Pregnant and very over weight

[iklemink]

I've just found out i'm pregnant and i'm worried i'm putting my babies life in danger i weigh just over 20st

Are there any dangers to my unborn baby me being this weight????

bump

i was 16 and a half stone when i was pg before i was pg i was 9 stone so i put on 7 stone in 9 months , have u spoke to ur midwife mine was very good?

There are lots of things that will in theory increase your risk of problems in pregnancy and being very overweight is unfortunately on that very long list. However, it does not mean that something will go wrong and the likelihood is still that it won't. Although it is an American site, try looking at: www.plus-size-pregnancy.org (sorry I can't do links yet) which hopefully will give you some good advice and comfort.

I started off several stone overweight before I became pregnant and although I'm not there yet (I'm due in June), to-date I have had normal blood pressure, I do not have diabetes and my anomaly scan was fine. I do have some aches and pains and other minor complaints but nothing compared to some of our other slimmer pregnant 'sisters'. Of course I will always worry slightly until I actually see the baby but then so do most pregnant women.

Try to find a sympathetic midwife/doctor who will help you through this so that you can enjoy your pregnancy and actually look forward to a lovely baby at the end of it all.

Best of luck.

A friend of mine who started off overweight found she actually lost weight while pg, by the way.

hi iklemink, just seconding the reccomendation for the plus size pregnancy website, it's got loads of good info. I have to say that my experience has been that first time round, my weight was never an issue as such, but it was muttered about a few times (gained nearly 4 stone in pregnancy, was 2 or 3 stone overweight anyway). However I had a straightforward fairly typical hospital birth after being forced out of a planned home birth. Second and third time round I've booked an independent midwife and my weight has never been an issue or so much as mentioned. However I've since learned that if I'd wanted to use the birth pool in the hospital I wouldn't have been allowed as women weighing over 13 stone aren't allowed in it...ridiculous given how many average weight women are 13 stone plus by the end of pregnancy!

Lots of luck and here's to a healthy happy pregnancy

Skara

Is that a new thing about the waterbirths?

I weighed nearly 15st at the end of my pregnancy with my 2nd child (Dec 1997) - and he was a waterbirth !

No-one ever mentioned my weight then when I was pregnant with DD2 (born Oct 1999) I had a planned waterbirth booked for her - again weighing nearly 15st - but my labour was too quick and fast, and I was fully dilated on arrival at hospital, so no time for waterbirth. The GP/Midwife and Consultant all knew about my planned waterbirth and none of them mentioned my weight.

Is it the policy at your local hospital?

Thinking about it, being in the water made things a lot easier anyway with being larger - easier to turn around, move about etc.

I felt a lot more flexible than when I was on "dry-land"

Hi Slinky, yes that's policy at my lovely (gritted teeth) local hospital - that sort of rubbish is the reason why I've booked an independent midwife the last 2 pregnancies . Grrr...

Ggggrrrr Skara!!

No wonder you've booked Independent !

After replying to you, I did a quick search on Waterbirths and weight etc but couldn't find any at all - other than ensuring that the floorboards could carry the weight of a filled birthing pool

I loved my waterbirth and would definately recommend it.

LOL Slinky...well, the floorboards didn't give way last time and I'm keeping my fingers crossed that they don't in June

Hello everyone - this is my first message!
I have a BMI of 40 and am due end of October. I live in Telford and in my area they seem to be quite sensible about it (so far!) although having heard what you said about the birthing pool I'd better check they will let me use it as I wanted to do that! I have been referred to a consultant because of the danger of bp problems and diabetes and they are monitoring me very closely already, even though I am only 12 weeks.

Hi, I was (and indeed still am!) rather overweight when i got pregnant, BMI around 37, and I had no real problems related to weight at all, in fact, i only put on 4lb whilst pregnant, and my son was 10lb! So I am about two stone lighter now than I was before I had him - you never know, you might lose rather than gain! I think I rebalanced some hormones during pregnancy, and ate better (oh, and puked for 17 weeks!) which helped enormously. I am a believer in the idea that being bigger already helps you to cope, as you are already used to carrying the weight around, and not so traumatised by not fitting into your skinny jeans!

I have a few stone to go, but slow and steady is my philosphy - can't take off in six months what took fifteen years to come on.

I was very overweight at the start of both of my pregnancies, BMI high 30s, and put on 2.5st each time. I had absolutely no medical problems as a result of the overweight, good low bp, no GD, etc. I would have been allowed into the birthing pool - just never made it in - and had no problems with labour or delivery. TBH the worst weight-related problem I had during pregnancy was finding maternity clothes to fit me.

Being overweight puts you in a higher risk-bracket, but does not mean that these risks will definitely happen to you.

I found out I was pregnant 3 days ago, and weighed 17 stones 3 pounds...this morning I am 16 stones 13 pounds! I have only been aware for 3 days but my eating habits have changed dramatically and it is more about what baby needs for heart beat/spinal chord, than what I want to eat! I have already put my needs second so maybe I'll lose weight rather than gain in pregnancy, denial is a wonderful planet

I couldn't fit into two pairs of trousers last week so am already preparing myself for wearing Kaftans