BMI gone up in pregnancy and feel fat

[Kellym25]

I don't know if it's just me being sensitive due to having anorexia years ago but at my 34 week midwife appointment today they weighed me, calculated my new BMI and ticked a box to say I'm now obese 😢 it's making me not want to eat anything in fear of putting on more weight. I've put on 1st 6lb so far in pregnancy and it's my first. Not sure if that's normal or not or if its too much. I lost weight at the start as I felt sick for months and couldn't face eating much and due to being towards the end of my pregnancy and not much room, I don't eat much now. My bump measurements are bang on where they should be and growth scans show baby is bang on the centre line.

I've been suffering from depression and anxiety the last few months and I've got very bad spd so struggling with pain and not sleeping well and seeing the words obese has made me feel awful.

Although it’s normal to keep an eye on weight in pregnancy, they’re not supposed to recalculate BMI on the basis of that - sounds like you’ve seen a duff midwife. It’s not ‘your’ bmi they’re actually calculating at 34/40 - it’s you, another human, a placenta and the fluid - it doesn’t mean you’re obese! FWIW, the obstetricians and anaesthetists (if you need input from either of them) will understand that and won’t be making any decisions based you this calculated BMI.

They absolutely shouldn’t be calculating your bmi after your booking in appointment. It’s been shown to be inaccurate anyway but it’ll be way out when pregnant. They shouldn’t even be weighing you unless there were concerns. It’s totally normal to put weight on. I put on 3 stone with my first and there were no concerns.

That’s strange to me. Like others have said they can’t properly do a BMI like this as it wasn’t created with pregnancy in mind. You have a baby, placenta and the fluids etc.

Well obviously you're not obese, your pregnant.

I think given your history being weighed is likely to be massively triggering so I would ask the health staff to either not weigh you or if they have to, to make sure they know not to tell you.

Do not stop eating, that would be very dangerous.

Hi, I completely get this. I'm 34 weeks, have gained 1st 9lb and if I check my BMI am very close to the obese range too.

However- listen to PPs. You are pregnant. You are carrying baby, fluid, placenta and increased fat stores which are necessary for breastfeeding (should you choose to do it). It is not accurate to calculate BMI when pregnant for this reason.

The whole concept of BMI is horribly flawed and unhelpful - there's a really good episode of the Maintenance Phase podcast that debunks it which is worth a listen.

Please try not to worry and try to instead feed you and your baby tasty and nourishing foods that make you both feel good. It's so important that you continue to eat and look after yourself to avoid early labour and keep supplying your baby and body with the nutrients they need.

Im 32 weeks and put on over 2stone!!!! Gutted, dont feel like over over ate at all.

Tabitha Farrah books around fear of weight gain would be very helpful to anyone with this fear.

Im currently 32 weeks and I've put on almost 3 stone.
Apparently the smaller you are to start (my bmi was 18) the more you put on.
It was the same with my 1st pregancy and I was back to pre pregancy weight within a year without trying.

Eh? You can't calculate BMI when you're 34 weeks pregnant 😂 you have a giant baby in your uterus!!!

Please query this as it's not right and I have no idea what your MW was thinking? This has to be some kind of crossed wires?

As lots of people have said, calculating your BMI so far into a pregnancy is a weird thing to do! It sounds like you've been putting on a perfectly normal amount here are a couple of links for reference, I think in general you'd expect about a pound a week?

https://www.nhs.uk/pregnancy/related-conditions/common-symptoms/weight-gain/#:~:text=Most%20pregnant%20women%20gain%20between,after%20your%20baby%20is%20born.

https://www.nct.org.uk/pregnancy/food-and-nutrition/pregnancy-weight-gain-whats-normal-stones-and-kg

Thank you all for your messages. It has made me feel a bit better.

It has definitely been a trigger for me today and I was surprised that they did my weight and then did a new bmi, especially as they know about my previous eating disorder.

I had my height, weight and bmi done at my first appointment and I was told it was in the normal range so was shocked and upset for it to be done and then ticked as obesity.

I’m currently 32 weeks pregnant and was shocked recently to learn I’ve put on 3 stone. Pre-pregnancy I was very lean and fit.
I don’t like to weigh myself as it makes me feel mentally unwell and I’ve had issues in the past, so I really wish I hadn’t stepped on those scales and I won’t be doing it again, ever.

Please ignore the BMI thing whilst pregnant and be kind to yourself. As long as you’re not stuffing your face constantly with a multipack of Mars bars (and even if you are, you’re pregnant!) you’re fine. I realise how difficult it is to learn to be more relaxed around food, but eating less now will just punish you.