Raw pregnancy and no weight gain in my first trimester?

[Yoga Star]

I am wondering what is a healthy weight gain in raw food pregnancy especially in the first trimester? I am guessing it is not the same as in SAD pregnancy as you don't put all the junk food in your system that makes you fat. Everywhere I read it says you should gain up to 4 pounds considering that you have no morning sickness. I am 11 weeks pregnant, feel amazing, have no morning sickness and have gained nothing yet. I have a very small baby bump but that's it. I am kind of getting nervous that I should be gaining something at this point. I eat 100% raw most of the time and my diet includes healthy fats (avocados, olive oil, nuts) and lots of fruits and veggies. What do you think?

[freshlight]

Don't worry about your weight if you feel good: I ldidn't gain any weight at all during my p. I lost over 20 pounds because I couldn't stand the cooked food anymore and then gained them back again. Enjoy this special time :) All the best to you and your little cutie.

[Yoga Star]

So great to hear about your experience! Its amazing to see how each of us is different and unique. Your words made me calm down immediately :) You have beautiful energy Eva! Thank you for sharing it. I panicked for a moment there but I do feel confident in this way of eating. I eat this way because it is what my body wants and thrives on it. So what that I am not gaining weight...I guess I don't need to right now and when the time is right I will naturally start to.

[Conscious Midwife]

Baby is still really tiny at 11 weeks and you probably got some reserves in the hip area that have been burned up to support all the growth.

CONGRATS

[freshlight]

I'm happy you're feeling better :) Don't worry at all. Just TRUST in nature or in LIGHT or in God -which is all the same beautiful energy of LOVE- and you will be fine.
Talk to your baby and she/or he will tell you that everything's all right ;)
Stay well.
Eva

[Azaria]

Sounds pretty normal to me. Your baby's growth is a good indication, one I depend on a lot more than the scale. Right around 12 weeks your uterus will begin to poke up above your pubic bone, and by 20 weeks it will reach the level of your belly button. The scale is a fairly unimportant gauge in comparison:)

[enrgtcsoul]

Yoga Star,
What have you learned about protein intake? I have PCOS and they want to put me on metformin and clomid to get my cycles going...however they want me to have up to 50g of protein per day. What have you discovered re protein on raw food? I eat nuts, seeds and am going to start including mung and adzuki beans with some hummus. THanks!

[Yoga Star]

Azaria thanks for the info, yes my belly is larger above the pubic bone area, I definitely have a little bump so that is pretty good :) I like the idea of not going by the scale. I feel so wonderful on raw food diet and I know this way of eating doesn't make you put on weight as if you ate cooked foods. I had a cooked meal this week and regreated it for 3 days. It took that long for my body to cleanse and feel good again.

Enrgtcsoul I never had a problem with protein on raw food diet. I start my day with a smoothie in which I put almond milk, almonds, flax seeds and maca powder for protein. This gives me about 25 grams. I eat a lot of hummus, beans, seeds and nuts. Did you know that 1/4 cup of pumpkin seeds gives you 19 grams of protein? Also, I did acupuncture before I conceived to regulate my cycles and I know that my TCM does acupuncture for PCOS. Its a safe and non invasive way to jump start your cycles. I was so glad I did acupuncture as my cycles were 47 days long with OD at day 36. Sometimes they give you chinese herbs to gently stimulate the system. Really, its a great way to start before you take the chemical route. Whatever you decide may you find comfort and trust in your own body :)

[Azaria]

Women have been growing and birthing babies for far longer than there have been scales :) Imagine the insight, trust, intuition and self-accountability there can be without outside influences such as scales (among about a million other aspects of the modern day childbirth experience).

[adiebabe]

Remember too that every woman is different...(I know, you know this :p)

Some hardly show at all until they're into their second or even third tri-mester...then there's ones like me. I was into maternity pants at around 2 months 'cause my jeans were too tight just over the little bump I grew :) yet, I never did gain the minumum amount of weight the doctors usually tell you they want you to gain. Had a healthy, perfect 8lb+ boy anyway! As long as you plan your meals carefully so that you and the baby have all the nutrients you need for development, your body will do what it needs to. We're women...we're good that way :D

[Traceyraw]

I am now 35 weeks pregnant and only gained 20 lbs. I started off great but had some major slip ups but the weeks I ate the most raw the baby seemed to jump a size. Good luck. Coconut water and orange juice are the 2 things I gobbled up and they make me feel great.

[Traceyraw]

P.S Don't fall for the NORMAL. Your baby will take what it needs. I only gained 5 lbs by my 5th month. By the way people in 3rd world countries still have healthy babys with little food to eat and nourish there bodies.

