Pregnancy Body Image Issues

I'm 23 months post-op RNY. I lost a total of 135lbs, going from 275 to 140 in a year where I pretty much stabilized. I've fluctuated between 140 and 145 for almost a year. I'm currently 16 weeks pregnant and am struggling with the weight gain of almost 17lbs, which is about 10lbs more than the "healthy gain."

I don't have any children and at 4 months, I have a quite prominent belly. People notice, ask if I'm pregnant and/or try to touch. I still had a large amount of fat on my stomach that I was already struggling with as well as a lot of excess skin. I feel like I've just let myself go.

Has anyone else felt this way?

I got pregnant way too close to surgery (at 5m post op) and it was very disheartening to stall out int eh loss so soon.  I had lost 100, got pregnant, lost 20 more in first trimester due to nausea, and then since then have been gaining back the 20.  I KNOW that some of it is baby, and the rest is extra blood, fluid...all that baby related stuff.

The biggest thing you can do is get back to the basics of WHAT you are eating.  You do need more calories than before to nurture a healthy pregnancy - but those calories should be good things.

Get in with your dietician and develop a workable plan.  Perhaps trying something like the gestational diabetes diet will keep you on track...it is a balanced approach that limits but not eliminates carbs and focuses on getting protein and non-sugary stuff like veggies.

I am 38w now and will likely deliver around the weight I got pregnant at...which means a 20 pound gain from 2nd&3rd tri.  It isn't great, but I know I can use my tool post-pregnancy to get back on track.

How did your doctor react when you got pregnant so soon?  What has your pregnancy been like?

I got pregnant 25 months post RNY. Gained total of 17 pounds and son was born at 35 weeks. Lost weight within 1 1/2 weeks after delivery.