Is anyone else fat and newly pregnant?

[Lemondrizzletwunt]

Gah. I am delighted to be pregnant (am 4wks today) but my BMI is 30.8, just tipping me into the 'obese' category. How lovely.

If I lost 4lbs I would be back into the overweight category, meaning I'm not as high-risk as I currently am, but obviously it's not advisable to attempt to lost weight in pregnancy.

Does anyone else have experience of this? I'm thinking of taking up walking and seeing if that helps in any way...I just really don't want the associated problems with being fat, GD, hypertension, pre-eclampsia etc etc, as well as always having planned a home birth. Help!

Honestly I wouldn't worry about your weight - exercise is still always good though. You will most likely feel extremely tired at times during first tri so don't force yourself too.

I was in the same position as you, my BMI was 30.1 when I fell pregnant but by the time of my 12 week scan after weeks of sickness and lack of appetite I was down to 28. I didn't actually gain any real weight again until I was about 22 weeks.

I have a lovely neat bump and my arms and bum are in better shape now than they pre-pregnancy All the weight I've gained is bump too. I'm 38 weeks now!

Congrats on your pregnancy, good luck x

Forgot to add - not once was I deemed high risk because of my BMI either, even at the initial booking in appointment. Try not to worry about your changing body.

That is lovely to hear! Thank you! Did you exercise during pregnancy? And were you careful about your diet?

You sound like you're blooming. And only have 2 weeks left to go! Good luck, and congrats to you, too.

Ms Twunt, congratulations to you!

In my non-professional opinion: they have these categories, but they mean very little, and the actual safety of your own pregnancy would be almost no different if you lost 4lb. You might be in a different category, but being right at the bottom of the obese category isn't a great deal different to being at the top of the overweight category.

I'd try to relax, it may well be that morning sickness will do the job for you, and I'm sure gentle walking won't hurt, just please don't let anyone guilt you into putting yourself under pressure that you don't need right now. You may well be exhausted in a week, so please don't be feeling like a failure if you can't be arsed, I'm 8 weeks and it takes a lot of willpower to cook dinner, let alone exercise. You've got a lot on gestating a baby, just try to go easy on yourself

I didn't actually do any actual fitness activities but have always been quite active at home/work and do a fair bit of walking. I was quite poorly with sickness early on and struggled to eat much then so this may have impacted my weight now. I'm still waiting for my blooming stage too!

I took Santogen mum to be tablets until about a month or so ago and tried to eat as healthily as I could too - went off veg for a while so was quite hard at times hence the vitamin tablets but appetite is making up for it now - I cannot eat enough spinach at the moment!

I've just eaten as normally as I can throughout pregnancy without eating too much but not letting myself feel guilty for having treats either - you need them!

Good luck x

Hello Lemon. congratulations!

Weight-wise, I have been going to Slimmimg World since November and went from overweight to normal weight without too much effort (I find SW easy to follow as you can still eat loads as long as you eat the right things). I have just found out that I am pregnant and after reading the Slimming World pregnancy advice, I am planning to keep going with it during the first trimester as it is very safe. I'll probably stop after that because I feel there's no point in paying a weekly fee if you don't intend to loose weight...

I have a BMI of 32 at booking in. I lost 6lbs in the first trimester just because I hated food. The only thing the MW said was that I have to have the test for gestational diabetes at 28 weeks. I am under a consultant but that is for something completely unrelated to weight. Apart from that it would be MW all the way. Don't worry. If you are worried about weight gain you could ask your MW about slimming world as that diet is fine to do when preg. But yeah gentle exercise, and eating well and you will be fine. I have managed to limit my weight gain without trying, by just eating normally rather than 'for two'

I went from overweight to obese in the first three months. im not paying attention to my weight gain now. I really dont care tbh. I will.lose the weight when my DS is born. I am still having the birth I want and baby is doing fab so im not bothered. I eat what I want and my weight hasnt been mentioned except to tell me initially that I was obese. (they forgot to weigh me at booking so had to do it at my first scan, BMI of 30)

My BMI is 35 and the only issue has been scans aren't as clear.
Very little has been said about my weight, I'm very high risk nothing to do with my weight so have been seen almost weekly or fortnightly throughout my pregnancy and its been the least of my consultants concerns.

