Pregnancy and being underweight

[LeslieLR]

Hello,

Just hoping for some advice, have added some background info below.

So 3 years ago, I fell pregnant on 1st try but lost the pregnancy as it was an ectopic. I didn't take much time to really grieve for it and only a couple of months after my surgery, my workload grew dramatically at work as I took on another doctor (I'm a medical secretary).

We TTC again about 4 months after the surgery but with no luck until now. I'm 6+2 today.
Last year, I stepped on a scale for the 1st time in ages and my weight had fallen from 49kg to 43kg for 1m60. I'm 35 years old and have always been skinny, my sisters and mum are all very skinny too so there's definitely a genetic component to this. But there's no doubt that the stress of losing the pregnancy and starting a new job put me off food and probably led to the weight loss.

My mind starting thinking "how can I fall pregnant and carry a pregnancy to term on such a low weight?" so I went to my GP who referred me to a NHS dietitian. She was pretty rubbish and when she saw my weight was stable at my follow up appointment, she discharged me.

Despite eating healthily, focusing on full fat products, lots of peanut butter, cheese, avocados etc... I couldn't put more than 1kg here and there which I'd lose overnight. I'm now at 44kg.

My boss, who's a doctor, doesn't know I'm pregnant yet. But today she was telling me all about someone she knows who got pregnant with a weight of 42kg and how irresponsible this was, how she would never carry that baby to term because the placenta will be deficient and she'll be lucky if she gets the foetus to 30 weeks if that. That this baby will have all sorts of issues, could be blind or have a brain haemorrhage etc.. listening to my boss, you'd think that there was no way in hell this could have an happy ending.

Meanwhile, the more she talked, the more stressed I got. I'm due for an early scan on Wednesday morning to check the embryo implanted in the right place. I'm hoping with all my might that there will be an heartbeat. But after this chat, I wonder if this pregnancy is just doomed anyway.

So my question is, is there anyone there with happy stories of pregnancy while underweight?!
Thanks for reading x

I can't advise on your specific issue as truth be told I'm double your weight and could do with being a few kilos lighter however where as I refer to myself as naturally curvy some folk are also naturally slim no matter what they eat. I would think as long as you're trying to keep your calorie intake up with good fats and a balanced diet your baby will be able to get what it needs from you. I guess you might have problems if you get bad morning sickness as you'll perhaps not have the reserves I would but cross that bridge if you come to it. In a previous job I dealt with substance misusers and some of them would have nothing on them, a diet of class a and not much else and they had live births. Similarly in third world countries where there is poverty and famine they still manage to procreate. Do your best to put what you heard behind you, take advice from your midwife eat as much as you can manage and congratulations fingers crossed for your happy ending

In the nicest way, BMI is a load of bollocks. It doesn’t take into account your body composition.

So, although your weight is low, it doesn’t mean that it’s because you are depriving yourself of vital nutrients. It sounds like you’ve tried to take action and your body is refusing to budge. That isn’t your fault.

I would ignore the doctor for now. Book in to see a midwife and they will be able to advise you :) if you need any extra fattening up, I can send you my chicken pie recipe ;)

If there was anything wrong with u - u wouldn’t of got pregnant in the first place. I think it’s stupid how women that are underweight and women that are overweight are treated while pregnant now a days, as little as 7yrs ago your weight wasn’t of any interest to the midwives. I’ve read that carbs fruit veg and water are all ur baby needs. Be happy and enjoy your pregnancy I’m sure everything will be perfect, you’ve managed to get pregnant with 1 tube, it’s meant to be xx

I wouldn't worry too much. As long as you're eating good foods and not starving yourself or restricting your calories you'll be fine. I weighed 45kg when I had my daughter and weight was never mentioned as an issue.

Hi! I hope this will reassure you as I've been also been underweight my entire life. I'm 163cm and weighed 42kg in my early-mid 20s, 45kg in my late 20s and 48kg in early 30s (now 33). My BMI was always between 16-18 and doctors would occasionally bring it up at checkups. However I knew I never had an eating disorder and just naturally skinny. There were times when I actively tried gaining weight and it never worked either.

I got pregnant this year weighing 48kg (similar BMI to you) and currently 24weeks. I'm being closely monitored for entirely different reasons unrelated to weight (autoimmune stuff) but because of this I know there's nothing wrong with the baby, placenta or umbilical cord. Everything looks perfectly healthy so far. One perk of being skinny is that I felt movements extremely early, flutters around 10 weeks and proper kicks and somersaults at 16 weeks :D.

