Eating Disorders How can I overcome my eating disorder now that I am expecting a baby?

Eating Disorders During Pregnancy
Gaining weight is a fact of pregnancy. You do not have to gain a tremendous amount of weight to have a successful and healthy pregnancy, but some weight gain is required to deal with the demands of a growing baby. However, some women can not get a grasp on that fact and struggle with the idea of gaining weight to support a pregnancy. An estimated 15-20% of all pregnant women experience some kind of eating disorder while they are pregnant. Anorexia, bulimia and binge eating are all common eating disorders that women are faced with. All of the disorders are very dangerous for both mother and baby and can cause serious harm. Women who are pregnant and have an eating disorder need extra care in order to have a healthy pregnancy. Because a woman's body needs extra calories to support a developing baby, it is critical that women experiencing eating disorders get the treatment they need.

Eating disorders are not healthy for anybody and can limit your ability to become pregnant. Women struggling with anorexia and bulimia typically do not have regular periods and are less likely to become pregnant. If you are recovering from an eating disorder in hopes of getting pregnant, it is important to remember that it takes a while for your body to regulate its hormones and it may take a while to begin regular ovulation. Approximately 20% of women seeking fertility treatment suffer from an eating disorder.

A woman that experiences an eating disorder during pregnancy is likely to be considered high risk. Eating disorders in the mother puts their baby at high risk for developing medical conditions and can cause fetal death from improper nutrition. Mothers who do not eat right and fail to gain an adequate amount of weight during their pregnancy are at an increased risk for miscarriage and stillbirth than women who do not suffer from eating disorders. Remember, your baby gets the majority of his nutrition from what you consume. Babies that are born to mothers with eating disorders are more likely to be born prematurely, with low birth weights, low Apgar scores, respiratory problems, coronary problems, blindness, Cerebral Palsey and other physical impairments. These babies might suffer from lower IQ scores and may have other developmental delays.

Not only does the baby suffer from an eating disorder, the mother does as well. Because your baby depends on your for his nutritional needs, he will take as much vitamins, minerals and calories that he can. If you are not eating enough or are exercising excessively, you may feel extremely weak and have trouble breathing, walking and maintaining daily activities. Mothers with eating disorders are highly likely to become dehydrated during pregnancy and need intravenous fluids. Your baby will take calcium from you if he needs it and if you are not consuming enough calcium, you will suffer. Calcium is what makes your bones and teeth strong and if the baby is taking this from you, osteporosis is a possibility. Your bones and teeth will become weak and brittle and may hurt. Heart damage, liver damage and kidney damage can become worse during pregnacy if you suffer from an eating disorder. Pregnant women with eating disorders are more likely to experience complications during birth as well.

Psychological problems are associated with eating disorders. Pregnancy can be stressful and the added stress of an eating disorder can be overwhelming. Most women who experience eating disorders during pregnancy will begin to feel out of control. Sometimes they become depressed and might have thoughts of hurting themselves or their babies. This can also be true during the postpartum period. It is important to remember that even after pregnancy, your baby depends on you to be healthy to care for him properly. If you are breastfeeding, it is crucial that you follow a well-balanced diet to supply good nutrtition to your developing infant.

If you are pregnant and suffer from an eating disorder, you should speak with your caregiver about treatment options. Treatment is available, but you need to discuss this with your doctor. Support groups for expectant mothers with eating disorders are available and can be a great source of encouragement, advice and support.



