Does what you eat affect baby's size/weight?

Nafretili · Apr 6th, 2012, 17:20 PM

Say if you eat lots of fatty foods, baby will be bigger?
Or does the placenta filter stuff like that?
If you eat nothing but healthy / fat free stuff, will baby weigh less?

Just a random thought

Mrsctobe · Apr 6th, 2012, 17:42 PM

No i was a healthy eater in all my pregnancies, i ate some junk food but the majority was all healthy and good stuff. which you should do so the baby gets all the nutrients he/she needs. my babies were 8lbs, 9lbs 4oz and Little man weighed 3lbs 4oz @ 28weeks (which is big for 28weeks)

Iria · Apr 6th, 2012, 17:46 PM

i ve been eating mostly vegetables [thats what i was craving for most of my pregnancy], like salad with humus .. and on my first scan midwife said he was "all right" but not big baby.. so he was average... then after 6 months sth happen to me and i was often eating fried meat, with ice creams cookies chocolate.. crisps.. couldnt really stop, thats when i got a lot of weight.. so had last scan last week [at 35w] for checking my placenta, and baby is, again- just normal weight, average.. so i think it doesn't matter what you eat.. i think it matters HOW much do you eat, bot not necessarily what kinda food- it doesnt change his weight..

bananaz · Apr 6th, 2012, 18:16 PM

I don't know if there's really any data on this, but I'm guessing that if diet is a factor then it's a small one compared to genetics (except if you have GD, of course).

On a side note, current research shows that the amount of calories you eat is more important than where those calories come from when it comes to weight gain. Just eating fatty foods won't make you fat if you're eating them in moderation, but if you take in more calories than you're burning off you will end up gaining, even if the food is healthy or fat free. And as my hips and thighs can tell you, if you get more calories than you need during pregnancy then most of it's going to go to maternal fat stores, not baby

littlemamana · Apr 6th, 2012, 18:42 PM

I've been told that a baby's size is mostly determined by genetics.. however, diet does play some role in it. When my baby was measuring too small, I was told to eat more and it helped.

jenmcn1 · Apr 6th, 2012, 19:26 PM

In some cases yes. Majority of the time its genetics that play the biggest role. Women who have GD have bigger babies, due to the extra sugar going to baby...which causes more weight gain in mom and baby! I have always been on the small side, and my son was born at 37+3 weighing 8lbs 13oz!!!! But I know it was genetics(although I gained a ton of weight!!) Just focus on eating healthy and you will be fine! To me chubby babies are sooo cute

mom and ttc · Apr 6th, 2012, 19:42 PM

i ate junk with my daughter, greezy farry and nasty... she was 6.13 at 40+1

Mrsctobe · Apr 7th, 2012, 10:52 AM

Plus i had sickness all through with my first and she weighed 8lbs.
and really bad sickness this time and barely ate anything till 20weeks and baby seems to be weighing and measuring above

x

happynewmom1 · Apr 7th, 2012, 11:00 AM

I rather think it mostly has to do with genetics. I had GD with my first, but didn't find out until 3rd trimester. So the first two trimesters I ate a lot of ice cream and fatty foods and after I found out I had GD, there were still fatty foods I had that I found kept my blood sugar lower. All the bad eating made me gain more than my baby did, though. I was told he would be huge because of GD but he was 7 lbs 6 oz at 39 weeks which is pretty average. The bad eating caused me to gain, though lol And was very difficult to lose later. Which is why this time around, I understand a little more and have cut way down on the bad foods I eat.

Nafretili · Apr 7th, 2012, 18:24 PM

I have been eating a bit of a mix thats all, I have really healthy days, and really naughty days!
Baby was measuring 2.3lbs @ 27+4.
Estimated to be 7.5 lbs at birth if she grows at the rate she is now
Which is average, I'm happy with that!
I was 7lb 8oz when I was born
Hubby was 7lb 1oz when he was born
So I suppose she's predicted to be right in the middle of us!

I was asking because I don't want to feel as much guilt if I eat something naughty!

