How do BBW's think weight effected their pregnancy?

[bigirlover]

My girfriend and I just found out that she's pregnant! :D She's a just over 300lb BBW and we've started to research the different aspects of being overweight and pregnant, boy some of the stuff we've read is scary! So, we thought we'd like to hear the feedback of "real life" cases rather than things we've just read...

We've read that underweight birth is a major concern as well as stillbirth. Has this been the case for most pregnant BBW's?

Did you experience any complications related to your weight? For either you or your child?

How much weight did you gain?

Were you able to deliver naturally?

ALL feedback is greatly appreciated! Thank you so much.

[Tad]

1) Congrats! Its the ride of life :D

2) There have been previous threads on this. I'm putting in a link to one thread, in which you'll find more links. Those should give you a good starting point. http://www.dimensionsmagazine.com/forums/showthread.php?t=40922&highlight=pregnancy

3) There are lots of Moms around Dimensions who got pregnant at 300 pounds or more. There may be certain elevated risks, but the odds are good for a healthy child, so don't get too freaked.

4) I strongly suggest NOT making "What to Expect When You Are Expecting" the first pregnancy book that either of you read. It should be called "What to Fret about....." It can be a fine reference, but I'd start with something else, like "The Girlfriend's Guide to Pregancy."

5) Enjoy!

[itsbrookebaby_xo]

My girfriend and I just found out that she's pregnant! :D She's a just over 300lb BBW and we've started to research the different aspects of being overweight and pregnant, boy some of the stuff we've read is scary! So, we thought we'd like to hear the feedback of "real life" cases rather than things we've just read...

We've read that underweight birth is a major concern as well as stillbirth. Has this been the case for most pregnant BBW's?

Did you experience any complications related to your weight? For either you or your child?

How much weight did you gain?

Were you able to deliver naturally?

ALL feedback is greatly appreciated! Thank you so much.


Congratulations!

although i haven't had any kids yet, im 6 1/2 months pregnant and i can say for myself that so far everything has been great! No complications, and my little girl is super healthy, and weighs what shes supposed to.

as for how much weight I've gained, i was 260ish when i first found out i pregnant and now im around 275. My midwife said that as long as i gain 15 lbs, ill be fine & thats what they suggest for overweight women, for the "normal" women they say gaining 30 lbs is healthy. everyone is different :)

as far as the delivery aspect, i haven't delivered yet obviously, lol but the doctors keep telling me that ill be able to deliver naturally with no problem.

so again congratulations, and good luck :)
hope i helped ease some of your worries

[bexy]

I am 6 months pregnant and my current weight is about 308lbs. I have lost over 30lbs since getting pregnant, initially because I had no appetite. But more recently no one seems to know why I have lost so much, it seems to just be a fluke!


As for the pregnancy itself, I think it has been easier because of my weight, truly I do. I haven't had to make many accomodations or had a bigger shape to get used to, I can still wear my normal clothes, still swim and dance like I did. Blood pressure has not gone up one bit, my skin has cleared up, my nails and hair are growing like crazy and my protein and glucose tests all perfectly normal. :D

Baby is healthy, infact she looks to be quite tall! The scans were amazingly clear, and everything has been peachy so far!!

Hopefully it will continue to be a good pregnancy but I am keeping Dims updated anyways so feel free to ask any questions!

Congrats to you both and to you Brooke as well, I am also having a little girl!! :D

[JerseyGirl07093]

Congratulations to you and your girlfriend!

When I got pregnant with my daughter (she's 16 now) I was 300 lbs. The doctor said they only wanted me to gain 15 lbs. because of my size to begin with. That seemed a bit impossible to me since even if I gained nothing but 'baby and amniotic fluid weight' etc it seemed like it would be more than 15 lbs. so I just nodded my head in a kind of 'ok, whatever' nod. I had morning sickness and didn't even gain a pound until my 5th month of pregnancy. All total I gained about 30-35 lbs. (10 of which at the very end I think was water weight) and every single ounce of it came off when I had the baby. So I guess I needed all those pounds for a healthy baby. My daughter was over 9 lbs. by the way.
My pregnancy itself went fine with only the usual complaints. Morning sickness, swollen ankles, that kind of thing. And like Bexy said, I was already big so I actually just wore my regular clothes throughout my whole pregnancy.
I delivered my daughter naturally, just like I did with her brother 4 years earlier.
The only thing that I can say bad is that my blood pressure went way up when I was in labor and they were worried about that. It was fine all throughout my pregnancy though. The same thing happened when I delivered my son. But, think about it, I was in LABOR, a highly stressful situation, of course my blood pressure is going to go up! lol It was fine after I delivered though.
When I had my son 4 years earlier I was 'thinner' after having lost a lot of weight. I had been on a diet and then gotten sick. When I got pregnant I suddenly felt better and made up for lost time with the eating. I think I started out at about 220 and gained about 75 lbs. Yikes! That was not all baby weight. lol I lost about 30 or so pounds after my son was born. My pregnancy with him was even smoother than with my daughter. No morning sickness that lasts 9 months. :p
I was 21 when I had my son and 25 when my daughter was born so I was younger and able to bounce back better as well.
Hope this helps!

