BMI woes

[LondonKate]

I feel like such a failure - I just had my booking in appointment and my BMI was right on the edge and hit 35 - now I'm meant to have consultant appointments, extra intervention a nutritionist appointment a diabetes test. I'm worried I got my height wrong (I was trying to remember my height in cm and I think I might have said 2 too few).

I was pregnant in September last year and weighed 5kg less than this time. Then I had a miscarriage felt like shit and ate a lot and now I'm in their problem category. I feel like such an idiot. Plus I don't really want to say to my partner that I'm now officially really fat (I rather hope she doesn't notice....).

I feel like an idiot. I was so on the threshold... if I'd just laid off the cake this week I'd have been under the crucial number for my whole pregnancy and now I'm in this big risk category.....

Any one else having a plus size pregnancy - how is it going?

[glendatheveryexcitedwitch]

Please don't let this stop you having the pregnancy/birth you want!!!

I would advise asking to be measured at your next appt or see what height the drs have you down for.

If you are just in the 35 bracket please pm me - I am a student midwife and have lots of research on obesity, risk etc it is my passion to ensure women are not compartmentalised for their weight and the whole picture is looked at!!

Is it your first baby???

Please don't stress xx

[FoodieMum3]

Hi LondonKate. Please please stop stressing.

We had a thread on obesity and bmi here last week, I will bump it for you now.

There were lots and lots of mums with high bmi's who had trouble free pregnancies.

[LondonKate]

Hi Glendatheveryexcitedwitch - thanks so much for getting back to me. You are really reassuring. It is my second pregnancy after a miscarriage at 13 weeks this autumn so hopefully this will get to parity number one. I'd love to see any of the research you have on obesity and pregnancy that would be so interesting. I'm a vet so I don't know lots about people but I like the science-y side of things!

I really hope I'm not too compartmentalised for just hitting the threshold. I checked my height when I got home and it is actually 2cm taller than I told her. Should I call back and see if I can get things changed or am I too late?

I'm trying not to stress, thanks for getting in touch it's so nice to have reassurance. After the miscarriage I was so hoping for as normal a pregnancy and birth as I could have and it feels like this is my own fault... I guess all I can do now is try to watch my diet and exercise during pregnancy and not gain too much.

[PurpleWithaMysteryBun]

You can always lose weight while pregnant too, slimming world or just being careful. I have to watch my weight this pregnancy as I have joint problems and to help control blood pressure, it can be done if you want to. :)

[FoodieMum3]

2cm might make all the difference if you were just on the line.

[Aylish1993]

Hi I've also got a high bmi for pregnancy I think 33 might have gone up now though, I'm currently 31 wks and I had the diabetes test last week which came back fine. Just don't worry about it, I haven't thought twice about my weight I just want to eat right for the baby and make sure he/she is getting everything she needs. None of my midwives or doctors have really mentioned my weight other then making sure I'm eating the right kinds of foods. Just to add with out trying to sound braggy my pregnancy has been a dream no over tiredness no sickness nothing vv lucky :). Congrats by the way and try not to stress hope all goes well for you.

[FoodieMum3]

Oh and LondonKate - I hear you about your partner!! But I'm sure that they have noticed and they love us regardless

Although having said that, I've hidden my folder/notes book from my husband because my mean ole midwife wrote my bmi on the cover and highlighted it. They never did that when I was skinny

[LondonKate]

Thanks for the replies everyone! It feels really nice to have people to worry with. I think I should try and get my height corrected - it would be nice to avoid consultant led care. Other than that I guess it's about trying to stay relaxed and eating sensibly. Maybe I should look into slimming world I didn't know it was safe to lose weight in pregnancy, perhaps I should give it a try...

[PurpleWithaMysteryBun]

My mw has been very supportive about it, definitely worth looking at :)

[plokett1]

Hi Londonkate, i am also of high bmi ( higher than yours even...ooops!) And also had 2 mc's and am now 38+5 weeks pregnant. I was told i'd need 'consultant led care'....j had 1 appt for them to basically say despite my bmi i'm very healthy and was sent back to mw led care so i really wouldnt worry! I had no bp/urine/ogtt problems which i feel my 1st midwife kept expecting, she was actually really rude about weight etc and i now see someone else and couldnt b happier! This is fab news for you so enjoy it regardless...u can attend slimming world if u feel u want to but ive just enjoyed mine and kept an eye on weight gain...ill worry about it after! Good luck!

[Tomkat79]

Another one here with a rudely highlighted bmi of 33 at booking in. I managed to gain 2 stone in the 3 months after my MC before getting pregnant again. Oops.
Was referred to consultant who just referred me straight back to mw. Had GD test, all fine. So far so good and don't think bmi has impacted me at all.
Just be prepared for reduced visibility due to bmi all over your scan notes. Even though they can see everything I'm sure a sonographers mission is to make you feel bad.

Good luck and don't stress xx

[whatdowedowithabouncingbaby]

I had a high bmi (37!) when I fell pregnant with LO.

Only thing they did with me was diabetes test @ 28 weeks, and a growth scan at 36 weeks. No issues with pregnancy, labour, or after.

