Any larger ladies TTC?

[NickMyLipple]

In a bit of a dilemma really. I'm morbidly obese and wear size 24-26 in clothes. Despite my size I do try to keep healthy - I eat much better now than I did a few years ago, and we're relatively active as a couple (Sunday walks for 8 miles, climbed mt Snowdon earlier in the year etc). I definitely have an unhealthy relationship with food and I do still eat too much crap too often, but I started slimming world a few months ago and lost 3 stone but fell off the wagon about 5 months in. I plan to start again in the new year and have planned meals for the first few weeks to get me off to a good start.

We are thinking of TTC in 2017. I have an implant at the moment which is due for removal in July but I've been getting spotting for the last 5 months so essentially I can have it out whenever. Once it's removed I don't intend on taking any other contraception.

I was wondering if any of you are bigger girls? What challenges lay ahead? I know my fertility may be effected by my size but equally it may not be! Should I wait until I am a much healthier size? That might be years - I find it so hard to be motivated. I desperately want to be a mother but even that doesn't motivate me enough to lose weight! I didn't come here to be judged by anyone, though I am happy to hear about why it might be dangerous for me or the baby to TTC.

I'm 25 weeks pregnant and pre-pregnancy I was a size 20. I had no problem ttc and we fell pregnant after 4 months. I've had no weight related complications, like others I've been on a 5mg of folic acid and a low dose of aspirin as a precautionary measure. I see a consultant and have extra growth scans from 28 weeks onwards. I started off being sick with nerves before every appointment or scan worrying I was going to be humiliated for my size, that an ultrasound wouldn't work etc. Everything has been fine and all nhs staff have treated me brilliantly. My weight has hardly been mentioned and if it has it's been, 'due to your bmi being a bit higher than normal' rather than any degrading comments or lectures.

That said I recognise I'm an unhealthy weight and in any future pregnancies I would probably try to lose a little weight before ttc just to feel a bit more comfortable and mobile especially at the latter stages of pregnancy.

Good luck ttc, my advice would be once you fall pregnant, put any weight worries to the back of your mind and enjoy pregnancy. I spent far to long earlier on in my pregnancy worying!

I have 2 stone to lose, there are a fair few MNers on this thread, where we are trying to get healthy, lose weight and support each other before we TTC

www.mumsnet.com/Talk/conception/2807424-getting-ready-for-baby-challenge

Come and join us!

DailyFail1 - I'm sorry but your information is completely incorrect. If your BMI is higher than 30, it is recommended that you take 5mg a day of folic acid when pregnant in first trimester. You appear to have your mg (milligram) and mcg (microgram) mixed up. A standard folic acid tablet is normally 400mcg (micrograms). 5mg is a prescribed dose which is 12.5 x more than a standard dose (400mcg) which you can buy over the counter.

Here is RCOG guidance on obesity and pregnancy

www.rcog.org.uk/globalassets/documents/guidelines/cmacercogjointguidelinemanagementwomenobesitypregnancya.pdf

My BMI is 31 and weigh 12 stone. I fell pregnant in August but miscarried in October. I was advised by my GP to take 5mg folic acid 3 months before ttc.
My friend is a consultant obstetrician and she quite frankly told me that in the majority of cases with high BMI (as with most pregnancies) things tend to go ok. However she warned me that if there were any slight difficulties whatsoever, medically and surgically managing someone with a high BMI is a nightmare, especially if they need surgery like a c section. She put the fear of god into me. I'm not her patient, I'm her friend so she was brutally honest. She strongly advised me to lose weight before ttc again. So off to slimming world I go!
I also read the RCOG guidance (link above) as it is easy to read and thorough. It's what the NHS guidance is based on.

Interesting that some of you have had gps prescribe 5mg FA while ttc. At the booking appt it would be far too late if have thought - my booking appts have all been 10+ wks but I have been prescribed it when telling GP I am pg so 5ish wks. Would be good if they could prescribe it while ttc (although then I'd have been taking it for 2.5 yrs...)

Ms Juniper,
It's not an issue to take it for that long. Your body will use what it needs and expel the rest. My GP has an online thing where you can write to them if you know what you need. I wrote and said "my BMI is more than 30, ttc and need 5mg folic acid as recommended by RCOG". Got a phone call from receptionist same day with my prescription. No fuss. Stopped taking it for a while after miscarriage but on it again and not planning on ttc for at least 2 months. If your BMI is high, you likely need more anyway!

