BMI measured during pregnancy

[Browniee]

So I had my BMI calculated at my booking in appointment (10 weeks) after 5 weeks of eating not my normal diet —rubbish— because of horrible nausea and it was slightly over into the overweight category. I wasn’t worried even though midwife was a bit snotty about it.

During my pregnancy I haven’t been weighing myself but I have been in the same size 14 maternity jeans and tops throughout, have eaten as normal (vegetarian, quite a fresh healthy diet) and until 31 weeks I was walking 3 miles a day. I also haven’t really suffered from swelling or much weight gain - just a huge pregnancy belly!

Today at 35+4 the midwife has done my BMI again and obviously it’s shot up (I’m full of a baby/waters/placenta etc) and has threatened me with consultant lead care as I’m tipping into the obese category! It’s made me feel utter shit as I’ve been planning on going to the midwife lead unit and feel like I’m having options taken away from me.

Just wanting advice of anyone else whose experienced this? I was feeling super positive and excited about birth after a really wonderful antenatal class at the weekend and feel like the midwife has put a massive downer on that.

@MadameJosephine then please word it as "it is standard practice where I work"
Because it is not standard practice.

I was on the overweight/obese boundary for booking in and nobody mentioned that I couldn't give birth at the midwife unit because of that. I am consultant led for other reasons but he said he couldn't see any reason I shouldn't give birth in either place should I choose. I wasn't weighed at all (they relied on my answer at booking) until this week and that's only because I have lost weight due to sickness. I would get another opinion!

@seeingdots actually reading your comment and through everyone else who has replied here has made me seriously think about changing midwife. Especially as she will be doing my home visits after the baby arrives. I’m not sure I’ll be able to cope with her and will feel like I’m getting things wrong!

I’m sure she’s doing her job and I’m a little over sensitive with hormones at the moment but it doesn’t feel like the supportive care you want from a midwife. And I wasn’t anxious at all about birth before that appointment and now I’m really fretting!!

@Sweettooth92 thanks for sharing, I’m glad you managed to speak up for yourself and get some control back!

It does feel like a system that’s bound to cause women lots of guilt in pregnancy. After hearing your community midwives had a different take I may ask for a second opinion if consultant lead care is mentioned again. It feels like a bit of a painting by numbers exercise!

I lost quite a bit of weight pre-pregnancy (not especially thinking of pregnancy, just because of lifestyle changes!) so that’s why it’s frustrating that I’m being labelled and potentially sent down a path I don’t have any control over!

Thanks @xine I think I’m going to try and either change midwife or get a second opinion!

The baby, placenta, fluids, only add up to about 20 lbs.
What was your pre-preg weight, OP, and what do you weigh now? How tall are you?

@DailyMailSucksWails

Hmm if you’re offering to calculate my BMI I think you might be missing my point. My midwife already calculated it and I was looking for experience of this happening to others and what happened with their care (consultant/midwife lead) - but thank you anyway! 😊

Hi lovely. Was your BMI above 30 at booking in? Mine was and I was told that at 36 weeks they would look at it again and if it had gone above 40 I would need consultant led? I'm a size 14 too and with my crappy BMI that I have ALWAYS hated...I'm now sitting at a BMI of 35, despite the fact I'm currently wearing size 14 non maternity leggings and a size 12 non maternity dress (not even slightly tight!). Basically BMI is a SHIT and has made me so anxious this pregnancy. Although my BMI has shot up my weight gain was on the low end of normal and I was told last week to ensure I was having my 200 cals extra per day. It's a right mind mess up. But for what it's worth, the consultant I saw (for different reasons) said my BMI didn't matter I could have any birth I wanted. If it goes above 40 it's hard to do an epidural etc but if you're going to MLU then that makes no difference to you anyway. Hope this helps a little xx

@Browniee, I’ve a related complaint about both the midwife and the HCA in the maternity unit clinic with calculating my BMI - midwife used old fashioned needle on dial scales to weigh me (on a carpeted floor) and my weight came up over 1/2 stone than I had weighed earlier the same day; she also didn’t put the height measure against anything so it wasn’t accurate (out by almost 2 inches!!) this combination put me from overweight category into obese and automatic referral for GTT at 28 weeks. Then, at the hospital, the HCA has me facing the measure stick and had the bit on my head sloping up my skull rather than on top of my head - again, reduced the height I was recorded as being. In both cases I pointed out the inconsistency of their measurements and was told just to ignore it - even though it puts out into another risk category and means I’ve got to have further tests that I wouldn’t need if they would only measure accurately!!

The advice now is for you to maintain (not gain) weight if you are obese. It’s vital you monitor your weight. Something like Myfitnesspal or NHS can give you the maintenance calories for your height and weight (I’m 5 7 and 80kg so a heffer and for me it’s 2000-2400 cals per day depending on how much exercise I get).

I am very overweight and was consultant led on all my pregnancies after having a huge cyst in my womb on my first. I was told every time that overweight women are more likely to need intervention have more complications etc. I had uncomplicated deliveries, refused epidurals as that's what they wanted me to have in case of complications. I did my own research and found that an epidural was much more likely to lead to a need for intervention. The maximum weight I gained in pregnancy was 5kg I think they say 10kg is average. Has your gain been a big gain? That might be why your midwife is concerned.

@Babyno2mamabear

Thank you for sharing - that’s really reassuring to know someone is in the same boat! I’ve just read on the NHS website that BMI shouldn’t even be used as a measurement during pregnancy (unless using the pre-pregnancy BMI!) so it seems like it’s used in some cases and not in others but not recommended by the NHS. Obviously causing undue worry and possibly unnecessary interventions along the way...😏

I can see why she would weigh you but don’t see the point of calculating your BMI. Surely it won’t work the same if you are pregnant?

Teddy you are not obese! Approx 8 kilo overweight.