My nurse told me to lose weight

[claire93]

I went to the nurse for my contraceptive pill. And she told me that I was overweight and needed to loose weight in order for me to have the pill or they will take me off it. My little one is only four months old and after having an emergency csection. I'm still not feeling fully healed physically and emotionally. Before baby I weighed 11stone and was size 10-12 uk clothes after baby I now weight 13stone 2pounds size 14-16uk. I'm trying to loose weight but it's made me feel so deflated and upset about it. As a first time mum losing weight is the last thing on my mind but now it's all I can think about and I just feel like shit about myself..

I think they have new rules now. When I went to the map I had to take two because I'm overweight by 2 stone. I got given the pill by the skin of my teeth.

*to get the map

How tall are you? It's dangerous for overweight people to take the pill and could give you a blood clot. It's not about how you feel. It's about not giving you a potentially fatal medicine.

The nurse wouldn't do it to be nasty - she's got your health at the top of her priority list. You should too, with a young DC.

Just try walking to the local shops with the pram, or to baby clinic etc, rather than driving - it makes a massive difference.

Speak to your HV if you're struggling with your MH as you may need support.

the nurse isn’t body shaming you - she is doing her job. Don’t be disheartened, use it as a motive to get yourself healthy. That being said, you’ve just had a baby so go easy on yourself and put a plan in place to help you get on track.

How tall are you? They look at BMI now as giving the pill to obese people can result in blood clots / strokes etc.

There are BMI cut offs for the pill. Higher BMI means higher risk of stroke/clot which is exacerbated by the pill.
Weight + age + smoking are all points on a scoring sheet for it.
She probably isn't being mean, but telling the truth. She can't give you the pill if your bmi is above a certain weight.

I'm five ft 1 and I know she wasnt being mean it just made me feel rubbish about myself that's all. And I dont drive so walk everywhere anyways.

Sorry OP but you're really quite severely overweight,your BMI is around 35 which is well into obese and on the way to Class II obese. It would be risking your health for you to take the contraceptive pill. You could end up with a thrombosis or stroke.

Even at your pre-pregnancy weight you were quite overweight, nearly obese.

The nurse is not trying to make you feel shit about yourself, she would not be doing her job properly if she did not draw your attention to the health risks of being obese and taking the Pill.

Just get the Mirena coil. It's not like the old IUDs. It's made of plastic. It's much safer. I was on the pill for years and then it stopped working for me. Your period will stop while you have it and you don't have to worry about taking a pill every day.

That can’t have been nice to hear but she isn’t incorrect in saying it OP. Sorry, but given your height, your weight is unhealthy.

Its shit isn’t it? I really get you.
How are you coping with the baby( congrats btw), and with sleep?

Yeah I can understand. And i am trying to do something about it. I walk everywhere i eat healthy foods. But it just doesn't seem to budge and i dont get much sleep during the night. My lg has had quite a lot of reflux problems so we've only just managed to get that sorted. Which Is great but being exhausted and trying to do the right thing for yourself with absoloubtly no time is very difficult. I'm not trying to make excuses not in anyway at all. I know I need to look at my diet and try and make myself healthy again. But I dont go on BMI as mine states I should be 6stone for my height and I would look Ill if I was six stone. I'd like to get back to 9 1/2 10stone if I can. Just finding it very hard atm I appreciate all your comments and I know the nurse is saying it out of my best interests and I know I need to do something about it. I just dont know what to do.

Get them to check your thyroid and then give you the results, so you can see where in the range you are. If your thyroid is struggling, it's hard to lose weight.

I must have been hard to hear that, and four months after giving birth I imagine losing weight is the last thing on your mind.

Having said that, from a healthcare perspective, you are extremely overweight for your height at the moment. I’m not sure if there’s any way a nurse etc can tell someone they are too overweight that wouldn’t cause some offense/upset to most people - it’s such a sensitive subject. Try to use it to spur you into positive action if you can.

I’m struggling to lose the baby weight despite breastfeeding and walking everywhere but if I’m really honest with myself there is a lot more chocolate and cheese going into my mouth than I like to admit but I’m knackered and it’s bloody hard!

It’s hard to hear but it is for your benefit. They say it to anyone who’s classed as overweight regardless of being FTM or not. I know someone who isn’t a mum and was declined the pill due to her size.

OP 9st is bmi 23 which is in the normal range for your height. No BMI calculator in the world would suggest 6st to you as the BMI would be 15 (ie underweight).

But I dont go on BMI as mine states I should be 6stone for my height and I would look Ill if I was six stone.

That's not right op. The nhs healthy weight chart suggests a healthy range for a 5 ft 1 female is between 7 stone - 9 1/2 stone.

www.nhs.uk/live-well/healthy-weight/height-weight-chart/

I really feel for you. I'm in similar boat, 5 months post c section and the weight isn't coming off. I'm nearly 5ft 9 and weight 13.10 stone... before I had a baby I was a size 8-10 and weighed 10 stone. Doing so much exercise and really conscious of my eating - but weight not coming off... it's hard to be 100% healthy when you are knackered.

Are there mum and baby work out groups you can join?

Even 11 stone and 5 ft 1 is very overweight. Dress size is a red herring as can have a lot to do with build.

I am 5 ft 3 and have put on two stone due thyroid disease in last few years and am now 11 stone. I am fat and officially "overweight". I weigh about the same as my 5 ft 10 husband who is a average BMI.

Prior to thyroid issues I was about 9 stone and a size 8-12 (I have big hips but small boobs so was an 8-10 on top but a 12 bottom. I am now a 10 -12 on top (and wear bravissimo bras from being an A cup!!) and 14 bottoms. But I look fat, have back fat and a fat face and fat stomach. All v depressing so I feel your pain.

Good luck with the weight loss. It's v hard.

Was it the combined pill she wouldn't give you? Maybe ask about the progesterone only pill - I think it's safer in certain situations.

Hi still waiting for my appointment with the nurse to discuss weather they are going to take me off the pill I have been dieting like mad but feel like I've put more on instead of lost any. I cant go on the mini pill as it doesn't agree with my body so been looking g into coil or implant xx

I'm 4ft 11 and my healthy range for height goes up to 8.13 not 6.5.
I'm med boned so ideally look towards 8 stone.

There’s not such things as small/medium/big boned

They will definitely offer you the implant unless you have medical reasons not to have it - im overweight with type 2 diabetes and the implant is safe for me.