Bmi too high - miserable :-(

[buttonsforbreakfast]

I had my booking in appointment yesterday and have been told my bmi is at 30, so I'll have to have the glucose test for diabetes. I knew I was a little overweight, but I'm a size 12-14 (albeit short) so I'm really shocked that I'm considered obese. I feel totally miserable about it, and worried about how it will affect my pregnancy. I'm struggling to get excited about the scan pic and wriggly baby in there, and just want to cry at how I've let myself get into this mess. I know I didn't really shift my post baby weight from dd but where does that leave me? I eat fairly healthily, exercisr (swim/walk) when I can, and the MW told me to do nothing extra as it's not really considered a big issue at 'only' 30 bmi. Yet I'm now officially obese :-(
(not really sure what I hope to gain from posting here, just need to vent!)

[AnythingNotEverything]

Congeatulations!

Now Stop worrying! Your midwife doesn't sound too worried, and plenty of women have GTT as a precaution.

BMI is a very rough tool and a figure of 30 doesn't mean you're going to have a horrid pregnancy or harm your baby in any way.

As you would have done anyway, eat healthily, stay as active as you can manage, and enjoy your pregnancy!

[Auntfini]

A friend of mine needs to start fertility treatment. Before she could, she was told by the consultant to get down to a bmi of 30! So you might feel as though your bmi must be seen as too high, but really other people are benign inatructed to get down to your weight.

Congratulations

[larlemucker]

First off congratulations!

My BMI was 31, I had a fine pregnancy and did not get gestational diabetes.
Labour was long and needed forceps in the end but that had nothing to do with weight.
I now have a very happy and healthy 7 month old DS who is currently rolling round the floor

[buttonsforbreakfast]

Thank you both! Having been on the other side where the scan showed nothing and I mc, I know I should be really happy that all is well, but I'm totally thrown by this. Probably not helped by being surrounded by friends who are having a tough time ttc, or slim and healthy size 8's, I don't really have anyone I can talk to about it, without feeling a little ashamed. I just need to man up and deal with it I suppose.

[buttonsforbreakfast]

Thanks larle. I had an awful birth with dd so really hoping this one is straightforward, although so far things are already going awry for one reason or another - eeek!!

[shutitweirdo]

My BMI was just over and my pregnancy was consultant lead. They scared the crap out of me with all their stories. Must do this and that you will definately have to have a c section. When I went into labour I told the midwife and she said ignore them they know nothing. I had a perfect normal delivery no intervention at all. The only problem I had was with the scan as belly bulge was in the way.

[captainbarnacle]

That happened to me with my 2nd pregnancy - a little harsh considering I was weighed at 12w! I went on to have a straightforward pregnancy and the only natural delivery out of the three of my boys. 5yrs on I'm doing a challenging outdoor swim and back to a size 12/14 (I was a 16 top and bottom then at 5ft7). Congratulations!

[Trazzletoes]

buttons when I became pregnant with DS, I was slim and normal BMI. Had a straightforward pregnancy, difficult birth. Didn't lose put on more baby weight and had a BMI of 30 when I got pregnant with DD. had the glucose test - was fine. Straightforward pregnancy and straightforward birth.

Yes, being obese is far from ideal but realistically you aren't going to lose much weight now so just focus on being as healthy as possible for the rest of your pregnancy. It doesn't automatically mean complications.

[northernlurker]

Aaaaaaagh!

Ok now look - you can let this weight 'label' dominate your pregnancy and make you miserable or you can think that ok you'll evaluate medical advice and take a view on everything as and when it comes up but otherwise not let it bother you. You are not a mess! You're the shape you are and your body is clearly working ok or you wouldn't have got pregnant. Your BMI is only just in the obsese category and if it makes you feel better I've had three babies with no issues and my BMI makes yours look pathetic
The GTT - you don't have to have this. Your weight is a risk factor for GD but lots of obese women have babies without having GD. Do some research in to the pros and cons and accept the test or not armed with your info. There's loads of threads on here for a start about it. Personally I refused it when offered it two pregnancies.

You're having a baby - how wonderful :) Keep exercising, don't eat only cake and you'll be posting on here in 6 months about your fabulous second born. When are you due - February/March?

[rallytog1]

Congratulations!

I was in exactly the same boat as you. When I got pregnant I was swimming 5 times a week, walking the Cumbrian fells most weekends and eating healthily. Yet my BMI was 30.4. I was gutted but my MW told me she'd much rather see a healthy and active person with a high BMI than someone whose BMI was low but had an unhealthy lifestyle.

I did have to have the GTT but it was honestly not a problem (they test your urine so often that you'd get a pretty good idea that you had GD from that imho) and I didn't have GD.

