Obese pregnancies..

[Kitteh]

Just wondering if theres anyone out there who was very overweight during pregnancy and what problems they may have occured.

im 20, i weigh 23 st and i am 22 weeks pregnant. I do follow consultant led care due to my weight, but have found my consultant to be quite frightening. In my first appointment with him he basically sat down and scribbled in my green notes:
"ISSUES:

1. DIABETES
2. PREECLAMPSIA
3. C SECTION LIKELY
4. RISK OF COMPLICATIONS IN SURGERY HIGH
5. DVT"

Im a natural worrier and tbh this has just freaked the hell out of me. Im now paranoid im going to die, paranoid of every little thing i feel. Paranoid of swelling ankles which could mean Preeclampsia. I actually woke up the other night and felt a pain in my leg and was sure it was a blood clot and that i was going to die because it was going to go to my heart. I know i sound nuts, but i really dont know what i can do.. I didnt intend to get pregnant, not at my weight, but it happened, and i would never abort a child for that reason.

Any advice is greatly appriciated.

TBH I would speak to your consultant at your next appointment about your worries. He should be able to explain how likely it is that you'll have complications etc.
He was probably just highlighting things that could happen...so that you are aware.

What sort of advice do you want? Are you looking for reassurances that you will have a smooth, complication-free pregnancy? Because nobody can really guarantee that for you. Pregnancy can be a really worrying time, no matter what your weight, but obviously being obese does increase the risks for you in certain respects. I would say the best thing you can do is to try to be as healthy as possible, have regular check ups and take it as it comes. I know it's easy to say, but try not to think the worst.

MrsMattie.. im not expecting someone to tell me "everything will be alright".. i shouldnt have said advice.. im very sorry.. what i meant was.. input.. like.. my consultant suggested i would DEFF have complications etc.. which i feel was a bit much.. Ive never have problems with BP usually or anything like that.. The worst ive had is chronic ear infections.. lol.. which i dont feel are linkd to my weight.. of course being overweight is unhealthy..
I just want to know how other people who had been overweight in pregnancy had managed basically..
Ill bring it up with my consultant next time i see him, but sadly that isnt till mid march.. And i dont even have a midwife appointment really as she said she would send it out in the post, and i havnt had one since 14 weeks..
Thanks hedgewitch, Ive lost about a stone and a bit so far, so im probably about 21 and a bit stone.. im still in all the same size clothes and have only put weight on on my bump.. I guess i just worry.. Google is my worst enemy..

all of the above are a risk even you are not obese, what you need to try and get a handle on is how much greater risk you are at? TBH I don't think your consultant is being very helpful scaring you like that. Why don't you go to next appointment and say ok! You have scared me what do i need to do to minimise these risks?

I'm sure the same advice as everyone else applies eat sensibly and try to keep moderately active (while not going ott and doing loads of stuff you didn't do before pg

Wishing you a happy and healthy rest of pregnancy try not to worry some consultants are just mean

have you been prescribed compression stockings?

the possible complications listed by your dr are very real and he is sensible to highlight them to you

Just read your last post make a midwives appointment chase them don't fall through the sometimes huge cracks in the system and talk to them.

Oh please don't Google!

I don't know what you weight in pounds as I don't understand stone, but are you really overweight?

Has the consultant referred you to anybody else, for intance, to a dietician for advice? I'm not suggesting that you should diet in pregnancy, but it's all well and good to make alarming notes without any possibility of being able to do anything about it....

Is your GP approachable?

Hi, I was 15 stone when I got pregnant, had a normal pregnancy but developed pre eclampsia at 38 weeks, lots of swelling, induction which led to emergency caesarean. This was my second pregnancy, in my first I was 10 stone at the beginning, had quite a complicated pregnancy, lots of swelling and developed hypertension at 34 weeks. Had a complicated delivery which started naturally at 40 weeks, and very nearly ended up with a caesarean. Had a very rushed delivery where I needed an episiotomy as well!
Think what Im getting at is that you do increase your chance of having a complicated pregnancy by being overweight but that you cant guarantee being slim will lead to a normal pregnancy either. Hope everything goes ok for you, good luck x

I'm obese and I would say that it was more practical stuff that was a challenge - difficulty getting good scan images through the layers of lard..! also they really struggled to monitor me with that round the waist thing they do, it kept sliding off and just didn't really work which meant that they ended up breaking my waters in labour and fixing a monitor to dd's head which was pretty crap really. Also when I had an epidural I found it impossible to scoot up the bed as the midwvies asked me and they found it hard to move me at all. Finally with dd2 I had an emergency section and dh reliably tells me that they had an extra midwife whose only job was to hold my belly out of the way . I have found it hard to be obese and pregnant, seem to be hotter, clumsier and generally harder to get around but it is do-able. I did have high BP in the first one but never developed pre-eclampsia and also didn't get diabetes. I think the main thing is to be aware and to make sure you're monitored regularly. (and make sure you get the big cuff when they're doing your BP - it makes a massive difference but they don't always bother with it.)