Comments: Eating Disorders

Comments 1 to 24 of about 57.
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naive - 24 days ago.
What a great board this is to be able to post to pregnant women that know what I'm going thru. I have had alot on my mind these past few days and I just really wanted to vent to those who UNDERSTAND. It seems everyone around me in the office and in my family are dieting with prescription diet pills. They're not eating as much as usual and it makes it hard for me to eat without guilt. They just don't know mentally what we're up against dealing with the weight and trying to convince ourself it's okay. IT'S HARD. I weigh in Friday and the bi-monthly weigh ins are the hardest struggle for me. As Seren said, can't we just skip that part?! I've done the whole not looking at the scale thing but I still have to know. I'm just in a rut this past week trying to reassure myself I'm not fat but it's not working. Does anyone else think that when people around them are dieting, they need to diet too? Do you feel like no matter size of others, if they're losing weight, then you need to be too? Not as a competitive thing, just as a control and obedience issue. I just needed to vent a little with what I'm thinking. thanks for listening!

Tori(a.k.a. Tinkerbell) - 25 days ago.
i feel so guilty i keep falling into my old habit of barely eating anything.

bngonzales - 25 days ago.
Girls! I just wanted to tell you that I think you guys are doing awesome! You guys should be proud that you are slowly but surely over coming this and I think its great that you guys have put ya'll baby first. I can't imagine how it is for you guys but to hear that you guys are not going to let your disease come in the way of your baby. I've never had anorexia or bulimia so i DON'T know how it is for you but I can only imagine. I'm hear if any of you need a listening ear and don't want advice back...you just want to vent. I'm here. I hope you guys have a happy healthy preganacy! xoxoxoxoxo

floridamom - 26 days ago.
OOOHHH what a struggle??!!! I am now 33 wks and everyday has been a horrible fight within myself. I found it so hard to force myself to eat everyday, although I knew the baby needed my nourishment to thrive, eating was and has been a constant battle. I found myself running to the water or soda for the 'quick fix'. Nothing could have prepared me for the work it would be to carry this pregnancy while fighting anorexia. The constant scale jumps and expanding waistline has been an emotional roller coaster to say the least. I can say that with time and only with time and a very supportive partner and doctor will you make it through this. I am now finally headed for the homestretch with a mere 5lb weight gain at this point, but a great support system to help me through. My little girl is thriving and healthy...little on the small side of course, but she is vigorous!! I wish each and everyone of you that struggle everyday with this ALL THE BEST!! You will pull through!!

Seren - 29 days ago.
This is definatly something alot of people other than us who actually deal with eating disorders wont ever understand.. we have to go thru alot and it's so much harder when you're pregnant.. It's a constant battle.. I fear myself everyday. Even though I am only 9weeks and not even showing.. I see my waist gettin bigger. I see my body changing.. I dread weighing myself.. So, I don't.. I begged the nurse at my last visit, not to weigh me. I don't want to have to do that.. not now.. I feel the same sharp pains in my stomach when I try to avoid eating, and I feel the pain in my stomach when I put the food in there. I feel defeated every single day.. But I will not let my baby suffer because of my disease. I really hope that we all will get better one day.. Just take one day at a time, and Thank God or whoever you believe in that you have this wonderful miracle..I will pray for all of you..

Humble - 29 days ago.
I can definitely relate to all the stories posted here. I began m bulimia in my second year of college. A friend introduced me to it.....a cool way to eat anything you want and maintain a certain weight??!! COOL!!! We would actually go in the bathroom and purge together...in different stalls, side by side....pretty sick when I think back....and I have been doing it ever since. It has been about 12 years now and God was merciful enough to grant me a healthy baby boy 5 months ago....during that pregnancy...I had a couple of episodes but would fight it by thinking about the harm I was doing to my child who did not deserve this. I still had moments of weakness when I did indulge in my secret but overall, I made it through by God's grace....once I gave birth...the weight dropped off quickly and I was quite excited because it happened naturally and I think I only purged maybe 3 times over the 3 month period which is really good considering I was purging almost 1-2 a day before my preganacy. Anyway after having y baby....everyone kept commenting on how great I looked and that I looked like I had never even had a baby and then I noticed my appetite increasing again....I begun to urinate a lot and had some discharge so I went to my doc's and asked to be checked for UTI, bacterial vaginos, yeast infection......then I asked my doc for birth control....my period was due in 4 days s she gave me the NoVu rin and said I should insert it the first day of my period....wouldn't you know that my period never came??? yes...I have a 5 month old...and I am pregnant again.....my apetite is out of control.....I am about 2 month and already my stomach is poking out....I have already gained almost 10 lbs!!! I am constantly hungry and the hunger i so sharp that it actually aches when I don't eat. I am so tempted to start throwing up again because the weight is coming so fast and for spme reason this second time around, I have no control whatsoever and I crave all the things that put the weight on quickly...the bread, rice, potatoes.....

