I'm in my third trimester and my appetite has decreased... is that normal?
By astromama
@astromama (1221)
United States
February 28, 2007 1:21pm CST
I am in the middle of my third trimester and it seems like my appetite has taken a plunge. I used to wake up ravenous in the morning and immediately have to eat... sometimes I would wake up before the sun to have a bowl of cereal and then go back to bed! Now that I'm farther along and my stomach is smaller, I'm just not that interested in food. My midwife is concerned because this is when the baby begins gaining about a half pound per week, and I've actually lost two pounds in the last three weeks. Not much, but it's certainly not a gain. I do eat, but it's small portions due to discomfort. I eat about 4 grapefruit a day (it's my major craving) and I have a smoothie once a day made with yogurt, soymilk, flax seed oil, banana, protein powder with vitamins, spirulina, and ice... I feel my nutritional bases get covered, but is not gaining okay for the baby? My concern is that I may start burning body fat, which can cause ketosis and is bad. Two of my last three urine samples showed ketones. Did this happen to any of you when you were pregnant, and is it normal? There is so much information out there about pregnancy that contradicts itself, I just want to know if there is any harm in not gaining in the last trimester, if this is normal, and what can I do about it??? thanks for your help, advice, and for taking time to read my post!
4 people like this
15 responses
@mememama (3076)
• United States
28 Feb 07
The same thing happened to me, I just ate tiny snacks throughout the day. It sucked because I'd still make meals for my husband and I, yet I couldn't barely eat. I can't believe you can eat grapefruit-doesn't that give you heartburn? I think that's another reason why I didn't like eating, the heartburn was terrible. Good luck!
2 people like this
@astromama (1221)
• United States
1 Mar 07
I've never had heartburn in my life, and pregnancy hasn't been an exception so far.
I have the same issue. I cook and then can only eat a little bit, then I'm too full. And I do snack, but apparantly the healthy snacks I eat are not calorie-dense enough to put on the weight. Usually fruit, nuts, yogurt, cottage cheese with tomato, smoothies, salads, and veggies with hummus are the things I snack on. So you lost weight in your last trimester as well?? Did your caregiver check your urine for ketones, because that is what I'm concerned about. Apparantly ketones are a byproduct released when your body breaks down it's own fat stores, and they can be toxic to the baby. I figure if I'm losing weight I must be breaking down fat stores and this concerns me.
@SlapItHigh (172)
• United States
3 Mar 07
I have heard of this happening to many women in the third trimester of pregnancy. I did not experience this with either of my pregnancies. Quite the opposite actually, lol. I get so hungry and eat like crazy in my third trimester. I start out loosing weight in the first and early part of second trimesters and then I slow gain at the end of the second. But I make up for it in the third trimester for sure!
I would say make sure you are getting enough protein but it sounds like you already have that covered.
On the ketones issue, I had that once and it was because I wasn't getting enough water. Are you able to drink plenty? I have read a study recently that stated routine urinalysis during pregnancy should be eliminated from prenatal care:
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&list_uids=12405888&dopt=Abstract
1 person likes this
@astromama (1221)
• United States
3 Mar 07
I completely agree... Every week it's something different, ranging from my urine is 'so clear it isn't even funny', to 'you're dehydrated and need to up your water intake' to 'you are burning body fat and need to eat more frequently'... I just keep doing what I normally do and it's still different every time. I looked up ketosis after my midwife told me I was showing ketones, and it didn't look too good, but as i said I eat regularly, just small amounts due to discomfort. The baby is squirming around all the time and kicking like crazy, so I just assume he's healthy in there! I try to remind myself that urinalysis wasn't done every week on the vast majority of women throughout history and their babies were fine. Thanks for the response!
@imadriscoll (2228)
• United States
28 Feb 07
I think this normal. The second trimester seems to be the best, because usually morning sickness is gone and you're not too big yet. The larger you get the less hungry you feel because everything is getting squished to make room for baby. I would bet that you've also had these intense feelings like you're going to burst when you go to the bathroom and when you get there you manage to squeeze out a drop or two! That's because you're bladder is also getting squished!
Like most who have replied, I would say eat small portions more often. Remember that baby gets dibs on everything you take into your body, so it's very possible that your baby can gain weight while you are losing it. Just be careful.
I'm not sure that I've ever heard of ketones. I didn't have it with my three pregnancies... so I can't help you with that.
1 person likes this
@astromama (1221)
• United States
1 Mar 07
Oh yeah... I'm definitely experiencing the 'phantom pee' sensation. Thanks for the imput!
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@Bee1955 (3882)
• United States
1 Mar 07
With a watermelon pressed against your somach and intestines of course your appettite is waning. This is normal! Just make sure you eat several small meals each day to keep up your oxygen levels in your blood as well as vitamins. Dont force yourself so you'd gag, eat every 4-6 hours if possible. Milkshakes with liquid vitamins added, lots of milk and puddings can help you, also. Talk to your doctor about those.
