So close . . . yet so far away!!!

[Wheetsin 714]

I was told repeatedly that I could not worry about my weight during pregnany, and it made sense, but it was hard to accept because I was afraid of excessive weight gain. I had jut gotten within reach of my goal, and was terrified of having to take any steps back.

You really do not want to lose fat during pregnancy. Not gaining is one thing, but losing fat weight is something entirely different and lots of research out there indicates it may actually be dangerous (excessive ketones in the blood, overall nutriitional health, etc.)

On average the baby's "support system" will weigh about 20 pounds. The average term delivery weighs about 7.6 lbs. So that's close to 30 pounds just on the actual pregnancy. It's also normal for the body to try and hold some fat. My OB's office recommends 30 - 35 lbs as an overall gain to target through pregnancy. I'm right in that range, and honestly would not feel comfortable if I was under, even though I really fought gaining in the beginning. I can still wear pre-pregnancy clothes as long as they don't have closed fabric over the baby area, or are stretchy - shoulders, back, arms, etc. still fit the same... so I have no reason to think I've gained any sizes even though I've gained quite a bit of weight.

Early on I told myself I would gain 15 lbs. What I based that on was just psychological/emotional, not medical/healthy. Eating well, that quickly got pushed aside. It seemed like every month the scale was up a few more pounds, regardless of how careful I had been. And IMO that's how it should be.

Unless I go past term I will deliver this month and my "goal" (I hate goals, but for lack of a better word) is to be within 5 lbs of my pre-pregnancy weight by the start of the new year. We'll see how that goes.

[losingjusme 12]

wheetsin,

i like your doc's thinking... my OB told me to maintain... i think i started out about 10-15 lbs more than you weight wise...

right now, i continue to lose despite doing just about everythign i can do to NOT lose. last night i ate a pint of Ben & Jerry's ice cream... restriction has been wonky so solids did not go down yesterday, so i had to get some cals in...

every time i go to the OB i get 'the look' as the scale goes down. initially, i was up about 13 lbs (Sonic lime fresh fruit slushes were the only thing that made the morning sickness go away)... now i'm actually in the negative...

my pre-pregnancy clothes have not fit for a very long time... i think i was in maternity clothes at 12-13 weeks. it's all belly (and chest - OMG - my chest!!!!)....

im worried that the babe's lacking something, but 95% of the time, i eat (and eat well)... not sure why i'm still losing... ????? guess it's time to visit the LB surgeon but most days restriction is not an issue, just yesterday... wonky...

[Wheetsin 714]

If you think you will need an unfill, get one now (my advice from my experience) and either deal with the gain, or be extra watchful of what you're eating. It will be worth it. I could really use one now, and can't get it. So around 1pm I will take a drink of something, and feel it until around 9pm when I will take another drink and it goes right through, and can then eat dinner as though I had no band. Of course by then I'm hungry and overeat and make bad choices.

(I've chalked one too many pints of B&J or trips to Sbux up to "need some calories"... when I had fruit in the fridge)

On your advice to maintain, is that factoring in your loss, so that by maintaining you're actually gaining, or is that "general" advice they tell everyone?

I lost a lot in the first 20 weeks, most of it in the first 12 or so because I was crazy sick and severely dehydrated. I was told that after week 20 I was not allowed to lose anymore, and that if I did, they were going to put me on liquid nutrition like Ensure. After week 32 I was told it was OK if I maintained -- I didn't have to gain but they still didn't want me to lose. Now I've been told to expect some loss - very common toward the end before the baby drops. For the last 4 weeks I've gained 1 - 4 lbs per week (the 4 came after a carb meltdown and my fluids got all whacked out of balance). That really sucks, but I keep telling myself it will end soon enough and then I can refocus on losing.

[Wheetsin 714]

Oh BTW because it's late, I'm bored & can't sleep... here are some things I've learned that may/may not help you out. Aside from going ahead and getting an unfill... (of course these are probably "everyone but me already knows" things...)

It's fairly common to vomit during childbirth when your body peaks during transition. I still have restriction so puking is a bad thing. I've (unfortunately) already had to spend 3 nights in the labor & delivery area, and have visited them ~8 times, so I had them add to my paperwork that when I am in delivery, I want an IV antiemitic added. I was + for strep B and will need an additional antibiotic IV anyway, so I had them write it on the same note to make sure it wasn't seen and that I wouldn't go without should I forget to mention it. I had erronously assumed that an epi would take care of the vomitting because I associated it with the pain, but not the case.

2 yrs after my band I had my GB removed using the same main incision and I have significant scar tissue inside. This downright HURTS now that my uterus is trying to come out of my nose. It especially hurts during my Braxton-Hicks because it's in the same general area as the top of the uterus (which "leads" the contractions and generates most of the pushing... also didn't know that early on). Hurtd in oar with a muscle cramp - something I can't ignore. I have no idea what actual labor is going to make the area feel like. I see the OB Tue and I'm going to ask about local relief specifically for the scar area if it becomes an issue. Apparently it's just above the area that an epi will take care of, and I'm not sure that I want to pursue IV pain relief routes.

If you haven't done your Glucola yet, and have restriction that interferes with your ability to drink liquids (I did in the a.m.) then make sure you schedule your appt later in the day OR make sure you're unfilled to a point that you can chug. That stuff is nasty sweet and you'll def want to chug it and get it over with.

When I had to do my medical history I was asked if I had "bariatric surgery" but was never asked follow-up on what kind. THey'd never had a band patient before me, and assumed that bariatric = RNY. Finding out I didn't have bypass saved me a LOT of appointments and grief there, so make sure they know which you've had. (Also keeps the sonorapher from freaking out on you when your band comes up on the screen).

[losingjusme 12]

thanks...

liquids are very rarely a problem for me (here it is 4am and im drinking a cold chai tea).

the weight maintain was mentioned my very first appointment, so i guess she tells that to everyone who has had WLS. ???

i am extremely concerned about pain and my massive amount of scar tissue ('zipper' gall bladder, band, extended TT)... hell the TT scar still hurts sometimes when i sneeze really hard, cant imagine how much fun labor is going to be.

i can relate to the B&J's late night run... surprisingly i havent had starbucks since i quit my job last month... although it sounds good now (everything sounds good now)...

i guess i will schedule that unfill now. the reason you cant get an unfill - is it b/c its just too late in the pregnancy?

thanks,

C

[Wheetsin 714]

Yes, too late. The baby is well up into my stomach/esophagus area (baby belly starts to poke out immediately under my boobs) and even though the needle isn't going into the amniotic sac, they (in their words) would have to use fluoro to safely guide the needle to the port, and fluoro is not the best idea, so unless it's a true emergency they don't want to touch me with a 10 ft pole. I'm guessing that's driven by at least 80% potential liability concerns.