Im following the Slimming world plan to make sure i eat well, and get enough of the right things.. and not enough of the bad things.. lol.. try to do moderate exercise, various walks n stuff..
I think highlighting th stuff was good, but im worried it is making me over anxious.. if you know what i mean..
I rang up my midwife today and left a message basically saying would it be possible to get her to give me an appointment at some point. Just would be good to check my bp and urine and stuff.. fingers crossed she will ring back tomorrow.. I just wish my consultant hadnt listed all thes things and then not talked about them.. I will bring it up with my midwife when i see her.. I have my second GTT appointment next monday, first came back clear of anything.. which was nice.. lol.
I was reading stupid me and google.. that it is right to worry when you get swelling in your ankles, but if you press it leaves an indent, not springing back straight away.. tbh i think its just cos i have been listed all these things that i know nothing about, no way of knowing if i was getting preeclampsia, etc, not knowing what signs to look out for.. its just making me feel pretty down..

some useful info here

Thanks Hanging..

Kitteh - I'd just like to say many congratulations on your pregnancy! You have inspired me - and I share many of your worries. I too got pregnant twice weighing 23 stone (ish)- unfortunately I miscarried both times and I blamed myself and the weight.
However my doctor was lovely - he reassured me that all these risks you are talking about - well they are there whatever your weight or size. The only difference he told me was that my weight would slightly elevate that - but for example if theres a 10% risk of DVT - there's still a 90% chance of not IYSWIM? (not exact statistics!)
Medical professionals have to write this stuff in your green's - so that they can prepare for any eventuality - God forbid. And as much as I felt awful for the stuff they were writing, and felt so so guilty and ashamed of myself - I'm still glad that they were aware of potential mishaps - and were able to help should the worst happen.
I guesss what I'm trying to say is take one day at a time, continue doing all the really healthy stuff you seem to be doing, look after yourself & try not to (if you can) beat yourself up or worry too much about what may or may not happen. I too got told to stop Googling!
I hope that you get a midwife appt sorted soon and that she can reassure you. I hope that the rest of your pregnancy is smooth and stress free xxx

Gingercoo.. Firstly sorry to hear about your miscarriages.. i cant imagine what that must hve been like..
Thanks so much for replying, you've really made me see it at a different angle.. you're totally right, so far ive had a pain free pregnancy with nothing wrong, so why im going crazy i have no idea.. Got to take away that doubt and just take one day at a time..
Thanks a lot..!! x

Read something recently - can't remember where - doctors spend years and years learning about science and then are let loose to work with people. Sorry if this offends any doctors out there who do have people skills but you have to admit there are a lot who don't.

I think the key is to find out what you can do about the risks. Then you can concentrate on preventing problems that you can prevent and being aware of what to look out for in those you can't. Google is not your friend in these situations; you need to ask for referrals to people like dieticians etc.

There is no point in worrying about things you can't alter at this stage. Of course you need to be aware of potential problems so you can deal with them properly but try to concentrate on the dealing with rather than just the problem. Easier said than done, I know, but I think if you can keep this attitude with you during medical appointments a lot of the barbs people like to jab at you will just slide off.

Haha.. Now you come to mention it, i have a couple of medical student, and biologists as friends and thats so very true..

Thanks plantsitter..

Kitteh - look at this way - you're 20 - were you over 40 and as thin as a beanpole they would still be writing 'risk of diabetes, pre-eclampsia, c-section/induction etc' all over your notes. Were you 30 but with a history of BP problems in your family or a congenital condition that would be on there to.

There is always something and it is your doctor's job to make sure you are informed. Personally I think they go a little heavy on the 'we're all dooooooooomed' scenarios sometimes but then if I spent my working week talking to people about babies, delivering babies and palpating stomachs and 9ahem) other areas to see which up the baby was going to arrive - I'd probably be a bit glass half emptyish too!

