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Conception

When's the best time to get pregnant? Use our interactive ovulation calculator to work out when you're most fertile and most likely to conceive.

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Original poster

Am I too fat to try for a baby?

18 replies

Findjoy · 18/10/2015 20:10

We want to try for a baby but I think I am too overweight (14.7st, 5'5)

I am healthy eating to lose weight now but this is very early days.

I'm worried it will take me a while to conceive (although no known fertility issues) so want to start trying now (I'm nearly 31) to give myself plenty of time.

Is it irresponsible to try for a baby when I'm overweight?

OP posts:

FattyFishwife · 18/10/2015 20:16

whilst being of the correct weight is always ideal, from a health and safety pint of view, during pregnancy and labour, there is no reason why you cant try for a baby as regards want, need, readiness or fairness...that doesnt enter into it at all.

I had my 5th child when i was at my heaviest of 19 stone 12lbs, and the only problem i had was gestational diabetes, but my midwife told me that was more age related than anything else.

Im now trying for #6...ive lost 2 stones, but that was just for my own comfort before we started trying for a baby, but im currently 18 stone now...but im 44

if you want to try for a baby, are ready to try for a baby, you are settled and in a good mental/emotional/financial (or any other 'al' you want to name) position to try for a baby...go for it!

Loki17 · 18/10/2015 20:17

Do everything you can to get yourself to a healthy weight and continue doing so during pregnancy. In 6 weeks time you could have lost a stone by eating healthily. You only need an extra 300 calories a day during your third trimester. With that in mind, you can safely lose fat whilst nourishing your baby.

Loki17 · 18/10/2015 20:18

Forgot to add, good luck and enjoy ttc x

hilzypop · 18/10/2015 20:46

Maybe best to check with your gp first. I know of a few friends with high bmis that have had heathy pregnancies and babies. My bmi is also the wrong side of 25 and i gained a fair bit in my pregnancy with dd but no issues. My understanding is that if you do get pregnant you increase your chances of a more complicated dilivery and things like pre eclamsia more common. Hope this helps x

Original poster

Findjoy · 18/10/2015 21:58

Thanks for the comments.

I have had borderline high blood pressure on and off for a few years, and my mother suffered with pre eclampsia so perhaps it's best to wait! Just want to give myself the best chance of falling pregnant. It's frustrating that my weight is currently controlling my life!

OP posts:

Vap0 · 18/10/2015 22:09

findjoy don't wait! I'm 26 months into the ttc process and am cursing myself for not coming off contraception 2 years earlier (after being in a steady relationship for 5 years - now 7). Get trying and see how you get on. At least if you find you struggle then need dr's assistance then they will tell you they want you to have a bmi of less than 30, at least knowing this early on if you're having issues will mean you will have longer to lose weight. Hopefully you won't need to get to the dr's intervention stage but at least you will have plenty of time to understand. I'd suggest getting yourself a bbt (basal body thermometer), some opk's (ovulation orojector kits) from Amazon - really cheap -about £2-£3 per month and start taking note of cm and you will have an idea of whether you are "working" properly. I wish someone had suggested this to me when I started!
Best of luck

CultureSucksDownWords · 18/10/2015 22:16

I was about your weight (and I'm the same height) when I conceived my DS, aged 34. Conceived on the second month of trying. I was fairly fit and was eating healthily. I only put on baby weight ifyswim, and had an uneventful pregnancy. I had essential hypertension so was under consultant care, but that isn't weight dependant and pre-existed ttc. I went to the GP to discuss the hypertension and she couldn't have cared less about my weight. I had a glucose tolerance test whilst pregnant to check for gestational diabetes which was negative.

So I think my conclusion is - keep losing weight and getting healthy but don't postpone ttc as you don't know how long it may take. Good luck!

Stroan · 18/10/2015 23:08

No! Don't wait!

I was about your weight when I got pregnant, after losing about 2 stone. I'd been temp charting and using ovulation tests for months and hadn't conclusively ovulated (still using contraception but wanted to figure out my cycles and lose weight). we decided to just go for it anyway while I continued to diet. I fell pregnant the first month!

I've had no weight related issues with the pregnancy. I've put a fair bit on (5 months of not being able to stomach anything but plain carbs will do that) but I'll worry about that later. I did test positive for gestational diabetes, but have managed it with diet and my blood sugar levels have never been in the diabetic range since the test. There's no reason why you couldn't have a perfectly healthy pregnancy.

Purplerain067 · 19/10/2015 09:30

I feel the same, I am at my heaviest and feel as though it may prevent me from conceiving. Like you I am also trying to lose some weight, but I don't think theres a problem with ttc also! Go for it!

Llouh · 19/10/2015 09:41

Don't hold off on ttc but as the others have said, try and eat as well as you can.

I was heavier than you when I conceived, 15 stone 7, and I've changed my diet from the crap
I used to eat. I'm 39 weeks and I haven't had any complications, my diabetes test came back perfectly healthy and I've only put on 3lbs.

Skiptonlass · 19/10/2015 10:54

Don't wait!

Increasing age is a bigger risk factor :)

Start taking folic acid now, it's good to get a head start. Then get yourself on a plan of eating healthily and exercising- do not severely restrict your food intake, concentrate on health, not dramatic weight loss.

Being overweight does make you more likely to have complications like gd but it's not inevitable. Set yourself up with healthy habits and good luck!

WorraLiberty · 19/10/2015 11:03

I really wouldn't ask internet strangers about this.

I think it would be far more sensible to see your GP and discuss it with them.

There are lots of women for whom being overweight made no difference to them or their babies, but you could say exactly the same about smokers, yet I can't imagine anyone here saying "Don't wait, just cut down on the fags".

Plus I think your mind would be better put at rest, with advice from a medical professional.

Good luck

CookieKatie · 19/10/2015 11:03

I say don't wait!! Go for it!! Keep eating healthy, exercise (long walks and swimming are both great options when pregnant too). You never how long ttc will take. Good luck with your weightloss and pregnancy

simplydivine05 · 21/10/2015 13:31

I waited. It took me 3 months to get down to a bmi of 27 (was 33). We're on cycle 4 now but I'm glad I lost the weight first as I feel so much better in myself. I have continued losing while ttc but at a slower rate. I don't think my body would have handled extra weight during pregnancy and would have caused me problems.
I agree that you should visit your doctor for advise. It may or may not be right to wait for you. Your weight is not controlling your life, only you can do that

hairbrushbedhair · 23/10/2015 20:23

I'm kind of wondering this too. Is age really more of a concern than weight???

CultureSucksDownWords · 23/10/2015 20:27

At 31, less so. At nearer 40 like I am then waiting could be a big problem, if ttc for the first time.

hairbrushbedhair · 23/10/2015 21:01

I'm 31 but have fertility issues (PCOS and endometriosis) though conceived at 27 naturally so know it could happen

EugenesAxe · 23/10/2015 21:13

This has made me sad - maybe in an ideal world you would be slimmer but 'irresponsible' I feel is unnecessarily harsh on yourself.

You know what risks being overweight can present, but you must have so much love to give; why should you not be free to express that because of a chance your weight might result in your life not panning out as well as it could? People, big and small, get sick for all sorts of reasons.

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