Please be gentle, obese and pregnant - advice / support would be lovely...

[Puddingirl]

Hi there... Have been reading a few threads on here about being overweight and TTC - but can anybody offer me any practical support or advice please now am pregnant?
After TTC for 2 months I got pregnant in April - to miscarry at 5 weeks. 3 months later am pregnant again (4wk+3)...
I'm going to be brutally honest here - am 23 stone, and a size 28/30. (hard part over)...
I KNOW I face a few risks... But now am here - and so wanting a healthy pregnancy and baby - is there anything anybody would recommend me do?
Has anybody else been in a similar situation and gone on to have succesful pregnancies? Or is all the research I'm doing which is scaring me silly likely to be true? (That is - it'll all be doom and gloom from now on in?)
Started aquafit last week, follow the slimming world plan (mostly) and am trying to get myself sorted - so anything else that will help?
Thanks in advance...
ps I have a hectic, challenging job which I manage quite ably - not a complete couch potato - just very heavy...

[youareamazing]

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[hf128219]

Congratulations! I am no expert but keep up your Aquafit etc and try and get out walking.

Walking is the best exercise you can do. Take some pregnancy multi-vitamins and make sure you eat oily fish (eg mackerel) a few times a week.

[Puddingirl]

Thank you youareamazing I namechanged to post this and it was the first thing I came up with - not to be depreciative... My friends and family love me the way I am, am self-confident in a lot of other ways and am relatively happy with my lot in life...
But now am pg again, a) I don't want to m/c again b) this really is the kick up the arse I need to be healthier for me c) I don't want my child (please God I get there safely) to be embarrassed about me...
So I'm not feeling sorry for myself - am motivated (now - when really it should have been years ago - I know that) to get healthier - just am at a loss where to start when it's such a bloody great big mountain to climb...

[EsmeWeatherwax]

Go here Its american, but some good stuff on it.

Know a fair few women who are obese and have had successful and happy pregnancies, best luck with yours!

[JoanCrawford]

Hi pud, many congratulations.

My dearest friend is the same weight as you and has recently given birth to the most adorable baby boy after a miscarriage.

She was fine for the most part of her pregnance but did develop gestational diabetes in the later stages. She was very careful about what she ate and the gd was controlled. She has c-section a week before her due date and her boy weighed 7lb 10z at birth.

She actually weighed less after giving birth than she did before she was pregnant.

Good luck

[MissusH]

Hi Puddinggirl,

I'm a size 24 and am 29wks pg with dc#2. I was a similar size with DD.

My first pg was fine - normal bp, I had a few more scans to make sure she was not too big, but had normal labour & delivery at 39wks, dd was 7lb 15 and healthy! I was also tested for diabetes which was negative.

This pg is also going fine (so far). I have a sore hip (spd) which a painful & inconvenient, but bp is fine & tested neg for diabetes again.

I try and eat as healthily as I can (plenty of fruit & veg, limit the junk etc) and was walking regularly until my hip started playing up!.

On the plus side - my mw told me that larger ladies tend to have a smaller weight gain than slimmer ladies which so far seems true. I am still in my normal tops and have only just bought a pair of trousers in a larger size. Only place I have gained weight is my bump!

You will probably find that you are put under consultant-led care as you have a high bmi (same here) & we are at higher risk of high bp/diabetes etc. Don't actively diet (just healthy balance diet) and keep exercising. Most of all, enjoy your pregnancy. & good luck

[Puddingirl]

Thanks hf - am taking pregnacare vits (have been since November), but am vegetarian - was wondering about the whole omega 3 issue too - any ideas? The walking sounds great - would love a dog too - but DP says not yet... Will give it a go though...

[Puddingirl]

Esme - thanks for that - I shall browse through that later...

[youareamazing]

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[MissusH]

Puddingirl - veggies can get omegas from Linseeds (not sure how many kilos you would have to consume though!!). Try googling for more info?

[Beetroot]

A good freind of mine did WW while preganant and it really helped her

[callmeovercautious]

My experience was that as I was overweight (borderline obese) to start with but actually lost weight just by being PG, Morning sickness and eating very healthy. I have also kept off the weight as I BF and still am and DD is 22m. I am a bit scared of stopping now

I had a few problems:

Scans were difficult due to addipose deposits (fat on my belly) Had to have an internal scan at 20weeks and 32 weeks. The thing that bothered me was not having a nice clear picture to walk away with.

Tested for Gestational Diabetes - turned out I was OK but still had glucose in my urine for the whole of my PG (too many werthers originals I think).

I also had low lying placenta that righted itself and low fluid levels that they could not explain.