Thanks Thingy, that's really helpful advice.

Could you not just take 12 x 400mcg tablets...?

I guess so. I was doing just that but much easier to get 1 pill.

Also don't forget vit D!

From a practical point of view I have a very good friend who is an anaesthetist and very large women are a nightmare to do epidurals on because of the layers of fat. So you may find that this isn't an option and you either be in a bit more pain or go for a c section which is also more risky if morbidly obese.

That should read folds of fat. They use your hip bones as a landmark and if you're too big they can't feel them and so can't do the epidural

I had an epidural just fine three years ago and a c-section with no problems either, and I'm 18 stone.

It's about BMI and size/shape rather than absolute weight. You could be 18stone and 6'8 size 12 or 18 stone and 4'3 shaped like a nerf ball, if depends where you carry it

Nice. Well I'm 5'4" so pretty 'nerf ball' shaped. I don't think this is the place to go scaring overweight pregnant women into thinking they're not going to be allowed epidurals during labour!

No one is saying that. No one is scaring anyone. This forum post is a place where we can all talk openly about our experiences, worries and concerns. There are higher risks associated with anaesthesia with a high BMI. That is a medical fact!

I agree, I certainly think that an anaesthetist would struggle to give me an epidural - I needed a lumbar puncture a couple of years ago and it was extremely difficult. It is a valid worry for me.

Sorry I agree with dolwar in that it depends on shape. I've never had a fat back so spinal was no probs. However, massive issue with weight around tummy as that's where my weight has always been even when size 8. They basically had to pull my flab up to make the incision and then I had all the problems mentioned in my previous post due to overhang

I don't regret my dd but I can't help but wish I'd have taken the risk of weight related complications more seriously. That infection was serious business and could've left my dd without a mum.

Yeah, totally hear that laurz which is mainly why I posted this thread. I need to not ttc until I've lost quite a bit of weight.

We can do it girls

I'm giving myself 6 months to lose 3 stone, but hope to lose a little more. Have joined the Getting ready for baby challenge thread on here and also have started a thing going with my mum where we'll weigh ourselves every week. Starting gently with calorie counting and walking, hoping to add in pilates and possibly intermittent fasting. :)

I am probably classed as morbidly obese, the wrong side of 35 and ttc. I concieved my first child 16 years ago. My husband had children from his first marriage, we have not got any together. After 10 uears of NO he put of the blue changed his mind - i am exstatic, but seriously scared of my weight issues. I am swimming twice a week and yoga twice a week, i do need to get to SW. My thoughts for you to consider are that I stopped my CP the beginning of December and my periods have not returned properly - although I am hopeful for this month. Many women take months, even over a year to get back to a refular cycle, so consider that when deciding to have your implant out - good luck to all :-)

Thanks for that advice MrsFish . Because I'm spotting almost on a monthly basis, I hope that once it's out AF will come along as normal. I was on the depo for about 8 years before the implant so hopefully that's long gone, and they say that fertility immediately reverses after the implant is removed, so we'll wait and see!

I just thought I would add a couple of points not mentioned so far. Being over certain BMIs can influence birth options such as water births or using a midwife led unit are only allowed if below certain BMIs where I live. I lost 6 stone in a year before TTC and got a BFP first cycle. Pregnancy really was hard work and I'm glad I lost weight first because I now have baby weight to loose and would have ended up much bigger without a smaller start.

I hear that one - I have a congenital heart condition in addition to my weight issues so I'm not going to be a candidate for a midwife led centre or a waterbirth, though they're good points for anyone without other conditions.

From a HCP perspective please try and loose some weight. As mentioned above, things like epidurals and spinals are so much harder and I do know of many cases when a GA has had to be administered instead.

It is also harder to get in certain positions for labour and the HCP won't be able to physically support you as it will be a risk to them.

Hospitals do have bariatric equipment so larger beds and wheelchairs. But if you need actual physical help like moving up the bed or help standing up, HCP can and will refuse to assist incase they hurt themselves.

Very best of luck with everything. I am trying to loose weight so I appreciate how hard it is