The main things offered if you have a high BMI (and some health authorities don't consider it high until its at 35) is a GTT test to chek for pregnancy diabeties and a sizing scan at 36 weeks to make sure baby isn't too big.
If the baby is large sometimes they will offer early inducement.

I personally would have declined the sizing scan unless I was Postive for gestational diabeties. As they aren't always accurate and could lead to uneccesary intervention.

I did have a sizing scan this pregnancy but only because of other medical needs meaning my baby is likely to be delivered between 36-37 weeks.
She is estimated to be on the 32nd percentile so pretty dinky despite my weight and the fact I've been on strict bedrest for around 4 months.

Hi, I had a BMI of 32 at booking with DS1. I had the gestational diabetes test and the results were fine. My pregnancy was completely uncomplicated, I was never categorised as high risk due to my BMI and was allowed to plan to give birth at the local Midwife Lead Unit. In the end I had an ELCS as my boy was breech - there was never any mention of my BMI being an issue in relation to the ELCS. I hope this provides some reassurance that having a BMI >30 doesn't always lead to pregnancy problems. Congratulations and good luck!

Thanks everyone, it's nice to hear such reassuring things.

Gemerama how do you plan on losing it safely?

My bmi was 40 at 6 weeks. I was consultant led as fat AND having twins.
Gd - no
Pre eclampsia - no (never had high blood pressure and I was monitored frequently)
Problems with birth or recovery - no

I had two healthy babies and an "exemplary pregnancy" according to my consultant.

Congratulations.

You might find your local area only classes you as high risk if your BMI is over 35 at your booking in appointment with midwife (early pregnancy) - mine use 35 as the measure (Oxfordshire)

Had a bmi of 39 at booking in, no problems, v easy pregnancy with just a touch of GD right at the end. Blood pressure exemplary. I exercised regularly pre-pregnancy though, and continued walking several miles a day and swimming throughout. Only gained 1.5 stones and lost it all by the time the baby was 4 weeks old.

lemondrizzle I'm in exactly the same boat! my bmi is 30 and I've just found out I'm pregnant, my appetite has gone awol so hoping it stays away for a bit!

My BMI was 33 and that wasn't classed as high risk. That's over 35. Losing 4lb may technically move you a category but will make zero difference to your pregnancy! I have put on very little weight at 19 weeks too

My Bmi was just over 35 at booking in and is the same now if not slight lower as I'm actually 4.5 lbs lighter than pre preg, I'm currentlt 23+2. haven't had any problems and was only consultant led due to a previous EMCS, I had one consultant appointment in which I booked my ELCS and have now been put back under midwife care. Having another scam at 34 weeks due to low lying placenta but nothing else has been mentioned about extra scans etc due to my BMI

But they worked my BMi out based on my height being lower by 1.5 cm than I actually am so if they had used my correct height (as I pointed out to them after) I would be under 35 BMI

Hi All, my bmi is 28.1 and I have found out today I am pregnant . I really wanted to loss some weight before I got pregnant but too late now. It does worry me that I will get big during and after pregnancy.

I joined slimming world when ttc, fell 2 weeks after joining!
Now nearly 22w and 4st lighter. Slimming world is totally safe, they change the plan slightly if you are pregnant or breastfeeding. It's amazing, you can eat loads. I would totally recommend joining, even if it's just to get that little bit extra off. The bmi for " high risk pregnancies" is 30 so I'd totally try to get under that in ur position.
They take ur weight at booking appt, 8weeks, and everything goes from there.
Gl x

Hi, I too am newly pregnant and very overweight. I am 2 stone heavier than when I got pregnant last time. Still a stone heavier than the day after I gave birth
I had an ectopic pregnancy last year and have been comfort eating for a good 6 months.
I had no trouble with my last pregnancy but think my weight may be more of an issue this time around as I am that much heavier. Can anyone tell me what 'consultant led' care would entail?

Consultant led isn't bad, u just have extra checks such as bp and urine checks. U may have an extra late scan too. My consultant is lush! Depending on bmi you may have a restricted birth plan, such as no pool, hospital birth etc.