1 person likes this
@astromama (1221)
• United States
1 Mar 07
thanks. I've actually been doing the protein shakes for a few weeks now because in my birth class we chart our nutrition and I have to make sure I get 80-100 grams of protein a day. A shake gives me at least 8 for the milk, 20 for the powder, and then I add banana and ice. Works for me! At this point I can't imagine eating that much protein in solid food... but shakes are great because I'm also getting hydrated which has been an issue in the past. thanks for the advice. Pudding sounds good!
1 person likes this
@ronita34 (3922)
• Canada
1 Mar 07
It is very normal as your baby is getting much bigger now and it is getting more and more crwoded in your stomach area!!! With my baby i was only 164 lbs and i atarted off at 143 and i too was losing weight and my baby came out 8 lbs 13 and a half ounces and perfectly healthy. You and your baby will be fine do not worry just be happy that soon it will all be over and you will have your bundle of joy!!!
@astromama (1221)
• United States
1 Mar 07
That's good to hear! I started at considerabley less than that and now weigh considerably more! As long as the babies healthy and getting what he needs, I'm happy.
@maildumpster (3815)
• United States
3 Mar 07
Oh gosh losing weight is not good. If there are ketones in your urine you aer burning fat. You are definitely not getting enough calories.
I do understand. I also think it is normal for your appetite to decrease when the baby is big. They are smooshing your stomache.
You need to figure out a way to get more calories in you. I had a lot of morning sickness with my first pregnancy. I would drink Slim Fast as a snack several times a day. This was in addition to any food I kept down. The doctor was ok with it cause it has lots of vitamins and other good stuff and each one was at least 200. If I used the powder to mix it I used whole milk for the extra calories. Once in a while I would even add some ice cream.
Hope that helps even a tiny bit.
Take care and let us know how things go.
@astromama (1221)
• United States
3 Mar 07
I do the protein shake thing, but I use a chocolate protein powder with soymilk, a banana, and ice. I'm going in on Sunday for another weigh-in, and hopefully this time I'll either stay the same or have gained... I think if I'm staying the same weight that's okay, right? I was the exact opposite.. I had bad morning sickness for the first 12 weeks or so, but managed to STILL gain around 10 pounds during that time! I'm up to 40 pounds above my normal weight, all from a healthy vegetarian diet! I spoke to my mother, who gained 50 with her first and she said she actually lost in her last trimester, too... so maybe it's a genetic, body-type thing. Ketones sound terrible, though. Any chance you know the exact danger to the baby?
@mobyfriend (1017)
• Netherlands
1 Mar 07
I've lost wait in my last trimester. Just see to eat that you eat the amount of food you need for your daily nutricion. Not gaining is okay for the baby. It's a myth that you have to eat for two.
1 person likes this
@sandgroper1 (629)
• Australia
28 Feb 07
This hasn't happend to me or anyone that i know of, why dont you try to eat 6-8 times a day, eat a small portion many times and see how you go with that, best of luck
@sabsta2006 (241)
•
1 Mar 07
I know how you feel when i was in my third trimester i hardly ate at all. i lost a lot of weight! but my boy was completely healthy, the baby should be taking all the nutrition it needs before you get it. All i ever used to eat were chocolate bars and crisps. Not great i know but i could never manage a meal, not even a childrens portion
1 person likes this
@eden32 (3973)
• United States
15 Mar 07
It is normal, but the keytones in the urine is reason to be a little concerned. You don't want to force yourself to eat when you aren't hungry, but do try to snack more often. I believe grapefruits is one of those foods that can have a negative calorie effect- that it digesting it uses more calories than it contains. Might be wrong about that,but I think that's why the "grapefruit diet" was so popular a couple years back. Perhaps have your grapefruit with a handful of nuts or sunflower seeds. Choose whole fat versions for yogurt, cheese & milk.
1 person likes this
@kyrandia (80)
• United States
1 Mar 07
I am 8 months pregnant and have noticed the same thing. All throughout my pregnancy I have had a very difficult time gaining weight (my first trimester I lost 6 lbs) due to extremely bad morning sickness. But I actually have to force myself to eat. I'm just not really all that hungry. However since it is getting close to the inevitable I know that my decrease in appetite my have to do with nerves. Other than that it might have to do with the fact that I am HUGE and the baby is stretching out and kicking everywhere.
@spindrift (197)
•
28 Feb 07
Congratulations I loved being pregnant, I cant remember having a huge decrease in my appetite at that time but I did eat small amounts, grazed all day because my bump took up all the space in me so may be you should have small amounts often .
I did not put on alot of weight when i was pregnant the nurse said it ws all baby.But I did put the most weight on in the last 6 weeks.
but you should ask your doctor in case to be sure and relax you must be nearly there.
@kaiyascloset (372)
• United States
14 Mar 07
Congrats on your pregnancy! The third trimester I didn't eat as much as well. But, try to eat something healthy every couple of hours regardless of feeling hungry! I think the baby was pressing on my stomach and I hardly felt hungry. I would up your water intake as well to help with the ketones in the urine!!
1 person likes this
@michelledarcy (5220)
•
28 Feb 07
The reason for this could be that the baby is pressing on your stomach and making you feel full.
If I was you I would increase the nuber of smoothies you have and try to eat a small amount every couple of hours instead of bigger meals. That should help.
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