When it came to giving birth I wasn't excluded from any of the options because of my BMI and was told I could have a water birth etc if everything looked ok. As it happened, I ended up with a more medicalised experience but this was nothing to do with my size and everything to do with a back to back baby who didn't want to be born.

Imho BMI is a terrible measure of anything. Lots of sports people are officially obese because they have lots of muscle which means they weigh more for their height. So just keep doing what you're doing and try not to let it worry you.

[buttonsforbreakfast]

Ha northern I think you just gave me a kick up the arse, which is much needed. I'm due early feb :-) Thanks everyone - I knew MN would give me a stern talking to! It's reassuring to hear that there are plenty of straightforward births in this situation too. I hate the 'weight label' but always fall foul of it/end up feeling shit about it, despite being the first to carp on about how it doesn't matter as long as your healthy to everyone else. Bizarrely it was the post birth/middle of thr night feed cake cravings that got me last time - I weighed less after giving birth than I did beforehand, then promptly piled on loads of weight afterwards! Right, onwards and upwards, I'll do some gtt research today! :-)

[LostMySocks]

Don't worry about GTT. There are lots of reasons for having it. My trust automatically gives for all over 35. It's a tick box decision as they can't take all circumstances into account

[northernlurker]

yes kick administered

Lost is right about the GTT. It's a routinely offered test but like all tests you can decide if it gives you useful information or not. It's a choice not something people should feel guilted in to having to take.

February - aaah You could have a little Valentine/tina.

[ExpatAl]

I would recommend having the test. Lots of people have it - it's boring but not terrible and if you have it you're forwarned about taking steps to make sure your baby is safe. A friend had it and her baby really did struggle after birth. I don't think refusing it is worth the risk.

[ratbagcatbag]

I had bmi of 34, was just in nurse led care. No gd at all, if anything I only put one stone on and lost two the day I gave birth, was straight back in normal clothes and they were too big (silver linings and all that).

Had a couple of extra scans for reduced movement but that was anterior placenta nothing else.

Ended up being induced as waters went but no contractions, four hours of labour no other medical interventions and my 6lb 12oz dd was born. No stitches either. I did swear a lot though but that's because I'm a wuss.

[buttonsforbreakfast]

Ratbag I want what you had please!!
Suffolk - sounds very similar to me - short legs massive boobs haha!
Sadly I will remain under consultant care due to previous birth (no water birth for me ) but you lot have made me feel.much better, I'm just going to focus on eating well and walking everywhere so at least, hopefully, I'll be on track for weight loss post baby. I think I'll prob take the test to rest my mind, although fasting and grim drink does not sound appealing! Thanks for the advice everyone :-)

[gymboywalton]

i had a bmi of 33 and was wearing size 20 clothes

had a problem free pregnancy and a drug free active natural labour with just a midwife present [apart from dh!]

[nikkilyon]

Im in the same boat as you. i have the gtt on friday as im overweight and bmi is high. i hadnt shifted my previous baby weight. i wasnt considered over weight with my first so ive not experienced this test before but apparently its not very nice :-( im dreading being told ive got it :-( really nervous

[nikkilyon]

Hi i hope you dont mind me asking but did you have the gtt? if so was it negative or positive? i have mine on friday and im really nervous x

[SunshineMiddle]

I have a BMI of 36 and I'm currently 30 weeks pregnant. I was a size 16 and on the short side and muscley from years of dancing and swimming. Went running and did two high impact classes a week before pregnancy. At my last consultant appointment the consultant actually said 'you look fine to me'. Long and short is that no one seems particularly worried. GTT came back fine.

[princesscupcakemummyb]

im expecting and i am considored over weight my bmi is 29 but ive no extra appointments no gtt nothing the midwife didnt even mention it how ever in my pregnancy before in 2011 my bmi was higher at 34 they made me be under consultants care and have gtt and extra scans i wouldnt worry tbh i think its all trivial congratulations :)

[gymboywalton]

Yes I had the gtt, it was fine, all negative.

Really it was all ok.

[BeQuicksieorBeDead]

I was told this at booking in... I asked the midwife if she wanted me to take off massive fairisle cardi or soaking wet flares (trendy, me) and she said no bmi of 30, lecture about weight and exercise, gtt booked and told no chance of a water birth

[BeQuicksieorBeDead]

I was told this at booking in... I asked the midwife if she wanted me to take off massive fairisle cardi or soaking wet flares (trendy, me) and she said no bmi of 30, lecture about weight and exercise, gtt booked and told no chance of a water birth.

On the next appointment, she said I hadn't put on enough weight and was I starving myself.

But then this is the woman who got my dps first and second name completely wrong, and write in my notes that I was a registered drug addict. I am not, I am a fat old primary school teacher.