..but who would want to be weighed when you're pregnant to make sure you're not getting too fat!!

[Chocolate50]

The Government are considering weighing pregnant women throughout their pregnancy.. who thinks this is a good idea?
I don't btw, I think there is enough tests and stress during pregnancy without putting in this austere measure, should they not be just trying to emphasise healthy living and diet and just leaving it up to women and families to make their own choices? how patronising..

I was weighed at every hospital appointment with dd (Ireland). Didn’t bother me, but I wasn’t overweight and didn’t have a problem being monitored.

Back in the NHS system with this pregnancy and was told I’d only be weighed at booking. I’m a stone overweight this time, and to be honest I’d appreciate being monitored to avoid putting on as more than I need to.

Having said that, this is probably a box ticking exercise to pretend that they’re addressing the issue, but actually it’ll just make people feel shit and not actually provide any support.

i’m 31 weeks and have been weighed at every single appointment so far. thought this was the norm?! it doesn’t bother me at all.

Weight done at booking is to calculate BMI and a weight should be done in the 3rd trimester so that there is a more accurate one if anaesthesia is required.

I had undiagnosed maternal diabetes with my first and absolutely piled it on. By the time I got weighed in on the labour ward I was 4 stone heavier. I would have liked to have been weighed, I took absolutely no notice of my weight gain and didn’t appreciate how serious it was. With my second I was weighed every fortnight. Diagnosed early so no crazy weight gain but also I could keep an eye on it. I gain a lot of water when pregnant I’m a puffy pregnant. With my third the midwife at surgery was a cow. I had lost baby weight and was lowest weight I’d been for years and totally healthy. I banged on a stone right away I’m sure most was water- got to the test date for diabetes and no diabetes. She had been trying to convince me that I was diabetic and I’d put too much on blaa blaa. But I knew my healthy weight and I knew I was eating healthy becuse I’d learned by being weighed. I think weigh us- it gives us control. Especially new mums who haven’t done it before. If I’d seen my weight rocket in numbers during my first pregnancy I would have been likely to bring it up with the doctor and would have had a safer pregnancy and delivery as my weight gain was due to my illness.

I also ended up having a huge baby and c section because the baby was also affected by the weight gain.

I am torn by this. I put a lot of weight on with each of my pregnancit’s - over three stone each time. Got back to my pre pregnancy weight each time. Partly due to big babies, partly due to overeating, whether that caused the big babies I don’t know as I am only small.

Pregnancy just makes me over eat. I get an insatiable hunger. I eat to get over the constant nausea and tiredness. I don’t like the idea of being made to feel bad about that. I went back to eating well after and lost the weight.
People forget that pregnancy does affect women in many ways. Maybe a weigh in would have stopped me but I doubt it.

Doesn't bother me - think I was weighed with both of mine but nobody passed comment - I put almost 4 stone on with ds (he was 10lb 2oz) I lost it all with very little effort whilst breastfeeding - then put it in again with dd(9lb 5oz) took a bit more effort second time around tbh. Is this linked to the whole diabetes thing though? If so makes sense to me.

I'm 30 weeks and I've been concerned that I haven't gained weight at all, and would have found more discussion around this really helpful because midwives and consultants haven't really known what to say when I've asked. Today the midwife asked me what I eat on an average day and reassured me but that's the first time and I've been raising it since 20 weeks. I don't think them having more guidelines they can discuss with me is a bad thing at all.

I don’t understand not wanting to know - things can do easily get out of hand!

jelliebelly
Yep weight gain vastly increases your risk of maternal diabetes. So I started from a point of being around a stone heavier then usual then put on 4 and was diabetic but without diagnosis. Had a terribly tiring pregnancy. Lost 3 Before next pregnancy by the first test I was diabetic. Third baby had lost more weight, put on about a stone and a half - hey presto! no diabetes. I had changed my way of eating though also, so I was following slimming world, not to loose but just to keep a healthy control and it worked. I felt so much better also through the pregnancy. Loads more energy. And my third baby was almost half the weight of my first! I made a conscious descision not to worry about my weight or check my weight with first pregnancy. I wish I had I could have avoided a horrendous and dangerous birth it was absolutely awful and when I look back I think e were lucky to both get through it.