Don't feel guilty - you have nothing to feel guilty about. And don't feel you have to agree to every test going because you're overweight and therefore 'deserve' for things to go wrong. Chances are you will have a perfectly healthy pregnancy - because most people do. Ask your doctor why they want to do whatever it is - what are the risks to you and the baby (make sure you include peace of mind in that equation), what are the benefits to you and the baby from having the results of said test and what would happen if you do nothing.

ENJOY your pregnancy - you are doing an amazing thing and it is to be celebrated. Congratulations - you're going to be a mother

Thanks NL.. you made me smile there.. Its all about having the right attitude, you're right.. ive felt a lot better in the last couple of days, like emotionally.. i dont know if part of my anxiety is to do with depression, cos i do get panic attacks quite often.. but they're also getting better, and ive been managing to like go out by myself without having to have my OH there for like.. support..
Gotta go and have my next GTT testy thing on monday, hoping they dont mess up my veins like last time.. lol..
Thanks a lot for your post..

not personally but my sis was over 17stone during both her pgs - she didn't suffer from any of those complications except she had to have an emCS the first birth and an elective CS the second time. Nothing to do with her weight and everything to do with her DD1 mucking about with the cord!

Just to add my thoughts, I had my two dc when I was very obese. I felt extremely well during both pregnancies and suffered no bp or diabetes issues. I had an emergency cs with ds due to non progression of labour (weight related? who knows?)and an elective with dd (my choice, too posh to push!).

After both surgeries I recovered extremely quickly - with dd I was out of hospital after 48 hours and in the sandpit of a playground with ds 5 days later.

What I am trying to say is that statistics show that obese pregnancies carry more risk but risk is just what it is and not a certainty! And on the plus side I did not suffer with the discomfort that thinner people do as they get bigger. Maybe because I was used to carrying the excess weight already.

I wish you health and happiness in your pregnancy

Hi Kitteh and congratulations!

I wish my GP was as thorough as yours - he didn't tell me anything about potential risks due to obesity (well not due to obesity but certainly increased by it).

For my first pregnancy, I started at 105 kgs and ended up in hospital at 29 weeks with undiagnosed pe-eclampsia. I had an emergency c-sec and spent 2 weeks in special care and my little boy (born at 1.4 kgs) spent 2 weeks in an incubator + another 2 weeks in intensive care. I was later told that although my pre-eclampsia wasn't linked to my weight, being obese aggravated it.

I'm now pregnant (unplanned) and resigned to the fact that I'll get pre-eclampsia again, and being still obese is not helping my case at all.

I don't want to scare you: as others have said you could very well have a blissful 18 weeks with no complications, and that's all I wish for you.

But knowing the potential risks should reassure you rather than stress you out in that you'd be better equipped in case anything happened.

Wishing you all the best in your pregnancy xx

My SIL is a similar size to you and after warnings about diabities, high blood presure, etc, she kept eating large quantities of sweets, cream cakes, fried food. She had a more difficult pregnancy than I'm having, but was not hospitalised or developed diabities. After an inducement befor due date due to large size of baby she had an emergency c-section and both mother and baby ARE doing well! Do your best to look afer yourself but you are not doomed

Hi, Congratulations.

When I was pg with DS I was a similar size to you (still am)I was subjected to the many extra tests that are needed for obese women but suffered with nothing. I had a little SPD which was horrible but not linked to weight in the slightest and then my waters broke at 30 weeks nobody had any idea why it had happened but I was assured it was again not linked to weight. I went into labour naturally at 34.5 weeks and had a fabulous uncomplicated labour, ending up with a gorgeous DS who even though he was premature had no health problems and was discharged a few days later.

Stop worrying yourself, the worst part about being overweight and pg I found was that until very late on no one knew I was pg. I wold have died for a beautifull pg bump.

Good luck with it all xx

Hi congrays on being pregnant

IMO consulataints go out there way to be nasty and to scare the living day lights out of you mine did she did this twice going on about all the "RISKS" and tbo I was so scared I refused to go back but I did and I told he exactly how she made me feel and how very scared I was in the end up They did not know why I had a very traumatic labour resulting in a Emergancy c section and me being extreamly poorly with every doctor in 2 hospitals coming to see me they gave me a few hours tolive they thought i was dieing but the underline answer was I had a B12 deficiancey Not detected in pregnancy as this is the only Vitimain they do not test while being pregnant and is the worst one to give you any hassle I am quite big obease but in the end it was nothing to do with my weight that caused my terrible pregnancy and birth .

Please do not worry you will have a fantastic birth and when ur holding that wee bundle of joy in ur arms ull forget all about the nasty consultaint xx#

sorry for rambleing on