Pregnant after gastric sleeve

[Francesca1986]

Hello

First pregnancy and first post

Wanted to ask if anyone here has had gastric sleeve surgery (or any other bariatric surgery) and is now pregnant?

How is your restriction? Nausea?

When did you start putting weight on? (I’m nearly 12 weeks and not put any on yet but not sure if this is because I’ve been sick so much or if it’s normal)

Has anyone had a baby and their birth weight been low / any other problems?

Thanks in advance if anyone does read this or reply 😊

F xx

Hey! I’m currently 12 months post op and currently 20 weeks pregnant.

my restrictions seem to have eased a little and I’ve found I’m hungry more often! I’ve not put loads of weight on maybe a few pound here or there 😊 you will be absolutely fine & congratulations xx

Congratulations @CharlieHan and thank you! X

I'm almost three years post gastric bypass and 34 weeks. I've not lost any restriction and the only impact I think the surgery has had really is not absorbing all my minerals but I don't think you'll have that problem with the sleeve. I think it can vary from pregnancy to pregnancy though. With my last pregnancy my restriction eased. I also gained about 19lb up until week 20 but haven't gained since

I had to have extra blood tests to check for absorption issues, and a finger prick blood test over several days instead of the OGTT to check for gestational diabetes, but never had it with either pregnancy.

I got pregnant 18 months after gastric bypass (lost 13 stone in this time)
Had a low risk pregnancy. I had to have extra scans to make sure baby was growing enough due to the surgery but it was never a problem. I did gain about 10kg but only put weight on after 20 weeks, I found I massively lost restriction and it was very scary to be honest!

I'm now 11 weeks postpartum and I've only got about 2kg left to lose to get back to my lowest ever weight and it's taken no effort. Although (I am breastfeeding) my restriction is definitely not as severe as it was before pregnancy, maybe this will change when I'm not breastfeeding any more.

Congratulations! The midwife has referred me to a consultant but she said at the time she was being over cautious. Should be fine I think as long as I eat enough calories over the day. X

@addler What is OGTT? X

@Francesca1986 oral glucose tolerance test- a disgustingly sweet sugary drink you have to drink quickly and then they check how much your blood sugar level has risen.

It's not very accurate for people who have had a sleeve though apparently, so both times I've had to do finger prick checks before and after meals for a few days instead. (But they've only remembered after I've already had the horrible drink!)

Hi. 2 years out from bypass and 12 weeks with twins. I've lost weight so far - a stone since I found out - because I've been sick as a dog and can't eat! Otherwise everything is fine and they're growing nicely. I'll be consultant led anyway.

@RobertaTheRobot that’s so interesting! I’ve heard of people losing restriction, but I don’t really understand how?!? X

@addler ah thank you. I have a lot to learn it seems!! X

@Myotherusernameisaferrari How lovely, congratulations X

@francescait is super weird! Apparently my dietician said it may be to do with the hormone relaxin which when your pregnant affects your joints ect so they can expand ready for growth/giving birth, so it maybe be effecting the stomach too perhaps. Or she said it may be your body just knows you need extra calories to sustain yourself and your baby so it's intuative.
basically they aren't 100% sure why restriction relaxed, but luckily they were really good at reassuring me that it was fine and just to go with it and trust/listen to my body.
Like you i was also referred to a consultant by my midwife, I had one appointment and a blood test and then he discharged me from consultant care and said I can have whatever type of birth I wanted and declared me low risk (so home birth, midwife led, birth center instead of hospital or water birth etc) so don't automatically panic that your under consultant care initially, if everything goes well it doesn't have to affect your choice of birth plan ect.
Congratulations on the pregnancy by the way!

@RobertaTheRobot Thanks so much! And to you 😊

Hey @Francesca1986 how are you getting on?

I have just found out I am about 8 weeks PG and I only had my sleeve done 3 months ago! So feeling anxious.

Will be great to see how you've found things 😊

Xx

Hey @Anon2021x

Congratulations!!!

I’ve been ok so far sleeve wise. I was very sick from 6 weeks to about 16 weeks but I think I would have been anyway.

I spoke to the consultant on Friday and she was more concerned about the mental health side of things. She said people who have gone to the extreme of having weight loss surgery often struggle with their body changing in pregnancy. She also said I’d get more growth scans later on to check all ok, but overall that baby will take what it needs and not to worry!

I think as you’re so early post op they may want to keep a closer eye on you but I imagine the same principles apply! Just speak to the midwife at your booking appointment and go from from there!

Good luck 😊

F x