alijo - 32 days ago.
Hi all. I think it's wonderful that there is a place for this conversation. I'm almost 13wks preg and I've had an eating disorder since i was a teenager. I've pretty much had every form of disordered eating, and i was mid recovery from an anorexic episode when i got pregnant. in fact, i had had one period after a year of being too underweight to menstruate. the next thing i know, i'm pregnant. I'm thrilled about the pregnancy but like all of you, I'm struggling with the weight gain and the emotional issues that never fully go away. My doc says i'm right on target but not only is it very difficult to see the numbers going up, but i also have a tendency to binge eat when I'm not restricting. My biggest difficulty is eating 'normally.' I wish none of us were going through this, but I'm glad to see that there is a forum here to express these feelings and concerns. My thoughts are with all of you!

pussycat - 37 days ago.
I was moved to tears reading your stories. I am not currently pregnant but am trying. For most of my life I struggled with bulimia and a weight obsession, but I never became full-blown anorectic. Congratulations to all of you for your openness and honesty. I put off getting pregnant all these years because of that fear of 'getting fat,' and at the age of 44 I may be paying the price with reduced fertility. I'm devastated, but that old fear of gaining weight is still there. Just remember that the little one you are nurturing now is the one you are going to be chasing around after later on! Your baby will make sure you lose your pregnancy weight. Throw out the scale and start feeling the feelings. It's okay to cry. Remember, it's not about the weight. That is just the focus to avoid feeling. Don't miss out on this precious time because it will be over before you know it. Trust me, anyone who has or has had an eating disorder will find a way to lose the pregnancy weight later on, just be healthy about it. You will all remain in my prayers.

finisteremaman - 37 days ago.
Thought this might help some of you; http://www.dailymail.co.uk/pages/live/articles/news/news.html?in_article_id=552789&in_page_id=1770 Stay strong girls, you can beat this. xxxx

naive - 41 days ago.
Hi everyone! It's nice to see I'm not alone in this whole 'being pregnant and recovering from anorexia'. I have been recovering from it for 7 years. To me, you never get over it if you've suffered a long time before seeking help. I think I will always be 'recovering'. I have a great support group of friends and family and my dr is wonderful. However, I know sometimes others think I'm completely crazy. They're like, 'you're pregnant...you're supposed to gain weight'. Easy for them to say when my whole teenage and adult life I've starved myself to prevent weight gain! I'm doing okay I think. I'm gaining my weight as suggested but trying to stay exactly on target. If I overgain a pound within visits, I do freak out. It's a mental thing only people like us understand. I have moments when I get depressed but there's something inside me that gives me a little kick and reminds me why it will all work out! Feeling my baby in there helps me get through this and cope with the anxiety from the weight. We should all remind ourself that the weight WILL go away but a HEALTHY baby will last FOREVER. Good luck to you all. I DO know what you're going through.

