WW and Pregnancy

Just out of curiosity, can the WW plan be followed while one is pregnant? I know they have something for nursing mom's. I'm asking because DH and I want to start TTC #2 in June and I'd like to stick with my WW. Does anyone know? I do WW online. Obviously I wouldn't want to lose weight while PG but maybe not gain as much as I did with DS (40 lbs).

TIA!

Re: WW and Pregnancy

I would consult your doc. I was just at my doc, and I am TTC and she said that you should not be dieting while TTC. I am trying to drop like 2 lbs, just from being a little lazy and taking a hiatus from the gym, so it will come off once I get back into my routine fully. I think watching what you eat is one thing, but vigorously dieting is another.

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Yeah I have definitely thought about this. I am not going to diet persay but I do plan on following the core plan. The plan itself is really just about healthy eating and eating when hungry. I am assuming being pregnant, you would naturally be hungrier and thus eating more calories.

Re: WW and Pregnancy

I was on WW when I got preggo with #2. I had a hard time sticking to it because of cravings...BUT I think if you follow the core plan and add at least 10 pts a day to that then you are following a healthy eating plan that can benefit you and your child. (Just steer clear of the diet foods that have art. sweetners).

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Re: WW and Pregnancy

Thanks everyone. When I was pregnant with DS, I had so many food aversions for the first 2 trimesters that I could only eat foods that are on Core plan (I wasn't on WW while PG with DS). I was just curious to know what other WW participants did.

Re: WW and Pregnancy

WW centersd will not let you participate if you are pregnant

If you go to a center to weigh in, I guess you can go until you show. They dont advise pregnant women to be on a diet

Re: WW and Pregnancy

I have often wondered about this and personally feel that they should develop some sort of program for pregnant women. WW is not a diet. It becomes a way of life. I personally feel they should have a support program for members that are pregnant. I am not sure how they would go about it.

I know so many people feel that it is somewhat obsessive to watch weight while pregnant. I just feel that as a WW member that attends every week as a lifetimer or that has lost a significant amount of weight and needs the meetings in order to not revert back to poor habits, should have some place to go.

There is no rule that states that being preggo is a ticket to eat whatever and gain tons and tons of weight. I do understand that hormones come onto play big time.

I have just felt strongly for a long time that a program can be developed to help pregnant woman not go off the deep end food wise. Just the way people on maintenance are supposed to have a certain amount of points in order to stop losing, I think there is a place for a pregnant woman to be able to have a program that will help them gain a healthy amount of weight during pregnancy, and meetings that they can attend to support them along the way.

Can you tell how much thought I have put into this? I am glad I am not the only weight watcher that is somewhat fearful of having lost a significant amount of weight prior to becoming pregnant and then having to give it up once having conceived. I may get flamed for how strongly I feel, but If I can create a program or be part of creating one, I'm there!

Re: WW and Pregnancy

Brianne that is such a fantastic idea!!! Let's volunteer - we can be guinea pigs - you know, for the sake of others

Re: WW and Pregnancy

FYI: Found this on the ww website...

Weight Gain During Pregnancy

Over the past century, medical recommendations about how much weight a woman should gain during pregnancy have varied from rigid restriction of a minimal amount to an implied approval of an unrestricted gain. Change is in the air again as experts call for a reevaluation of the way the recommendations are made.

The 1990 Recommendations
In 1990, the Institute of Medicine (IOM) issued recommendations based on specific outcomes for the baby (e.g., low birth weight, pre-term birth or risk for neurological problems).1 The recommendations are that underweight women gain 28-40 pounds, those at a healthy weight gain 25-35 pounds, overweight women add 15-25 pounds, and obese women gain at least 15 pounds.

The world has changed.
There is growing concern that the 1990 recommendations do not consider the impact of weight gain on the mother's health. A 2005 study found that overweight and obese women often gain more weight than is recommended.2

In a group of Swedish mothers followed for 15 years, it was found that the women who gained more than the recommended amount of weight or did not return to their pre-pregnancy weight were more likely to have continued weight gain with subsequent pregnancies.3 They also were heavier 15 years later than their peers who gained the recommended amount or less.4 It was also found that new behaviors that began during pregnancy—specifically eating more calories, having three or more snacks a day, skipping lunch and doing less exercise—were continued after giving birth.5

Rethinking the Recommendations
In May 2006, the IOM held a workshop to assess the effects of pregnancy weight gain on both the mother's and child's health. The experts who participated concluded that revised recommendations are critical. Why? In addition to concerns about excessive weight gain on maternal health, new evidence is showing that prenatal weight gain can also have long-term effects on the child's welfare.

For example, a study published in the American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology found that greater weight gain during pregnancy resulted in children who weighed more and had more body fat and a higher systolic blood pressure at the age of 3.6 Further, a study published in the American Journal of Perinatology found that being obese at the start of a pregnancy and a weight gain of more than 35 pounds was linked with a greater risk for four poor postnatal outcomes. The author of this study concluded that their results strongly support that women should strive to achieve a healthy weight prior to conception and then avoid excess gain during pregnancy. Doing so, they say, will lead to a better birth experience in obese and overweight women.7

Weight Watchers Approach

Weight gain is an important part of a woman's prenatal medical care and is best managed by her physician. Weight Watchers does not provide any programs or services to women who are pregnant. However, achieving a healthy body weight prior to conception and then returning to that weight after giving birth is encouraged.




12/2007

Re: WW and Pregnancy

1) I would LOVE to be a guinea pig and volunteer!

2) I do see that it could be a liability for WW, however, I do feel women should be allowed to attend meetings, even if it involved signing a waiver . . . .

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Re: WW and Pregnancy

Look at what I found . . . .
http://babyfit.com/archive_posts.asp?imboard=71&imParent=1145344

This explains it . . .

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Wow! I never even thought of them not doing it because of lawsuits but it does make a lot of sense. I guess the key is to follow the plan's guidelines about eating sensibly and in good health but to not follow it strictly so as to lose weight. Makes sense! Thank you for finding that.

Re: WW and Pregnancy

ive been wondering the same... ive been on weight watchers almost 8 months- down 45 lbs... I think as long as you follow core- and stick to the higher end of satisfied then you should be fine until you find out you are pregnant... then I would increase it a little more....and go back once the baby is born