Sorry, but it's what's on my mind lately. Pre-twin pregnancy, I would have thought that "getting" to eat lots and lots because you're growing two babies made you a lucky duck. Turns out it's not so easy. With Austin and Esther I never made a conscious decision to eat more; I ate when I was hungry and if I felt like eating a cookie when I wasn't hungry I felt no guilt. And I gained a little over 30 pounds with each baby, I think. Near the top of the recommended gain for a singleton.
But this twin thing, goodness! I eat and eat all day long, making myself eat even when I'm not hungry. I drink at least 2 cans of nutritional supplement a day at 250-350 calories each. And I have gained 5 pounds. That's it! My two doctors disagree about how much weight I should gain in the first 20 weeks of the pregnancy: my MFM says 10 pounds and my regular OB says 20. According to the reading I've been doing on my own in the past week, 20 or even more sounds best. Early weight gain in multiple pregnancies is linked to higher birth weights and longer gestations. With a preemie and an almost-preemie in our family, I really want to do what I can to keep these babies inside as long as possible.
Also according to my reading, to achieve this kind of weight gain, I have to consume more than 3000 calories a day. That is a lot of food! I am having to re-think the way I shop and plan meals and snacks. Although we're far from vegetarians, we don't eat a lot of meat and it is rarely the centerpiece of a meal, but now I am supposed to eat several full servings a day. Good thing I like dairy because 8 servings a day are recommended. (Good news, though, ice cream is a good choice because of its high fat and calcium content.) Add 2 eggs, 10 servings of grains, 7 servings of fruit and 4 servings of veggies and you have quite a task for the day. So I spend most of my day thinking about what my next meal or snack will be and contemplating how I could increase its nutrient or calorie content. As I write this, I'm sipping away at a smoothie made from tofu, pasteurized egg whites, dry milk powder, yogurt, fruit and fruit juice, good for a serving of meat, 2 of dairy, and 2 of fruit. Not the yummiest smoothie I have ever had, but good for the babies.
So, 5 pounds down, 40-50 to go. In about 24 weeks. Now excuse me, it's time to figure out what's for lunch.
2 comments:
I'm sure it's harder than it sounds, but I seem to gain weight just by looking at the food. I'm up about 35 pounds already, and I still have 11 weeks to go. I'm just crossing my fingers NOT to get to 50!
I know, it's surprising me how hard it is to gain weight. It seems like it takes more than twice as much energy (and calories) to make twice as many babies. You look great, Megan, so don't worry!
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