Seren - 46 days ago.
This is so hard, just found out I am pregnant and dealing with being bulimic.. I am scared as to what to do.. I want a healthy baby and I feel like I just keep messing up. I need to fight it for my baby. I just don't know where to begin. I have already gained alot of weight, and don't wanna gain much more..

lglenn38 - 46 days ago.
I think what the ladies who suffer from eating disorders need to remember is that women who don't suffer from any kind of eating disorder don't understand what you are going through. I know the struggle of bulimia and or anorexia and trying to control your life through food. I know what it feels like to experience the miracle of a child growing inside of you, but not being able to enjoy it because you just feel fat and not pregnant. I have read the posts here and seems like each women is doing her best to provide the proper nutrition for her baby all while trying to maintain some level of control for themselves. I think the most important thing to remember is that there is always someone to talk to, ladies you are never alone.

denee85 - 46 days ago.
Hey ladies..I'm currently 28 weeks and am STILL dealing with the 'I don't want to eat,cause I don't want to gain weight' thing..I'm overweight to begin with and I'd lost 50 lbs beofre getting pregnant..mostly by eating healthy and exercising,but I would occasionally eat crappy and then throw up and feel guilty etc.. I am struggling still with 'oh my,I just ate all that ice cream!' and then I make myself throw up..I don't know what to do..I am obsessed with dieting and I hate the fact that I've gained weight,even though I'm supposed to gain some being pregnant. I just wish I could relax and enjoy being pregnant,but I've already passed the 20lb weight gain I'd hoped for.....

JanetK - 50 days ago.
I am 10 weeks pregnant and everything with the baby is going well so far. I have been bulimic for 8 years and and was a binge eater my whole life before that. I wish I could say that I haven't binged and purged since I became pregnant but that is not the case. I am still struggling daily. I am seeing a nutritionist though, and my doctor is aware of my bulimia too. Does anyone know of a support group for pregnant bulimics? I used ot go to OA regulalrly, but even in OA I feel really self- conscious about opening up and admitting to purging as a pregnant mom-to-be. The judgement is pretty harsh, even from friends and family, and I am feeling pretty alone. I am very frustrated about everyone thinking that eating disorders are all about fear of fat and gaining weight. Its much more deep-seeded than that, as I am sure all of you know. I am now 32 years old and have struggled with disordered eating (and diet pill addiction) since I was about 12, and I must admit that I harbored some dilusion that all of that would just go away once I got pregnant. Luckily, I got off diet pills a few years ago (thank goodness) but the bingeing and purgeing is still a huge monkey on my back.

tumaro - 58 days ago.
curretly 11 weeks pregnant according to the u/s, although according to my last period i'm 13weeks. I have terrifide about gaining weight, and have already lost 10 pounds since finding out and maybe 5 more before that. I have been purging on a daily basis, and restricting as well. I'm stressed out everyday but not because of the baby, I'm happy to be pregnant, but I cant seem to control anything else in my life.

mlmmdjm - 65 days ago.
I want to congratulate all of you women trying to overcome your disorder for the good of your babies. I have never had an eating disorder, but a very good friend of mine has and still does. I know how hard it can be to just get through the day. You should all be commended for trying to overcome it while pregnant. I hope the best for all of you, maybe this is what will turn your lives around...Best of luck and tons of thoughts and prayers. :)

Tori(a.k.a. Tinkerbell) - 65 days ago.
i used to be anorexic, but when i did eat i sometimes made myself sick...i'm not like this anymore..now i can't stop eating i'm always so hungry...n i try not to overeat b/c i know that's not good for my baby either..but i can't help it

proudmama27 - 65 days ago.
its a struggle for me to get 2500 calories a day, i have to force feed myself. I dont have an appetite I nver had an eating disorder but i worry about my baby because i dont eat as much as I should and I eat pizzas chips, sodas, steak subs, hot pockets, occasional fruit and stuff like that. maybe i need help

EvaV - 73 days ago.
I have had an eating disorder for the past 9 years and so far this pregnancy has been kind of an emotional rollar coaster. I can say that I have yet to restrict my calories or excercise excessively since my pregnancy. I actually gave up running at 14 weeks with the suggestion of my doctor. I am very nervous about the weight gain and am constantly fighting the thoughts that I am 'fat' and need to lose weight. Being pregnant has definitely contributed to that 'out of control' feeling that people with eating disorders are all to familiar with. I look forward to being a mom and being as healthy as I can be. The mental struggle is the worst and I would love to hear from others going through the same thing!

csewell0301 - 94 days ago.
Becca I wasnt trying to make u feel bad but i didnt read what you wrote right i guess i felt as if u were doing ur relapses becuase u didnt want to be fat when ur done and to me that was selfish i know what you went through ive been bulimic since i was 10 years old and i know how hard it is during a pregnancy if u ever need someone to talk im here!!!