What's worth mentioning is that I also gained a lot of weight naturally during pregnancy. I think you body "knows" exactly what you need, and will build up the resources needed to support the baby. Between weeks 10-12 I had a crazy growth spurt and gained 4kg. Now I'm 60kg (12kg more from pre-pregnancy and still have 4 months to go). As mentioned earlier, I always had huge problems gaining and keeping weight on but during pregnancy it just happened naturally. My mum was also genetically skinny and 45kg when she got pregnant with me. Had a completely healthy pregnancy, gained a total of 15kg but the weight dropped off almost immediately after giving birth and she stayed at 45-48Kg ever since.

So please don't worry and enjoy your pregnancy!! It's loads of fun to actually gain some weight and keep it on, plus buying bigger bras for the first time since puberty :P!!!

I also had a bmi lower than 18 when I had my DD. I've always been 'skinny' and I had no problems during pregnancy. I did have to have a couple of growth scans because my bump was measuring small but I put that down to changes in the midwives who were measuring!
DD was born at just over 38 weeks (spontaneous labour) weighing a very average 7lb 8.
Currently pregnant with my second. Definitely got a bigger bump this time and I feel like I've put more weight on! As a previous poster said, try to enjoy the weight gain, keep eating well and try not to worry!

I can't thank you enough everybody for taking the time to read my little panicky rant and for reassuring me. Your messages have truly put my mind to rest, at least a bit as I will always be a hopeless worrier!

I have worked for this particular doctor for years and I know she tends to get a little dramatic sometimes. I should have remembered that before I let my mind go to some dark places! But thank you again ladies for bringing me back to the land of common sense :)

And tbh, the way I'm eating these days, I shouldn't have to wait long until I see numbers climbing on the scale...I am ravenous all the time!

Next big hurdle before I can start relaxing just a bit more is the early scan tomorrow morning. Please send good vibes my way! x

My BMI was 17.9 at the beginning of the pregnancy and no one has even mentioned it. My midwife hasn't even weighed me since my booking appointment and said if I'm eating well then it's not a problem. I'm nearly 24 weeks now and have put on 8 pounds, which is slightly on the low side but I'm eating like a mad woman so I'm not worried! As pp said I felt movements really early, as did my partner, and we've been able to see him moving since about 19 weeks

With my first pregnancy they scare mongered me about my weight. I was borderline 7 stone or a bit under and my bmi was about 12-14 so classed as anorexic even though I wasn't, never had any trouble eating etc i just couldn't put in the weight. I was consultant led and put on plans that I didn't stick to I ate what I wanted. By the end of the pregnancy they said that I needed to slow down on the weight gain!! I went from 7 to 10 stone, baby was just over 8lb. This time around my body has evened out and all in the 'perfect' bmi tick boxes. As long as you aren't starving yourself I wouldn't worry. Good luck with your scan

Don't worry. I am usually consistently around 42-45kg (unpregnant) I fell pregnant with DD 5 years ago at this weight and had no issues, I had to have extra scans at 26, 30, 34, 38 weeks to check her growth, which was all fine, she was born vaginally on her due date at a healthy 7lb 12oz. I gained 3.5 stone by 40 weeks too!

I'm 17 weeks now, same again in terms of growth scans, consultant led, just to keep a check on her, and I've already gained 1 stone upto now. I even lost a bit of weight due to morning sickness before 12weeks but was ok as just ate little and often and kept fluids up xx

Thanks again for taking the time to reply and reassure me. Reading about your experiences truly put my mind at ease.

Had my early scan this morning. I'm happy to say this is not another ectopic pregnancy so massive relief there.

But they could only see a gestational sac and yolk sac. No embryo or fetal pole. Feeling a bit deflated to be honest as I truly hoped we'd see the heartbeat today. My dates are a bit dodgy due to irregular cycles, I thought to be 6+4 but midwife thinks I'm likely earlier than that.

Due to go back on the 24th for a 2nd scan so fingers crossed. I'm doing my utmost to stay positive but it's a bit hard right now :(

So sorry to hear that, and fingers crossed the next scan will be good news. FWIW, it may not be possible to see anything even if you are 6+4...this thread was a few above yours with positive endings! www.mumsnet.com/Talk/pregnancy/3360029-6-weeks-pregnant-only-sac-no-yolk-sac-or-heartbeat-help