregnancy be very vigilant about not gaining too much weight. I've had two pregnancies while obese, and they were very dangerous pregnancies. I developed preeclampsia in both pregnancies and almost died and almost lost my baby. An obese woman is up to four times more likely to get preeclampsia as a normal weight woman. I got it, and it wasn't fun, I promise you. Pregnancy issues aside, you can't always control the kind of delivery you have - I had to have c-sections both times. Recovery is so much harder if you're out of shape! You might think, Well I believe in naturaql delivery anyway. Me too! But sometimes there's truly no choice. I promise you that if I were thinner and in better shape the recovery would have been much easier both times. The nurses kept telling me how slowly I was recovering compared to "most" women - "most women are already able to walk by this point" "most women don't need so much pain medication" etc. And they were right - I saw other women at the hospital a day or two after their sections walking around and only taking Tylenol and stuff, and I was laying in bed moaning and begging for more drugs. You don't want to suffer like that, you really don't. I felt like I left half my life on the operating table, and I swore not to have another baby before I lose at least sixty pounds and only if I've been walking or exercising at least three times a week for at least three months. No joke. I know that many, many women at your size and bigger have easy pregnancies and smooth deliveries. But I wanted to show you the other side as a testimonial to the importance of losing weight before getting pregnant. If you don't lose weight first then for sure do maintenance not to gain weight. Just stay out of ketosis becase ketones can cause brain damage to the fetus. Good luck!