My OB doesn’t like me very much right now. Rather, she doesn’t like my weight gain. In fact, she told me that she “wasn’t thrilled” with my weight gain and then asked, “Can’t you do portion control when you eat?” I was like, “If I could do portion control, don’t you think I would?” Trust me, I would.

During my last pregnancy, I gained 47 pounds. That was a lot considering my “normal” weight hovers around 100 pounds. (I’m petite and 5’2.) I’ve come to the conclusion that I’m just one of those people who gains a lot of weight when I’m pregnant.

When I first met my OB, I asked her how much weight I should gain during my pregnancy. She said, “Between 22 and 30 pounds.” By that point, I had already gained 15 pounds, so I already knew it was doubtful and unrealistic that I would make it through the rest of my pregnancy only gaining 7 to 15 pounds more. By my second appointment, last week, I weighed 122 pounds, and that’s when this OB said to me that she wasn’t thrilled.

Don’t get me wrong, I really like this OB. She’s sweet and kind and, um, truthful? She said, “You’re going to be really uncomfortable if you continue gaining this much weight.” Yeah. Duh! By the end of my last pregnancy, I was walking out on the streets in slippers and my ex’s extra-large sweaters. It took him three years to admit that, yes, I looked like shit with all the weight I had gained during that pregnancy.

I think of Jennifer Garner, now pregnant with her third child, who recently said she’s just not one of those “cute” pregnant women. I hear you, sister! I’m just one of those women who gains a lot of weight. But I’m trying. I’m going to the gym at least four times a week. But telling a pregnant woman to control her portion sizes when it comes to meals? Well, let me just say, as I was eating two breakfasts at a diner with my boyfriend, if he had said that to me, I would have killed him. But I couldn’t exactly punch my OB (violence is never the answer).

What can I say? Except that I’m hungry…all the time. And, yes, when I’m hungry, in between meal times, I will try to drink a smoothie, eat fruit or down a yogurt drink. My OB has definitely given me a complex. Every time I go to the gym, I weigh myself (I don’t own a scale at home). I see my weight (124 pounds now) and I think, “Okay, well, two of those pounds are clothing and shoes. And then really I probably should have weighed 105 instead of 100 pounds when I got pregnant. So, really, I’ve only gained 15 pounds.” But the fact of the matter is that baby wants carbs. And a lot of carbs. Baby wants french fries and hamburgers and pizza. Baby does not want a salad for dinner. Yes, not entirely healthy, but I…cannot…stop…myself…from…eating…that…stuff.

I also feel that, as someone who is pretty diligent about working out and eating healthy while not pregnant, this is the one time that I can gorge and not feel overly guilty about it. I know this, too, is what gets me in trouble. And you’d think I have learned from my first pregnancy, where I really did look “fat” (I know you’re not supposed to use that word when you’re pregnant. But I did gain half my body weight. I was pregnant AND fat!). [tagbox tag=”OBGYN”]

There are certain celebrities now that I cannot, and will not, look at. Mostly pregnant supermodels. When I see them, or hear them talk about not gaining that much weight, or how they don’t have any cravings, I want to tell them all to fuck off. Then I’ll look at photos of Jessica Simpson, who is also pregnant, and looks like she has gained a lot of weight and still has three or so more months to go. I like her. I like her a lot. But it’s not just celebrities. My sister-in-law only gained 13 pounds during her second pregnancy. I’m like, “I gained 13 pounds in the first three weeks!”

But as I tell my boyfriend, I know this time around that the weight will come off. It came off for me the first time in four months, after I worked my butt off at the gym almost every day. So, in the meantime, while I am now somewhat obsessed with my weight gain, because I don’t want to disappoint my OB (I don’t like disappointing anyone), I have just thrown up my hands. I go to the gym. I take my vitamins. And I’m going to eat. She may not be “thrilled” with me, but I’m not going to take this lying down.

I’m off, with my big belly, to get a burger and fries.

(Photo: iStockphoto)