I regularly check my weight to keep it in my comfortable healthy zone (and react promptly if it sneaks over). I was only weighed at the initial MW appointment both times.

My weight went from 9st 2, down to 8st 7 because I was struggling to put food in my mouth between months 2-4. Meanwhile I quickly ended up in maternity clothes from 8 weeks as I was clearly gaining bump. Then my appetite returned... by the end of pregnancy I was 13st. That was a gain of 50% of my body weight in less than 5 months.

It was clearly a huge bump. A large-for-me baby with a large amount of fluid. Some odema. I had two extra scans to monitor that all was OK. I had a fundus of 45cm when in early labour at 39 weeks. I looked like I had a swiss ball up my top.

I had about 2st of "me weight" to lose after which came off easily enough. I'm normally active and eat decently, but in the early months suffered from dementor like exhaustion and no energy from the nausea/ loss of appetite. SPD began to creep in before I was properly recovered from that. The last month I was trapped in the house unless I was ferried door to door and spent very long days trapped in the house alone unless I had visitors. I also had carpal tunnel syndrome which meant I was exhausted from waking hourly to reactivate dead limbs and heave my body over. My hands were numb. My brain had no attention span. All I was capable of doing was comfort eating (online shopping) and playing computer games. That last week, I was so heavy that I couldn't get off the sofa on my weakened legs unless there was someone in the house to drag me off.

I was determined to never be 13st again. In the second pregnancy I kept moving, finding a pair of crutches so that the water retention didn't build up. It also helped that my nausea was in a normal league so could keep my weight steady in the early months and managed to keep reasonably active through the first half until SPD gate crashed again. I then by-passed NHS protocol and borrowed some crutches from a friend to keep myself moving. I tried to resist sugar cravings near the end. I ended up at a much more comfortable, 12st. Still the same "me weight" to lose after. Much less water retention.

I wish I had support to keep active first time, not having SPD dismissed as pregnancy aches and pains when I was no longer able to do things like going around the supermarket. I was exhausted long before a 48hr labour/ EMCS. Being so weak and inactive could have been a factor in a badly positioned baby, and I was unable to postion myself well for birth. I do think my weight/ SPD contributed to a difficult birth, probably not entirely, but they certainly didn't help.

Being monitored by the MWs could help pick up on additional issues, but only truely useful if they take action to assist.

People have mentioned ‘normal in other countries’ so I thought I would chip in as British with experience of the NHS and other systems.

In Australia, I was weighed at my first appointment (consultant led) and it was recommended I try not to gain more than 5kg (I am very overweight). More than that would lead to an even more risky pregnancy than it already is.

In the US, for standard GP appointments, I was always weighed and measured. I did ask if they were worried I would shrink between appointments and was told it was standard practice to collect the data as it can help to have long term records. Weight loss and gain can flag up other issues and help with a diagnosis. They say it as part of a holistic approach. I was never told to lose weight (or grow another inch) when I went in for knee injuries, vaccinations, ear ache etc.

The NHS is wonderful in many respects however it does not provide the gold standard in care, unsurprising given its funding issues. I don’t think there is anything wrong with being weighed during pregnancy (or any other time). It can be done in such a way to help people rather than offend them - but that comes down to the individual HCP and their bedside manner.

I was expecting to be weighed more than i was during my pregnancy.

I'd happily be weighed at each appointment. I didn't find pregnancy stressful which you keep refering to OP.

Ive been put as high risk and consultant led due to a very low bmi at booking in due to hyperemesis. I have managed to gain a little weight but still clueless if its enough.

Every dr/mw/gp i see has commented how small I am. But as of yet not one has weighed me. And i wish they would. Just for the reassurance. Plus so I can show them im gaining weight etc.

Standard here in Australia.

I find it hard to understand why it wouldn't be routine in the UK.