All a bit concerning but nothing affected DD. She was a VB with G&A and the MW even tried to talk me into a homebirth. So not all "fat" people are high risk.

I really wish you luck with your little bean. Talk to your MW and discuss practicalities, they can be a bit direct but at least you will get honest responses to any concerns.

[Puddingirl]

JoanCrawford - thank you for that - I guess I needed some positive outcomes! That is lovely to hear...

MissusH - congrats - and thanks... What does it mean exactly to be consultant-led?

I have my doctors appt tomorrow to notify and see about an early scan given last time - I feel so thick & I'm a nurse!

[mrsboogie]

You should be prepared for some tutting from medical staff and much brouhaha about your BMI (I have a high BMI myself so I know from experience)Oh and scanning your baby might be a bit more difficult than for thinner folks. I have had this also.

But please stop with the research already!! you will only ever read these things reported in negative ways which will add to your worries.

Be sure to take your folic acid and checkout whether the diet you are on is ok for during pregnancy. Do lots of walking - this should help your general fitness and keep your blood pressure down.

Lots and lots of big women successfully give birth these days - its not ideal but you are pg now and what is important is staying as fit and healthy as you can.

On a positive note heavier women tend to put on less weight during pregnancy and if you get morning sickness between that and the healthy diet you could end up thinner than when you started.

Good luck - stay positive!!

[hf128219]

www.vegetarian-dha-epa.co.uk/

The above might be some use re Omega 3.

[MissusH]

Totally agree callmeovercautious!

It is assumed because we are fat/overweight whatever you want to call it then we will get high bp/diabetes/huuuge babies etc etc.

I had none of these (in fact I have naturally low bp so any rise makes me normal!!)

I too lost weight with this pg when I had morning sickness (stone & a half!) and am eating healthily now that has stopped...

[callmeovercautious]

I X posted quite alot there. I agree that lots of gentle walking will help.
here are some alternate sources of omega3 and 6

[callmeovercautious]

and DD was completely average weight at birth.

[Puddingirl]

Linseeds! Never thought of those - will check out health food store...

[KristinaM]

sorry, no advice or relevant experience , just congratulations

[MissusH]

puddingirl - consultant led means that you see the mw at your gp surgery etc for the first appt, but then have a 12wk appt at the hospital. In my case last time I saw the consultant early on (well registrar) and then had other appts with my normal community midwife. Then had another hospital appt later on... Its just so they can keep an eye on things.

This time I had early appt with community mw, 12wk scan & booking in appt at hospital. Then 16wk appt with registrar where I declined the triple test, and as he said everything was fine next hosp appt is at 34wks. All interim appts are with midwife...

Not sure how it will work in your neck of the woods though...

[Puddingirl]

Mrsboogie - I know I should stop - it's just how my brain works I suppose... I plough all my energy into researching a topic (weight was waaaay down the list after a manic few years) and I guess I want to be as prepared as possible. But you are so right - all of you - all the stuff I'm reading about larger ladies and pregnancies - the downsides & the horror stories etc - I just needed the flip side too...
It's also because I've read a few threads on MN recently about being larger - some maybe trolls, but it got me thinking - and worrying - and getting in a pickle!
Must calm down...
But thanks for your replies - it really is helping a lot - and the honesty and realism is great too... Cheers...

[hf128219]

Just try and remember that everyone has different pregnancy experiences - even the fittest people can have a terrible time.

Just keep doing what you are doing - and try and keep away from your research, tempting though it may be!

[callmeovercautious]

No worries You are just focusing on something and that is in a way good. Stay positive though, why not go internet window shopping for a fab outfit in a smaller size? I found it very motivating

[Trebuchet]

Hi Pud I am obese apparently, size 18 and had a gorgeous ds 20months ago. He was large, 9bl 8 but not madly so. I have always been fit, which is why I used to get v pissed off when midwives would inform me that I was overweight, as if I hadn't noticed(!) and enquired as to whether I had considered doing exercise before.....! I had just walked the west highland way!

Anyway, I found that trying to cut out sugar as much as poss had great effect and I was healthy throughout my pg. Low blood pressure, great iron levels, I worked til 38 weeks and I was walking the transpennine trail 2 weeks after the birth, but that was actually stupid I was just showing off

All you can do is the best you can do. You arent smoking, drinking or taking drugs (I assume) you just happen to be overweight, which you are aware of and trying to address. Don't let people make you feel shit about it, you are doing your best and slow but sure works best. Try to have your answers ready for anyone who feels like making a comment.

My sisters usual, although very childish, was if anyone said anything rude she'd wave her hand infront of her face and say "Brush your teeth! Wheeew, what was your last meal, Pedigree Chum?" before walking away. She claims it kept her from lamping them!