[toni]

I had a baby 6 months ago. I was 260 when I found out and 320 on the day I delivered. 60 pound gain! (If it matters to her I lost 30 lbs within two weeks of delivery and am slowly and surely losing the rest.)

I had NO COMPLICATIONS!!! Normal pregnancy, normal labor and normal delivery(no epidural by choice). Don't let them scare you. The one possible weight related issue I experienced was the ultrasound tech had to work a little harder to get some readings. The big 16 week check took almost 2 hours. That was pretty annoying and uncomfortable.

The only thing I would watch out for is a predisposition to diabetes and high blood pressure that might show during the 2nd trimester(that is for fat and skinny people alike).

Please post updates. Congratulations and have a happy healthy nine months!

[cinnamitch]

4 kids 5 year span. was over 300 lb with all of them. Gained around 30 lb with all and lost baby weight pretty fast. 8 lb, 8lb, 9.5 lb and 6.7 lb respectively were the birth weights of the kids. Only reason the last one was so small was he was TWO MONTHS EARLY!. I would hate to see what he would have weighed full term. Only reason he was early was because there was only 11 months and a few days between him and his brother so my uterus had not healed enough. All my kids were C sections because my pelvic bones refuse to open up to allow a natural delivery. No problems with pregnancy, none with delivery of the kids. Fat chicks can be fat and healthy while pregnant with no adverse reaction to the baby, the doctors just don't want to admit it.

[HottiMegan]

I had a baby 8 months ago and was 340 when i found out. I gained a TON of weight during my pregnancy. I had a lot of hip pain thanks to sciatica so i wasn't as mobile as usual. My doc was supportive and way cool about the gain though.
My little boy was born free of any complications at a healthy 6lbs 8oz. I didn't have morning sickness just a lot of fatigue and hip pain. All normal.
I did have a boy 5 years earlier born with some defects. None of which had to do with my weight. He was born with a short statured issue and Pierre Robin (cleft palate and small jaw).
I was followed very closely my second pregnancy because of these complications with my older boy but the high risk docs cut me loose because everything was textbook perfect.

I'd say the best thing to do is stay off the scary internet! :) Join some supportive online clubs that have other plus size moms. It's a great bonding thing and info exchange that's positive. I wish you guys a very easy pregnancy :D

[Miss Vickie]

Woohoo, congratulations! How exciting, becoming a parent.

I look at this as both a patient (I was over 200 with all my pregnancies) and a L&D/Mom Baby nurse. As a pregnant mom I had three healthy pregnancies, had all my kids at term, and they were good sized -- not too big or too small. I had some preterm contractions with my son but ended up having to be induced so I don't think I was in any danger of delivering early. With my first daughter I had hypertension and swelling, but I was under a lot of emotional stress so I think that had more to do with it than my size, especially since when I had my youngest I was bigger. I ended up having all my kids a few days late, and did just great. I had my youngest at home with two midwives, something you have to be low risk to be eligible for. It was GREAT!

As a nurse, it does seem like the women I care for who are bigger are more likely to be hypertensive and/or have gestational diabetes. That being said, both of those pregnancy complications are very appropriately handled with medications, bedrest and dietary changes. There are way worse complications that are harder to treat, and while these complications do probably lead to more inductions which lead to more cesareans, they're by no means a terrifying ordeal (or shouldn't be).

The best advice I can give is to find a provider (OB, Midwife, whatever feels best to her) that you feel will be a partner in her care, not an autocrat. Being honest about weight and what problems it can cause is important, but it's also important to focus on the other things that are crucial in having a healthy baby -- eating well, exercise, handling stress well, vitamins, things like that. It's a fine line we walk between being aware of the health problems associated with weight without having them the focus of the pregnancy. Even among the docs and midwives I work with I see a huge difference between practitioners, so knowing their point of view and what they anticipate for the pregnancy is important.

[Big Butt Asshley]

Congrats!!!