BeccaBoo3912 - 94 days ago.
I think I've done fairly well in not making this pregnancy about me. I've gained 35 pounds in 35 weeks...and though I'm having a hard time accepting it, I've still done it. I'm still eating...I'm not depriving my baby. There have been four relapses during my entire pregnancy and I'm almost nine months. I've discussed it with my doctor and my finace when I have relapsed. I eat very well and take my prenatal vitamins everyday...I quit smoking cigarettes. I used to smoke two packs of 100s a day. I don't consider myself selfish. I've done everything in my power to control my addictions to give my son the best start in life that I am capable of. I wanted a little support from women who have suffered with the same addiction as me, not to be judged for my mistakes...I wanted to get positive feedback about controlling my urge to purge, not to hear that because I did it I'm a selfish person who is purposely harming my child because I want to look good. For me it's not about looking good. I was an extremely overweight teenager and it took me years to get down to an average weight. I went through years of being teased by my peers, my mother and father putting me on diets, no boyfriends, no social life...I fought with bulima for the two years leading up to my unexpected pregnancy and I had controlled it about three months before I found out...I did everything I could when I found out to make sure I was healthy...I ate whatever I knew was going to help my baby grow...I kept it all down. So, please, I would like support, encouraging words, helpful ways of dealing with my urges...Being put down really hurts right now, I'm a little delicate with all the changes and the horomones. I ask only that I am treated with respect. This forum isn't to tell people what they're doing wrong, it's to share insight and experriences involved in this life altering, amazing, lovely thing we're all going through right now. Thank you.

Nan639 - 94 days ago.
I know it's hard, but this is not about YOU anymore. You have to eat and stay healthy for the little life growing inside of you. I was anorexic for several years before my first pregnancy. It was difficult eating more. But I did it and had a healthy little girl. The weight flew off me and I had no problems getting back to my pre-pregnancy weight. I'm not as obsessed about my weight this second pregnancy because I know I won't have any problem losing it. I'm 21 weeks and have gained 8 lbs. so far. Good luck to all of you!

mama40 - 95 days ago.
I wouldn't count too much on the baby taking all necassary nutrients from you. It happens of course, but at some extent. Just recently I read in the Russian press horrible story about incompetent doctors who put pregnant mother on fasting for several days to treat some stomach disorder and she lost her babies (twins). Also there some deficiencies that affect baby intellect and nervous system like B12 deficiency. It is good to keep in mind all this and do all possible to get help for eating disorders as soon as possible. It is a battle that is difficult to win alone.

sandrawb - 95 days ago.
sweets - I second what you said! I can't remember if my doctor was telling me about it or if I read it somewhere...but I remember hearing that the baby will pull resources from your body to get what it needs and you'll be depleted. I remember specifically in reference to calcium, thus leaving your bones brittle and porous. Danger!

sweets - 95 days ago.
Yah, your baby is going to get all the nutrients he/she needs no matter what. It's you who will suffer. Your body feeds the baby first and gives ALL nutrients to baby first. You on the other hand get everything 2nd. So don't think that your trying to trick your body cause your not. And if your not taking your prenatal vitamins, its you again that gets the short end of the stick. Your body will pull vitamins from your teeth like calcium and ruin your pearly whites. All because you have a disease that you are not getting help with. Do yourself a favor and get some help. It sucks but you need to. Take care mommys:)


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