Obese and Pregnant

[lauren6283]

Hi everyone.
I'm 20 weeks pregnant and obese. I'm looking for some advice, support or reassurance as am feeling really down about my weight at the moment. My BMI is about 37/38, and I was doing Weight Watchers (not hugely successfully) before I found out I was pregnant.
I am not sure what to do really. My diet is pretty bad, always has been. I was diagnosed with bulimia when I was younger, but I stopped making myself sick and started gaining weight.
I have been looking for advice on google but it's all so depressing as it says how unhealthy it is to be pregnant and obese, but then says not to lose weight in pregnancy. I have a dietitian appointment next week but we are supposed to be on holiday, and I have never found the, useful in the past. If we don't end up going away I will go, but I just feel so fed up at the moment. I need the motivation to do something, but what?
:-(

I think a change in psychology may help. You new mantra coukd be something along the lines of "the best thing I can do for my baby is to eat healthily" and "the only person who can control what goes in my body is me" along with "what is the best choice I could make at this moment"?

I bet you know what you should and shoukdn't be eating, it's about motivation (taking care of yourself so you can take care of your baby) and being mindful enough to make those choices.

Good luck, and congrats on the pregnancy.

I have a bmi of 31 and I'm now 20 weeks. But since being pregnant I have only put on 4lb and I have still pretty much eaten what I want. I have just been walking more and trying to stay active so think that has helped.
Good luck and congrats xx

I have a bmi of 47 and I'm nearly 22 weeks pregnant

I have hardly put on any weight although I am am basically bed ridden with severe spd
I am so upset by this and I am also struggling with losing weight.
My doctors are not overly concerned as I haven't really put much weight on.
If I do manage to get out I go swimming or for steady walks which is helping

You're not alone Hun, one of the best things you can do for yourself is to think positively, think 'yes I can be healthy'
Start with little walks, you aren't expected to join a gym and live off lettuce leaves, but you will probably find changing small things in your daily routine will do wonders for you and more importantly than anything else you will start to feel dryer about yourself, which will give you motivation and confidence xxxx

Fell better about yourself. Not dryer.....stupid phone lol

Thanks everyone. I think exercise might be a good first step. Walking every day or couple of days maybe. Can't do any harm and it might make it easier to tackle the food. Thanks for the advice, everyone on here is so lovely and helpful!

I think you can still go to slimming world while you are pregnant.
Think of it more as eating well rather than for loosing weight.

@lauren6283 Hiya I know that for me being told to adjust my mind set and or get dieting advice has always kicked off my eating disorder and made me do the opposite. I'm sure you are trying your best. I have been caseloaded for individual midwife support and 3 years ago after a lifetime of yo yo dieting, nutritionist appointments and therapy I realised I have a problem that I cannot tackle alone - I do not eat normally, just as some people cannot drink normally. There is an equivalent to AA called Overeaters Anonymous which if you google it and try a meeting you may find as useful as I have. I have 4 stone of recovery and no longer feel like I have no control over my eating behaviours. i often think other people do not understand it isn't as simple as nutritional knowledge and will power. Either way I hope you can be a bit kinder to yourself and that things get easier for you.

I had a BMI of 36 when I got pregnant. You can definitely do Slimming World whilst pregnant and it is supported by many midwives.

OP, I had a BMI of over 45 with both pregnancies. No issues with either, was very lucky, but it is perfectly possible to be absolutely fit and fine despite being fat. In both pregnancies I lost weight,I made a real effort to eat as healthily as possible and do bits of exercise. I had fantastic care and never felt judged by HCPs. Good luck.

OP you should have access to help whilst pregnant if you have a history of bulimia. I recovered from an ED and fell pregnant, and had a therapist throughout pregnancy and even now (DD is 4months) and this has been life saving.

The whole body changing was massively triggering for me and having a therapist has helped me avoid a massive relapse, I've not been without problems but I 100% believe it would have been worse had I not had specialist help.