[FoodieMum3]

TomKat79, I know I sound paranoid but you would wonder are they purposely trying to make us feel bad! My midwife almost sounded disappointed when my BP and urine were clear.

[rachyconks]

I am the same. Had DD and BMI was below the threshold - so was on midwife led care and only had 12 & 20 week hospital appts/scans. This time BMI slightly above the threshold. Realistically all it meant was extra scans at 32,36 & 40 weeks and a glucose tolerance test. The birth will be exactly the same and will be midwife led unless there are any issues. I can still have a water birth (or could have opted for a home birth) etc.

I was really upset & worried at the start when my midwife told me I would be under shared care, but it's been totally fine. Nothing to stress about!

[FoodieMum3]

Rachyconks what is the threshold? Is it 30 or 35?

[Tomkat79]

Yeah of course they are foodie...reckon they practice that eyebrow raise in the mirror every morning before work .....what they ain't smart enough to realise is they're not telling us anything we don't already know!

[Tomkat79]

Over 30 where I am for shared care (1 extra visit and GTT). Threshold for mw birthing unit is 35 at time of booking and no more than 40 at birth.

[polkadotdelight]

Don't worry about the GTT. My BMI is lower than yours but I will have to have GTT because my father is diabetic. I also gained weight after a miscarriage and work issues too.

[rachyconks]

Threshold is 30 in my area.

[glendatheveryexcitedwitch]

Foodie mum - that is disgusting that your midwife highlighted your BMI and put it on the front cover - would she do the same with someone's HIV status??

I have a raised BMI and fought to have my care in the local mlu which meant I could get in the birthing pool and not be strapped to a bed with a monitor on.

Every woman is entitled to make informed decisions about her care - this is not just for women who fall into the ideal category but for all women. Midwives and hospitals gatekeep as to who can access facilities such as midwife led care ie birthing pools. God forbid a woman with raised BMI would want to get in the pool!!!!

Not only is it beneficial for mobility it is an excellent form of pain relief. Google Dianne Garland if you are interested in water birth.

Please please please don't be humiliated by midwives or other hcp's because we are not ideal BMI - make them look at the bigger picture - if you are otherwise healthy, mobile and active then please don't let anyone bully you.

Anyone interested in obesity research or informed choice please inbox me an email address and I can send you some articles.

[FoodieMum3]

Do you think so Glenda?

I just feel embarrassed about it more than anything, it's the first thing I notice when I see my folder.

I'm still annoyed with myself for getting pregnant at this size, I KNEW I had weight to lose but was careless thinking I wouldn't conceive easily but got pregnant immediately.

[Nades84]

Hi LondonKate please don't worry! At booking my BMI was 39 ooops! I'm only 4'11 so I always like to say I'm not overweight I'm undertall ha! Apart from having SPD (which according to everyone I've spoken to isn't caused by weight) my pregnancy has been fab. I'm now 34+6, blood pressure yesterday was perfect at 104/68, GTT was fine at 26 weeks and urine is always clear. I am consultant lead because of my BMI but I'm having an ELCS due to a horrendous birth ending in an EMCS last time, so I would have been anyway! I've not had to have any extra scans but that might depend on the hospital. The only thing I've had to do is take baby asprin every day but that's also due to having more than a ten year gap between this and my last pregnancy. Most midwives haven't batted an eyelid about my weight but the occasional one has liked to be rude about it, what ever you do don't let them humiliate you! You're not the first pregnant woman with a higher BMI and you certainly won't be the last, we all have the right to be treated equally and with respect no matter what our weight!

[uggmum]

I had a high bmi in my last successful pregnancy. I was weighed at my booking in appointment and told my midwife that if she asked to weigh me at any further appointments then I would refuse.

I did had consultant lead care but I preferred it. I like the less personal approach. Also the parking was more convenient at the hospital and they can scan you immediately if they feel the need.

I did eat really healthily in that pregnancy and ended up 1 stone lighter when I'd given birth than when I started my pregnancy.

Don't let then get you down

[jaykay987]

definitely try not to stress op. I have a high bmi (and unfortunately not due to a mistake in my height). only chaange for me has been meeting a consultant at 16weeks who wanted my bp checked and a growth scan and 2nd consultant appointment at 32 weeks. so hardly a big impact on my overall treatment. If all is ok - he will transfer me back to mw led care after 32w appointment.

[lilone1234]

Also have a high BMI (I want to say 35.8 or 38.5...) so was explained about possible complications by very nice midwife at booking appointment, then saw consultant at 16 weeks. BP and urine were fine - all consultant did was lecture rudely about how important GTT test was and told me to exercise as I was walking out the door (moron). Had GTT test this week, won't get results til next midwife appt. Consultant booked in extra scans at 28 & 36 weeks. So far, no problems though.

I think BMI is quite an inaccurate measure of people's health/fitness as it is done only on height and weight. They'll look at a body builder and still call them obese. Also, as they have the one number as a threshold, they don't see anything other than the number and it's just generic recommendations based on that.