Why are overweight / obese women more likely to have an instrumental birth?

[NakedInnocence]

I'll be honest from the outset, my BMI is over 30 (comfort eating after my dad died last year, and I have very broad shoulders and hips so have never been an 'ideal' weight).

DH are trying for our first baby, I've been to my GP and he said that he wasn't overly concerned as long as I am hyper healthly from now on and really controlled how much I put on in pregnancy I could get down to it .

I stupidly went on the NHS Website and am now scared senseless .

Two questions:

1. Has anyone out with a BMI over 30 had a 'normal' healthy pregnancy and birth?

2. Why does being overweight make you more likely to need intervention in labour?

I know the answer is to lose weight and I am working on it, but I hate the thought of having to wait to try to conceive while I lose the weight, especially as my GP said age was more of an issue than weight!!

Please someone reassure me that I'm not being totally naive

I have been very overweight for all my pregnancies and it has never caused any issues.
No gestational diabetes, pre eclampsia, or instrumental labours. all 3 of mine have been born naturally with no intervention or tearing and expect the same for no.4

Instrumental?

Just a chamber orchestra I hope

My BMI is 30.9 and gave birth to 4 dcs without a problem at all (all fast and with gas&air like lizziemun). Well actually 3Dcs as I was not overweight yet when I had DD1. The wheigt of my babies ranged from 3.2 kg to 4.2kg with the heavier one being DS4 and the lightest one DD4.I do walk a lot and jog once a week but do not seem to be able to shift the weight off.

OrmIrian - LOL

Thanks for all the information everyone, it has helped reassure me.

I'm lucky in that I don't actually have much abdominal fat so hopefully won't have too many problems with scans etc.

For those that mentioned dieting and exercising, I am being very careful about what I'm eating and have already losr 2kg! I'm already quite active - horse riding, swimming with DH and walking so keeping it up.

Now I guess I just have to hope that I fall pregnant

My BMI is high (over 30) and I had a high GTT result - just over the normal level. This meant I was classed as having gestational diabetes and went on a low GI diet.

Once sugar levels were under control I had no problems - midwives were nice, scans were absolutely fine, birth was induced because I was postdates but no complications.

I will say that I did feel much, much better once I was on the diet and had high energy until the v end of pregnancy. I was quite sprightly even when heavily pregnant! So I think it's worth changing your diet if you know it's not great. It is a shame this is always presented as a moral issue, though, when it is really a mechanical one! Don't feel bad about yourself. You are great and your body is, too.

1. BMI of 38, midwife was very impressed with how well 2nd stage went (30 mins, only that long cos DD wrapped the cord about her neck and needed it cut before the rest of her was born), I was told "You can come back"!

2. Dunno... not as muscular?

I got a walking epidural so I could adopt more helpful birthing positions too. I gave birth whilst kneeling.

BMI is bullshit anyway. My Endocrinologist agreed with me when I spoke to her about it before I got preggers. Good luck with your pregnancy and birth, ignore all the fearmongering.

Ooh nutty, hope you get your homebirth, Leaky is hoping to have one too.

LOL at nakedinnocence, hope you'll post again on this thread when you manage to get pregnant.

I cant remember what my BMI is. But I lost about two stone when while pregnant, best diet I ever did!!

I had "complications" during my pregnancy but not really related to BMI. I had bleeding early in pregnancy (common), was exposed to slapped cheek syndrome (just unlucky), had minimal baby movements (anterior placenta cushioned the blows) and pre-eclampsia (just unlucky)

Drs were happy for me to have a natural birth, I ended up with a C-section as DD was breech (awkward child!).

Sometimes it is the luck of the draw.

Good luck

I have a high BMI and have had three non-instrumental vaginal deliveries. My heaviest baby was 8lbs 11oz. In two pregnancies I was expected to have a GTT (because of my BMI NOT any symptoms) - which I refused (fun conversation with consultant) and never had any problems with gestational diabetes or high blood pressure or heartbeat monitoring and scans.

IMO the data on obese women being high risk is very hard to interpret accurately. It is well established that one intervention cascades to another - and how do we know that this effect is not reponsible for fat women having more complications? To put it another way - the medical profession expects that a fat mother will struggle to deliver - so they implement all sorts of restrictions, pressure and intervention - which promptly means she struggles to deliver in an uncomplicated fashion. What's the chicken and what's the egg?

Good luck ttc