Newly pregnant & concerned about losing too much weight

[BandaCat 1]

I'm just newly pregnant and have started losing weight after being on a plateau for a long time. I have no restriction (complete unfill due to acid reflux a few months ago.) I have absolutely no appetite, but I haven't started any nausea or morning sickness. I have been trying to read every post about weight and pregnant bandsters.

A part of me is excited to be losing again, but I'm also concerned for the health of my baby. I still am about 50 lbs from goal weight so it's not like I don't have it to lose. But can it be ok for me to lose while pregnant? I feel like it's such a catch 22!

Anyone have info. from their doctors about this? I want to be able to pass on any info to my midwife.

[StephieNana 0]

The only thing my doctor has told me is that if I get pregnant within 18 months of being banded, I will need to see a high risk pregnancy doctor. What does your lap band doctor tell you?

Did you have difficulty getting pregnant before you were banded? That was one of the reasons I chose to have LapBand.

Good luck and congratulations on the baby!

[BandaCat 1]

I've been banded for 17 months. My doctor said he just wants me to stay unfilled for the entire pregnancy and everything should go just fine.

I never tried to get pregnant pre-band. But it only took us 2 months to get pregnant once we started trying! Super fast I know.

[Wheetsin 714]

I lost weight between when I had the confirmation test and my first OB appt. They told me they were not worried about it -- that I still had "plenty of reserves" (I have about 45 lbs left to lose). I'm not trying to lose weight, I just really don't have any appetite, and for about a week and a half I was super super tight.

We had not used birth control for about 5 years, no pregnancies. I was banded about 2 years ago and we had to use condoms and ovulation tracking (I can't use hormone-based BC). For the last year or two we would try for a month or two, then something would come up and we wouldn't, then we would, then we wouldn't... We probably actually tried hard - doing everything we could think of, being very mechanical about sex, etc. - for about 4 months (not consecutive).

My surgeon's guidelines are -- if morning sickness isn't an issue (I've not had the slightest hitn of it), and you're able to meet some caloric guideline set by your OB (they didn't give me a calorie number, but aren't concerned at all that I lost), then you can keep your current fill.

[Scarlett O'hara 0]

You did not say how much weight you lost, but I don't think its abnormal for anyone to loose a few lbs. during pregnancy espically in the beginning. Your body is using up energy to make your baby!! That's quite a workout!

I'm not banded (april 30), but 5 years ago when I was pregnant with my daughter, I never gained any weight, or I should say, any I gained one month, I would loose within the next and then some. (I would gain 4 and the next dr.s visit, loose 6). My morning sickness only lasted an hour or so 1st thing in the a.m., and after that I ate normally.

As long as you are eating healthy and not loosing a drastic amount of weight, I would not worry about it.

By the time she was born, I had lost about 8 lbs. and after her birth I lost another 20. Best diet I was ever on!

Congrats on your pregnancy!!!

[jillrn 0]

I say drink Protein Shakes, and focus on nutrition. Otherwise dont worry too much about weight loss. Baby will take what he wants/ needs. However you dont want to get malnutrition for yourself, so even with no appetite focus on Protein. Your appetite will probaby come back. Mine did. Lots of women lose lots of weight during pg, and have perfect babies. As long as you arent starving yourself and trying to lose weight, dont worry too much. They will monitor baby closely. COngrats!

[BandaCat 1]

Thanks for the replies! I've lost 5 lbs this week. It's the first week I've known I was pregnant and it made me nervous. I'm definitely not dieting so I will just let my body do what it needs to do and be grateful.

[Jachut 487]

First and foremost your baby needs nourishment, NOT calories. If your body loses some of its fat stores, that doesnt affect your baby at all, your baby can still grow big and healthy. But if you restrict your food intake and thus the nutrition available to the baby then yes, that can affect birth weight.

I wasnt banded but lost 10kg through my third pregnancy with the blessing of my ob. And Eliza was 9lb.

Take your pregnancy Multivitamins, eat as well as you possibly can, get an unfill if you need to and consider some sensible liquid calories if necessary. And dont do high protein/low carb whilst pregnant! Eat some good carbs, your bowels will need them anyway.