BMI

[Wilberforce2]

I had my BMI done at my booking in appointment when I was 10 weeks and it was fine, I'm now 38+6 weeks and had to see a midwife last week for a risk assessment as I really want to have the baby in the birthing centre. Part of the risk assessment was my BMI and I stupidly thought that she would write down my booking in BMI but she weighed me and worked it out from my current weight then gave me a huge lecture about how much it has risen! I'm almost 39 weeks pregnant, I have a baby in there weighing an estimated 9lb 7oz plus fluid and placenta so surely my BMI would have increased? She has now said that if it goes up anymore the birthing centre will refuse to have me, I'm just wondering if she has done it correctly (she hasn't been the best midwife) and if she should have written down my booking in BMI or if it's correct and I now have to live on salad until D day!

[StillNoFuckingEyeDeer]

She's done it wrong. You can google weight gain in pregnancy and it will tell you how much you're meant to have gained, based on your pre-pregnancy weight.

[AuntieStella]

THis beggars belief.

BMI doesn't apply in PG.

If there are concerns, you can use actual measurement in the very earliest weeks of PG (before any real weight gain).

Thisis so bad, I'd be wondering about making a complaint.

[thereisnoeleventeen]

How odd (and unpleasant of her)...of course your bmi has gone up! I have refereed myself for a homebirth, this was one of my questions that I had for my HB midwife, she referred to the weigh in that I had at my booking in appointment when calculating my bmi. She also does not seem interested in weighing me again.

Interestingly at my booking in appointment the midwife that I saw was skeptical about me being 'allowed a home-birth', I've also noticed in the past that some midwives firmly believe that all babies should be born in hospital and will seem to find any excuse to make sure that happens for their patients (I've met 3 like this over the course 4 pregnancies so they are in the minority).

I would definitely get a second opinion from another midwife and/or even call and speak to a midwife at the home birth center and speak to one of the MW there.

[highlove]

That's wrong - BMI of 20-25 doesn't apply to pregnancy, it's simply a method of assessing you at the start. What matters is actual weight gain from there. So if you started healthy and assuming you've not gained six stone or something, you should be fine with your original plans. My booking BMI was 26, I've put on 2.5 stone and am still booked for homebirth.

[highlove]

The more I think the more I'm getting cross in your behalf! Simple common sense should tell her that your BMI would go up as your pregnancy progresses. Or does she think you shouldn't have gained any weight?! Is there another midwife you can speak to. She sounds like a bit of anl idiot, TBH.

[Wilberforce2]

Thank you, I knew it wasn't right! This MW is absolutely driving me mad I have absolutely no faith in her whatsoever, she has mixed up the head and bum so many times I have had 3 scans to check because she kept saying that baby was breech and all scans showed that she was head down. I'm considered low risk and this is my second baby so I shouldn't have to see her as much but she has been trying to book me in every 2 weeks. When I saw her last week she told me off about my BMI and said I need to see her at 40 weeks but in the meantime lay off the cake!! I checked my notes when I left the surgery (I see her at my GP's) and she hadn't written in the babies heart rate, my bump measurement and how baby is laying even though she checked all of those things. I am going to ring the midwife team at the antenatal clinic and book in to see someone else next week.

Highlove my BMI was also 26 and I've put on 2stone 9lb!

One of the worrying things is that she had a student with her.

Thank you for the replies the care I have received in this pregnancy compared to my last 5.5 years ago is so much worse.

[Tomkat79]

Worrying isn't it!

My BMI when booking in was 30...stupidly ate ridiculous amounts following a MC 3 months previous and managed to gain 20lbs!! I can't have baby in the MLBU because of my BMI but I can have her at home! There's no way id take a lecture from my MW...she must have a BMI of 40!

[Wilberforce2]

Ha ha! Funnily enough my MW is bloody huge so how she can tell me to lay off the cake I have no idea. I was also told that I can have a home birth which doesn't make sense because I am a 15 minute drive from the hospital but the birthing centre is on the opposite side of the corridor to the delivery suite!

[Tomkat79]

Think you need to throw her one of these looks if she dares!

[PenguinsDontEatKale]

Wilberforce-the home birth thing is because you have a legal right to choose one, so they can advise on homebirths re BMI but not ban you. MLUs on the other hand can set out whatever criteria they want.