Apr 6th, 2012, 17:20 PM	#1
Nafretili Mum (Mom) Inactive Join Date: Sep 2011 Location: UK, Cleethorpes Posts: 2,079	Does what you eat affect baby's size/weight? Say if you eat lots of fatty foods, baby will be bigger? Or does the placenta filter stuff like that? If you eat nothing but healthy / fat free stuff, will baby weigh less? Just a random thought

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Apr 6th, 2012, 17:42 PM	#2
Mrsctobe Pregnant (Expecting) Active BnB Member Join Date: Jul 2011 Location: Uk Posts: 6,554	No i was a healthy eater in all my pregnancies, i ate some junk food but the majority was all healthy and good stuff. which you should do so the baby gets all the nutrients he/she needs. my babies were 8lbs, 9lbs 4oz and Little man weighed 3lbs 4oz @ 28weeks (which is big for 28weeks)

Status: Offline

Apr 6th, 2012, 17:46 PM	#3
Iria Mum (Mom) Active BnB Member Join Date: Sep 2011 Location: London Posts: 236	i ve been eating mostly vegetables [thats what i was craving for most of my pregnancy], like salad with humus .. and on my first scan midwife said he was "all right" but not big baby.. so he was average... then after 6 months sth happen to me and i was often eating fried meat, with ice creams cookies chocolate.. crisps.. couldnt really stop, thats when i got a lot of weight.. so had last scan last week [at 35w] for checking my placenta, and baby is, again- just normal weight, average.. so i think it doesn't matter what you eat.. i think it matters HOW much do you eat, bot not necessarily what kinda food- it doesnt change his weight..

Status: Offline

Apr 6th, 2012, 18:16 PM	#4
bananaz Mum (Mom) BnB Addict Join Date: Sep 2011 Location: USA Posts: 5,186	I don't know if there's really any data on this, but I'm guessing that if diet is a factor then it's a small one compared to genetics (except if you have GD, of course). On a side note, current research shows that the amount of calories you eat is more important than where those calories come from when it comes to weight gain. Just eating fatty foods won't make you fat if you're eating them in moderation, but if you take in more calories than you're burning off you will end up gaining, even if the food is healthy or fat free. And as my hips and thighs can tell you, if you get more calories than you need during pregnancy then most of it's going to go to maternal fat stores, not baby

Status: Online

Apr 6th, 2012, 18:42 PM	#5
littlemamana Mum (Mom) Chat Happy BnB Member Join Date: Aug 2011 Location: Somewhere Over The Rainbow Posts: 1,732	I've been told that a baby's size is mostly determined by genetics.. however, diet does play some role in it. When my baby was measuring too small, I was told to eat more and it helped.

Status: Offline

Apr 6th, 2012, 19:26 PM	#6
jenmcn1 Mum (Mom) BnB Addict Join Date: Sep 2011 Location: Canada Posts: 3,045	In some cases yes. Majority of the time its genetics that play the biggest role. Women who have GD have bigger babies, due to the extra sugar going to baby...which causes more weight gain in mom and baby! I have always been on the small side, and my son was born at 37+3 weighing 8lbs 13oz!!!! But I know it was genetics(although I gained a ton of weight!!) Just focus on eating healthy and you will be fine! To me chubby babies are sooo cute

Status: Offline

Apr 6th, 2012, 19:42 PM	#7
mom and ttc Mum (Mom) BnB Addict Join Date: May 2011 Location: florida Posts: 2,709	i ate junk with my daughter, greezy farry and nasty... she was 6.13 at 40+1

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Apr 7th, 2012, 10:52 AM	#8
Mrsctobe Pregnant (Expecting) Active BnB Member Join Date: Jul 2011 Location: Uk Posts: 6,554	Plus i had sickness all through with my first and she weighed 8lbs. and really bad sickness this time and barely ate anything till 20weeks and baby seems to be weighing and measuring above x

Status: Offline

Apr 7th, 2012, 11:00 AM	#9
happynewmom1 Pregnant (Expecting) Active BnB Member Join Date: Nov 2010 Location: North Carolina, USA Posts: 886	I rather think it mostly has to do with genetics. I had GD with my first, but didn't find out until 3rd trimester. So the first two trimesters I ate a lot of ice cream and fatty foods and after I found out I had GD, there were still fatty foods I had that I found kept my blood sugar lower. All the bad eating made me gain more than my baby did, though. I was told he would be huge because of GD but he was 7 lbs 6 oz at 39 weeks which is pretty average. The bad eating caused me to gain, though lol And was very difficult to lose later. Which is why this time around, I understand a little more and have cut way down on the bad foods I eat.

Status: Offline

Apr 7th, 2012, 18:24 PM	#10
Nafretili Mum (Mom) Inactive Join Date: Sep 2011 Location: UK, Cleethorpes Posts: 2,079	I have been eating a bit of a mix thats all, I have really healthy days, and really naughty days! Baby was measuring 2.3lbs @ 27+4. Estimated to be 7.5 lbs at birth if she grows at the rate she is now Which is average, I'm happy with that! I was 7lb 8oz when I was born Hubby was 7lb 1oz when he was born So I suppose she's predicted to be right in the middle of us! I was asking because I don't want to feel as much guilt if I eat something naughty!

Status: Offline

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