[veganmama18]

I have to agree with what everyone else has said. I actually lost a pound over the first 18 weeks and gained a total of 14 pounds in my pregnancy. We delivered a very healthy and vibrant 6 pound 4 oz. little boy. My midwife was never concerned about my weight gain. Trust yourself, and focus on feeling healthy and happy. Best wishes on this exciting journey!

[bootzey]

I would really like to see more pregnant moms dialogue here about being pregant and a raw vegan.

[Yoga Star]

Thank you everyone for your input. It means a lot to hear that you can have a perfectly healthy baby and not gain 60 pounds during your pregnancy. Some people can be so insensitive including doctors trying to tell you something is wrong if you are not gaining what the norm is. I am in my second trimester now (17 weeks) and gained 2 pounds total. My belly is definitely showing now and when I had my first ultrasound the baby was a perfect size and healthy. So I am a lot more confident in myself, my body and the baby. I listen to my heart and my inutition when it comes to food or any other pregnancy matter. I have decided to go with home water birth and I also decided to keep it a secret from my family who isn't supportive. Does anyone else find being extra sensitive to other's feelings and emotions and not wanting to be part of any negativity?

[c'estlaviebelle]

Wow, I wish I hadn't been gaining so much weight! I was more cooked vegetarian during my first 19 weeks of pregnancy, with a lot of raw foods, and I'm already up 15 lbs by 23 weeks. Just think how easy your recovery and labor will be without the extra weight! It seems most raw vegan mamas only gain about 15-20 lbs their whole pregnancy and that is normal. I'm sure you and baby are healthy- don't worry!

I just wish I had stayed raw during the first half of my pregnancy, since at this point I've already gained as much as most raw vegan mamas do in their entire pregnancy! I dread to see how much I will end up gaining by 40 weeks... hopefully being mostly raw during the last half will undo what damage I already did...

[c'estlaviebelle]

Thank you everyone for your input. It means a lot to hear that you can have a perfectly healthy baby and not gain 60 pounds during your pregnancy. Some people can be so insensitive including doctors trying to tell you something is wrong if you are not gaining what the norm is. I am in my second trimester now (17 weeks) and gained 2 pounds total. My belly is definitely showing now and when I had my first ultrasound the baby was a perfect size and healthy. So I am a lot more confident in myself, my body and the baby. I listen to my heart and my inutition when it comes to food or any other pregnancy matter. I have decided to go with home water birth and I also decided to keep it a secret from my family who isn't supportive. Does anyone else find being extra sensitive to other's feelings and emotions and not wanting to be part of any negativity?

I'm sure you are fine! I wish I was in your boat... already gained a lot so far by eating cooked vegan foods...

I'm doing a home water birth too! I think some of my friends think it is weird, but I know it is what is right for me, baby and my partner. Luckily my partner has been very supportive of home birth, and I can imagine how hard it would be to have to keep that secret. Just remember that only YOU know what is best for you and your baby!! Mail me privately if you want to speak more about homebirth. I've done a LOT of research on it, and it is so much safer and gentler than hospital birth. I think you are making a great decision!! And you are absolutely right on to stay away from negativity that can impact you and baby. This is the time for happy thoughts and good will!! Don't feel bad about staying away if it means preserving your happiness!

Many Blessings,
Vie

[Yoga Star]

Don't worry Vie you will be able to shed these pounds in no time if you remain raw vegan for the rest of your pregnancy and after you have the baby. Whenever I fall off the raw wagon and gain extra weight from cooked foods and then go back to eating raw again it takes me a couple of weeks to get back to my regular weight. It matters that you are now eating raw vegan and just focus on keeping it that way. Also, add some type of excercise to your routine if you don't already have one. I am a yoga teacher so its easy for me to keep active and I do recommend prenatal yoga above anything else. It will make you strong yet flexible in mind and body. You will bond with your baby and learn to go within. It's a great preperation for home birth as you will have the tools to go inside and stay with the sensations of labour. Is this your first home water birth?

[c'estlaviebelle]

Don't worry Vie you will be able to shed these pounds in no time if you remain raw vegan for the rest of your pregnancy and after you have the baby. Whenever I fall off the raw wagon and gain extra weight from cooked foods and then go back to eating raw again it takes me a couple of weeks to get back to my regular weight. It matters that you are now eating raw vegan and just focus on keeping it that way. Also, add some type of excercise to your routine if you don't already have one. I am a yoga teacher so its easy for me to keep active and I do recommend prenatal yoga above anything else. It will make you strong yet flexible in mind and body. You will bond with your baby and learn to go within. It's a great preperation for home birth as you will have the tools to go inside and stay with the sensations of labour. Is this your first home water birth?

