BMI and Red Pathway

[Rouxmac]

Hi, I hope I'm posting this in the right thread. I'm currently pregnant with my 2nd baby and have just had my booking appointment. I gained a lot after I had my 1st child last year thanks to inactivity, big portions and bad sleep and unsurprisingly I've been put on the red pathway because of my BMI. I don't want to lose weight unhealthily but I was wondering if anyone might know what BMI I would have to be to move back to the green pathway.
Thanks in advance

Never heard of it called that before.
What was your BMI at booking?

What's your BMI?

@Chelyanne

Never heard of it called that before. What was your BMI at booking?

Definitely call it that in Scotland.

The pathway system might be something they only do in Scotland, it means its consultant led rather than midwife led and after 28 weeks I have to have scans every 3 weeks to monitor birth weight. My BMI at the moment is 40 I've know I was overweight for ages but I've never felt like I fell into the severely obese category.

My BMI is 40

Why do you want to be in the green pathway? Does it mean you can go to a midwife led unit for birth? It sounds really hard op.

Yeah I googled it, they just call it midwife or consultant led in England.

If you can get your BMI down a few points and have no complications they may move you back to the midwives.

I'm consultant led, only difference is that appointments are at hospital. I will see my local midwife at the back end of pregnancy only. I'm on my 4th pregnancy with a high BMI, I was at 32 at booking which is lower than last time at 36. Got previous large baby (over 4.5kg) and previous cesarean as risk factors too so will stay with the consultants. Had twins last time so I was in every 4 weeks, feel like I've barely been in with this singleton after them.

I'm red pathway (not BMI related but a different reason). I see it as a bonus, because they'll be looking after me much better this time. Extra scans - yes please - just think of the peace of mind! I'm delighted, despite the fact that the hospital is more than two hours drive each way.

You could ask your midwife what the BMI cut-off is for green pathway, but I'm guessing it will be a lot lower than 40, and perhaps this is an unrealistic amount of weight to lose while preg? But you can do some weight loss diets (like slimming world is okay, and similar things I guess) so why not just aim to lose what you can healthily,, and see where you get to? Even if you don't make it to green pathway, you'll still be in a much better place after birth if you do that.

I'll have to ask the consultant at my 12 week appointment, I think its partially that I'm shocked I let myself get into such bad condition.
As you say, the extra scans will be good for peace of mind, I'm in a similar position of a 3hr drive each way. But at the end of the day whatevers safest for the baby.

It was called red pathway in London two years ago. It was detailed in the maternity notes from my hospital. I was red pathway but because I didn't have any other risk factors apart from BMI I was given permission to birth on the midwife led birth centre.
I do think the extra scans are a bonus. The consultant appointments and meeting about epidural is a waste though

I think once you're on the red pathway you'll remain on it even if you lost weight. I believe if your bmi is above 30 at booking you go onto the red pathway.