It's another aspect of health. Not weighing someone won't make them not overweight.

This is entirely usual, isn't it. I have had 6 pregnancies. I was weighed at all midwife appointments. I didn't mind at all. The odd thing was my height being checked each time in one pregnancy, it wasn't likely to change but there was a trainee midwife maybe it helped tick skills off?

I don’t like the idea of being made to feel bad about that

But unless you have a shitty midwife, then no one makes you feel bad about it. It's not some form of fat shaming, they do it to ensure you maintain healthy throughout your pregnancy.

I was consultant led, and as said, I was weighed at every appt. no one made me feel bad, and I gained nearly five stone.

If the mere act of weighing you makes you feel bad, that's different, but none of the staff in my experience do it as some form of fat shaming activity.

I think it's a great idea.

Obesity is rising and many women put on to much under the illusion 'in pregnant its ok'.

Sounds like a good way of helping woman to manage their pregnancy safely.

A healthy weight gain means for easier labour with less chance of complications, healthier for mum and healthier for baby.

How is having your weight taken any different to a glucose tolerance test / urine check or blood pressure check?

I was only weighed at my booking appointment but honestly it wouldn’t have bothered me to be weighed each time. I have my blood pressure, urine, and bump size checked at each appointment for my health and the baby’s, being weighed would fall under that same umbrella for me.

I thought it was just routine, granted it's a long time since I was pregnant but I seem to remember being weighed at every appointment along the way. I just assumed it was part of monitoring the pregnancy and my health as well as the baby's. If they stopped doing it and now are reintroducing it in the current drive to counter obesity, I can see why it might feel judgmental or nannying though.

I had my babies in the 70s and 80s. I was huge each time and hated being weighed, but they insisted on it at every appointment. There was no escape.

I’d actually be quite happy to be weighed at my appointments especially if the midwife took the approach she does with my blood pressure and other tests of not mentioning it unless it is necessary to do something about it.
I haven’t weighed myself at all in my pregnancy, I don’t particularly want to know. I am probably eating slightly too much and not being as active as I should be but to an extent that would only lead to creeping weight gain but I’m struggling with energy levels and it gets me through. I don’t want to feel guilty about my weight on top of caring for a toddler, a full time job and pregnancy! On the other hand I’d be happy to have it tracked by the midwife as medical info like the bump size is as long as the bounds for weight gain were realistic and tailored to you like the bump size charts are.

I'm currently pregnant (29 weeks). I've been weighed at every appointment I've been to (sadly quite a lot!). I was over weight at the start and developed gestational diabetes by 18 weeks. By weighing me it helps them and me know how well we're doing with managing it, which is only a good thing for me and the baby.

As it turns out I'm losing about a pound a week and I'm now into the third trimester. It's actually really reassuring that things are going well and encouraging that I'm doing as well as possible for me and the baby even with the GD and PGP meaning I can barely walk let alone exercise in any way. If it was going the other way I'd want to know.

To be honest I assumed I'd gain weight, and I feel like I am as the bump is getting bigger so without them weighing me regularly and being reassuring I'd be assuming that I was getting bigger and that it was a bad thing for me and little one.

As long as the medical staff are kind (i.e. express concern at excessive weight gain and advice on how to manage it, rather than just berating people) it's got to be a good thing to have more information rather than less.

I get weighed at every appointment and I'm glad, as I never weigh myself generally and who knows how accurate their bathroom scales really are. I wouldn't have realised that I had lost weight during pregnancy if it weren't for the weigh-ins.
Your weight is medical information that your doctor or midwife may need. For example, if you are above a certain weight you need a higher dose of folic acid. You can ask them not to tell you the number and look away from the scales if you don't want to know.
Nobody is going to advocate strict diets and exercise regimes during pregnancy. If they offer you advice on gaining less weight, you could take it or leave it.
I'd rather be embarassed by a doctor than not given information that could have an impact on my child's health. It's surprising that so many people feel differently.

If I got weighed at every appt I probably wouldn’t have just eaten 6 custard creams, which can only be a good thing