I have been reading everything online and in Dr. Barbara Luke's book that you should gain at least 30 pounds by 20 weeks for triplets to ensure the best outcome. I have only gained 13 pounds at 20 weeks and am worried because it is so low. I have been eating regularly and have been eating healthy but apparantly not enough. I did have some sickness in the 1st trimester and a bout with the flu around 17 weeks. I am going to do everything I can to gain more weight but I feel like I have so much to make up. Was anyone else this low at 20 weeks? If so, how did your weight gain progress and is it still possible to get to at least 50 pounds pf weight gain by the end?

I, too, was unable to gain weight during my pregnancy. Although I made it to a "safe" gestational time (30w5d), I do believe my lack of weight gain caused some additional problems with my pregnancy. In fact, when my peri first saw me at 16 weeks, I had only gained 10lbs, and he was "sure" I wouldn't make it (he told me this after I delivered!).

I had hyperemesis until 16 weeks very badly and couldn't keep anything down. By 18 weeks, I was in pre-term labor and on 20w I was put on bedrest. From 20-27 weeks, I gained more weight on bedrest and I was up to a total weight gain of 30lbs. At that point, I was diagnosed with gestational diabetes and was put in the hospital, so my diet was strictly controlled by the hospital staff (no sugar). For the next 4 weeks, I didn't gain a single pound. Therefore, my total weight gain was 30lb. I want to add also that my metabolism is super fast, which is another reason I had a hard time gaining weight.

I did see a nutritionist at 20 weeks and also while in the hospital, but they didn't tell me much other than "eat lots of whole milk, cheese, and drink instant breakfasts/Ensure". The ensure made my vomiting return, so that was out of the question. But, if you can handle it, it is good for gaining weight. I literally stuffed myself as much as I could the second trimester, eating 4 scoops of ice cream a day!

While I think there is a lot of truth to the idea that weight gain can make your HOM pregnancy less complicated, I also want you to know that you are NOT doomed if you don't gain the weight. Things can still turn out OK.

Best of luck to you, and enjoy your ice cream!

Edited to add that I was very thin to begin with which may have played into it all. But, my babies did take what they needed and all were good weights for their gestational age (3.04, 3.37 and 3.86 lbs).

I think it all depends on where you start. If you are very thin, you'll need to put on more weight to help to support the babies. If you are "fluffy" or a bit overweight, you have more in reserve.

I gained 30# for my entire quad pg. My girls were born at 32w0d. They were on the low side for gestational age, but not dangersously so: 2-9, 2-14, 3-8, 3-9.

The babies take what they need from you. I thanked mine everyday for diminishing my fat stores. At my 6 week post-partum I was 50# below my pre-pregnancy weight.

I had a similar experience with my twin pg too. But my sister, who was in her early 20s when she had her twins, gained well over 50#. But she started out with her "teenager" body and she made it 38w. I was in my late 30s and had already acquired my "woman's" body.

My advice: eat what you can, when you can...meaning anything you think will stay down. Try to eat nutrient dense foods. Since it's so hard to eat the quantity, try to make sure that you are getting good quality calories- those that help fuel your body and provide other nutrients. Watch the protein shakes...many contain high fructose corn syrup. It's not the "best" choice sweetener for keeping even blood sugar.

My experience was similar to Donna's. Instead of measuring your weight gain, why not focus on what you're eating? Are you able to get in a high amount of protein and fluid?

I had problems gaining weight at the beginning as well and the doctors were really upset with me. I am on the skinny side and they just kept telling me the babies are going to take what they need and you will have nothing left after the babies are born. I had gained about 18 lbs by 20 weeks.

Well with a 60 lb weight gain (most the second half of the pregnancy) and making it to 36 weeks, the babies and I did do ok. However, I do understand they want to get the babies weight up in case they are early. They kept telling me ice cream, hamburgers, etc.

I did not have any problems returning to my pre-pregnancy weight and I still get the I can not believe you had triplets (you should look at my belly and you will know...)

Good luck on the weight gain and enjoying the eating in this stage!

Rebecca

I agree, it does depend on the amount of extra weight you have at the start. And, the babies will pretty much take what they need. I battled my weight my whole life and was not overweight when I got pregnant with my triplets. Wish someone had told me to gain some weight before trying to get pregnant as it would have been easy then, was not later. I only gained 35 pounds, delivered 3 4# babies at 32 weeks and couldn't walk easily for the next month or two. They ate my muscles!!! The babies plus being on bedrest.

Try as hard as you can to gain the weight if you don't have the extra. Seeing a dietician may be necessary. But, with all that, you may not be able to gain it, not sure if I would have been able to as I am also short-waisted and the babies took all the room (would have loved to see what my stomach looked like with all those babies). Try, but if your doctor doesn't seem concerned, don't stress over it, you also need to relax!
Wendy

I didn't gain any actual weight in my first trimester, but I did gain considerable girth. I was of an average weight starting out (about 135 lbs) and ended up gaining only 31lbs total when I delivered. And I had the only set of trips in the NICU that were the biggest babies in there. Obviously I personally lost quite of bit of weight as the babies gained. I would focus more on what you are eating and what type of calories. I too had read Barbara Luke's book, but my specialist wanted me on what he called a milkshake diet. He said I would drive myself nuts if I tried to count calories and fat grams like the book suggested. Instead he had me drink as many milkshakes in a day as I possibly could...and as you start to run out of room for food, milkshakes are much easier to take in. I studied all the fast food restaurants around to see which ones had the most fattening milkshakes and the winner was Sonic's Large Cream Pie Shake at 1120 calories and 30 fat grams (http://www.sonicdrivein.com/pdfs/menu/S ... nGuide.pdf) where I lived anyways.

Good luck!

I gained 29 pounds for my pregnancy with quints. I delivered at 27w6d. I had nausea very bad the first and second trimester. I had only gained 18 pounds by 21 weeks. I lost 32 pounds 10 days after delivery. The babies will take everything from you. Eat whenever you can with the best nutritional values.

Thanks for all the great feedback. I definitely feel better after reading everyone's stories. I just started my 21st week and am now up to 20lbs weight gain. So, I think the Ensure's and extra eating paid of this week. I gained 7 lbs. in one week so I feel better knowing that I can probably continue to gain weight pretty quickly. Thanks again.