Hi Yogastar! Thanks for the motivation! :) I'm already feeling better being back raw again, and I think it is really helping me already. I'm motivated to STAY raw the rest of the pregnancy and also to be a raw mama.

I have been doing Dahnhak yoga for the last 4 years or so, which is really more like a mix between Qi-Gong and Tai Chi than yoga (its Korean so that is probably why). But.... I did just get Gurmukh's and Anna Getty's Kundalini Prenatal DVDs about a month ago and I've been trying to alternate them. I do think that the yoga practice has really helped me also!! There are some prenatal classes in my area but they are so expensive and with baby coming I can't afford to go regularly right now :( But, with the Dahnhak classes and the DVDs I'm hoping to help the labor along. It seems yoga is really the best exercise for body mind and spirit during pregnancy!

This is my first birth, so I have no experience with homebirth personally, but I have really great midwives and I've spoken to a few women locally who have done home birth, and all of them really highly recommended it. Many of the women who I spoke to that had hospital births did not have the most positive experiences, and many said if they had it to do over again they would do it at home.

My partner has been really supportive which is great, and surprisingly a few of my aunts and my grandma were too. My grandma actually birthed her oldest kids at home though, so that is probably why she is not scared of it.

With my parents I had to present them with the "facts" about home vs hospital birth, and then they got it. But even if they didn't get it, I would still be doing it. I really feel it is the best way for me and baby :)

Have you had any other children? What were your experiences with them if you have? Are you going with a midwife or are you going UC? (unassisted childbirth)

Vie

[dawLs]

just to add in my two cents...
my mother only gained 15 pounds in her pregnancy with me, and didnt even have a baby bump right until the end. she wasn't raw but because she was poor, she couldnt afford to eat junk such as chips, cakes, mcdonalds etc that many women do when they have "cravings". although she ate cooked, she ate mostly vegetables, some grains, and the cheapest meat they could afford LOL. they also didnt have a car so she walked everywhere.
i came out perfectly healthy and so did she!
therefore, i do not buy into the whole idea that you must gain a TON of weight while pregnant to deliver a healthy baby :)

-dawLz x0x0

[Yoga Star]

Thanks Dawls! From what I have been reading if you are pregnant and on raw vegan diet you will gain anywhere from 15-30 pounds. When you eat SAD you are looking at gaining anywhere from 30-60 pounds. That's just crazy. Considering that the baby weights up to 11 pounds, the placenta 2pounds and extra fluids another 2 pounds it makes sense not to gain 60 pounds.

Vie I am familiar with Dahnak yoga and if you can do some at home with DVDs that's all you really need. I know prenatal classes can be expansive. They are less pricey if you go to a local community center. Here you pay $60 for 8 weeks and if you go to a yoga studio you will pay twice as much.

This is my first baby so I am like you brand new to being pregnant and giving birth. I have two midwifes and they are wonderful. My partner is more supportive now that he has done some reasearch on home birth and water birth. I think most people are uncomofortable with the idea of natural home birth because it is not a norm. I still get "good luck" from some mothers who swear they were only able to give birht by being in the hospital and getting an epidural. My midwife center has home birth nights where a couple who went through a home birth shares their experience and answers any questions so I want to check it out.

By the way when is your baby due?

[c'estlaviebelle]

Hi Yoga Star!

Sorry for the late reply- I'm not online much these days. I'm due July 14th! When are you due?

You are totally right about people freaking out when something is out of the norm. Many moms have told me the same thing- that they were only able to give birth in the hospital with the drugs etc etc. But, I trust my body and my baby, that I will have the strength and that the baby will come out at home just fine. I really think so much of it is mind over matter (plus being healthy can't hurt!!)

I actually just got back from my midwife and they are lecturing me that I haven't put on weight, actually I lost a few lbs- I told her that I went back to my (extremely superior) primarily raw diet, but she still freaked out that I'm not eating enough and that I should be gaining. BUT I feel great! The baby is super active, my energy is higher than it was before, and I have to believe that I would be feeling run down if I wasn't getting enough nutrients.

I'm going for an ultrasound tomorrow to check on the baby's development just in case, but I really feel like I get more healthy nutrients now than before and that my raw lifestyle is superior to any other diet I could have. The problem is that they are benchmarking me (and you too) against non-raw people, who *of course* gain much more weight, most of which is not related to baby weight...

So how are you progressing? I'd love to share stories. You can always PM me too :)