OOOOPS. Just found out I am pregnant. I have 2 young children and we eventually wanted to have a third, but this was a bit premature. I'm sure I'll come around and be absolutely thrilled. I had been hoping to wait until next year for many reasons, but even from experience, I know these things are hard to plan so you should take your blessings where you find them.

That said, one of the MINOR reasons I was hoping not to be preggers next summer (this is awful, I know) is that I have worked so hard since October, dropping from 144 to 125 (this morning! new low!). I am finally feeling pretty good about myself. I started a major exercise program 2 weeks ago filled with pilates and spinning classes, and have been really (surprisingly) enjoying them. So not only do I feel thinner for the first time in years, but by summer I was hoping to be toned and in great shape. This weightloss has totally changed my attitude about myself and for such a brief time I've really enjoyed it.

So even though in the past I loved pregnancy, and I know it certainly isn't a weight issue, I just wanted one summer to feel good about myself this way. I am sure you all think this is incredibly vain and stupid, and so do I, but I can't help it.

Ok....enough whining. Certainly I (and husband) got myself into this. But here is a question. I am doing Atkins primarily/entirely for weight loss, and planned to stay on as a WOL to maintain. I didn't have any health issues to encourage me to do this. I can't say I feel any of the health benefits that some enjoy (more energy, feeling better, lower cholesterol, etc). I always felt pretty healthy and energetic. So, should I eat regularly now that I am pregnant? I know I need folic acid which I get from vitamins but also is fortified in pastas and breads. Additionally, it feels funny not to eat tons of fruit when pregnant. I'm sure keeping excess sugar (desserts and candy, etc) out of the picture is still great, but I had been using splenda to help me along, and I'm guessing that may not be good during pregnancy. Would love to hear how others have managed their pregnancies.

thanks for listening!

God what I wouldnt do to be pregnant. Congrats. I dont think its ok for you to be on Atkins while you are pregnant. You will need to discuss that with your doc each individual is different and youll have to eat the foods that will require you to have a healthy baby.

However you should continue to exercise throughout your pregnancy with your doc's blessing. It will only mean that you will loose the after baby weight faster than before. I can tell you that from my girlfriend's that gave birth recently that all the ones that worked out prior and during pregnancy have lost all the weight they gained. But those who never worked out b4 baby kept the weight and then gained some. Dont use the excuse that your pregnant that you can eat whatever you want becuase you are eating for two.

I wish you good luck for the duration of your pregnancy and hope nothing I said offended you.

Eat regularly? Do you mean a healthy well balanced diet like you should be now that you are close to maintanance, or high carb junk food with no nutritional value?

Sugar is never good for you and it's certainly not good for the baby.

While pregnant you only need about 300 more calories, but you need a ton more nutrients. Why fill up on junk? Go on maintanance carbs, yes, but make those carbs as good as possible.

Have tons of veggies every day, and try to include as many colors as you can. Have moderate carbs ones sucha s more squash and carrots. Have at least 1 serving of fruit. Since it's winter frozen unsweetned berries are a good choice. Apples, oranges and so on are also good choices.

Have fresh dairy for calcium. Get unsweetned plain yogurt, cottage cheese and so on.

My suggestion would be to get Atkins for life. It has easy to read tabls of foods to eat often, in moderation, and rarely. There is also a book out "A Mother-To-Be does Atkins." It is written by one of the clinic doctors who became pregnant with twins.

Don't use pregnancy to eat anything and everything you want. Yes hormones and cravings will hit, and you may giv ein at times. If you are careful though and give yourself as much nutrition as possible you can stick to puttin on a reasonable amount of weight which makes it easier to take off later. You will also have a healthier baby.

Thank you both for your replies. Devvi, i hesitated to write because I know that there are so many people out there who want babies, and of course I'll adore this one and be absolutely grateful. In fact, before my 2 kids, I had 4 miscarriages and certainly believed it would never happen. So I know it is bizarre to have any misgivings. I'm really sorry. And I feel like it can happen for anyone, it can just take a little longer and a little more effort than it does for others.

I'll definitely talk over diet with my doctor. I'm sure I'll keep a similar diet to my current one, but skip the splenda products (and in my decaf too!), add lots of veggies and fruit, and some fortified whole wheat pasta/bread probably. But I hope I can keep off the sugar. I"ll look into Atkins for Life. But because of my past miscarriages, I know I won't be able to exercise during pregnancy, which stinks a little. But even a few more hours and I'm getting much more excited. Hopefully by tomorrow I'll be astonished I ever felt this way!

thanks again

One piece of Advice, when you talk to your doctor, don't say the words Atkins or Low Carb until you kind of get a feel for his opinion. Those are trigger words that will send many on a tangent. Instead say you are eliminating junk foods, sugars, white flour and other non-nutrrative foods. Instead you plan on having alot of veggies, fruits, meats and other "whole" foods for the sake of your baby. I bet even the hardest core LC hater would applaud that.

Don't be heasatant to post anything. I have two wonderful children now. The first one was a struggle. I suffered from endometriosis (sp). I went on a harsh course of birth control that made me gain weight and become the homicidal bitch from hell (excuse the language but I seriously think my ex-husband feared for his life). I did everything including drinking raspberry tea every day (can't stand the stuff now) timed intercourse, and so on. While it occasionaly hurt to hear of others success, it gave me hope. I also think the support of an online community which understood my struggle really made the difference.

I was blessed I didn't have to go through infertility treatments and IVF, that natural remidies and the birth control regiment helped me. I understand the pain of wanting a child and having your heart ache each time you see one. I also know how scary the pregnancy can be after you achieve your goal.

Any time you need support, not only for diet, but just life, please post here. There is also a LC parents forum, though I don't think it sees as much traffic.