I only gained 12 pounds during my pregnancy. I ended up going on maternity leave about a month earlier then I had planned because my blood pressure was on the high side BUT it was NOT because of my weight, it was because of my BITCH boss. Once I was home my pressure went back to normal, go figure. I had a normal labor and delivery. I opted for the epidural and didn't have any issues with that either. My son was 7lbs 12oz. and 21 inches.

I stayed home from work for 6 months after my son was born and gained 60lbs...go figure!

Best of luck!!

[PrettyLife]

I was around 280 when I had my daughter two years ago and I had a wonderful pregnancy. No complications at all. Blood pressure was great as were my sugar levels. (Birth was a different story but I think that had a lot to do with the hospital bias against fat women) Anyway, I just found out that I am expecting baby #2 and I found a great site for information for pregnant women and they even have a seperate board for plus sized pregnancies. http://www.pregnancy.org/bulletinboards/forumdisplay.php?f=73 Good luck and enjoy the experience.

[HottiMegan]

I have to second what Missaf said. I had a horridly anti-fat doctor my first pregnancy and he was saying very early on that i'd be lucky to carry my son to 27 weeks. He induced me at 39 weeks. (i'm still angry about that one) I wound up with a c-section.
My second pregnancy, i had a bbw doctor and she was AWESOME! like night and day experience.
I always had high bp at the doctors office my first pregnancy but normal away from him. Second pregnancy i had textbook perfect BP while at my better doc's office.
It doesnt hurt to shop around for someone who won't berate you for being fat and pregnant. I wish i had done that my first pregnancy.

[bigirlover]

Thank you to everyone who responded. Sorry its taken me a while to post, things have been a little busy around here. We are about to start to look for a doctor and agree it would be better to put her weight out into the open and find a doctor that is pro pregnancy in bbws. It seems from all accounts that will make things much easier on the both of us. We have also calmed down quite a bit in our fears after reading everyone's stories and advice and having had a little time to digest the pregnancy itself. She is in week 7 and things are pretty smooth and normal ( from what we can gather ) A little morning sickness, one terrifying night of 24 hours of continuous throwing up ( which hasn't happened since thank goodness ) The only thing that has us a little baffled is the growing rate of her belly. There is a definite difference! She has been in a fair amount of pain from it, says it feels like the muscles are really stretching, at the top and upper sides and lower sides of her belly. Having some trouble getting comfortable, but is otherwise doing ok. ( personally I think its twins!!!!! ) just a gut feeling, they don't run in either of our families but something tells me this could be a first. Has anyone else experienced a rapid growth so quickly on? We took a few pictures last night that I will post. Thank you all so much again for all the advice and kind words. We are super excited and cant wait to see our little tic tac. ( her word not mine, lol )

[toni]

bigirlover, totally adorable!

[collared Princess]

I was 430 pounds 13 yrs ago when I had my son..I gained 20 pounds..he had to be delived c section because he was breech
I was 520 pounds when I had my daughter 2 yrs ago..I gained 20 pounds as well..she had to be delived c section because of the c section cut with my son 13 yrs ago..let me know if you have any question .Ill help as much as I can

[Miss Vickie]

Just so you know, the days of "once a cesarean, always a cesarean" are over. ACOG has certain requirements for VBAC's but it's by no means a foregone conclusion that once you have one you have to have another. If you have a low transverse incision (internally), then you may be a good candidate.

Heck, even Michelle Duggert, she who's had 18 babies has had numerous VBAC's after at least two cesarean sections.

[SocialbFly]

Just so you know, the days of "once a cesarean, always a cesarean" are over. ACOG has certain requirements for VBAC's but it's by no means a foregone conclusion that once you have one you have to have another. If you have a low transverse incision (internally), then you may be a good candidate.

Heck, even Michelle Duggert, she who's had 18 babies has had numerous VBAC's after at least two cesarean sections.

hey smart girl, lol, i dont even know all your abbreviations, maybe you could spell it out for the rest of us??

hugs :)

[collared Princess]

Just so you know, the days of "once a cesarean, always a cesarean" are over. ACOG has certain requirements for VBAC's but it's by no means a foregone conclusion that once you have one you have to have another. If you have a low transverse incision (internally), then you may be a good candidate.

Heck, even Michelle Duggert, she who's had 18 babies has had numerous VBAC's after at least two cesarean sections.
not if you have had a classical c section to begin with..the up and down kind..you wont ever have a vaginal birth afterwards..thats what kind of c section I had

[LoveBHMS]

ACOG= American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists. It's the governing body for OB/GYN doctors.

VBAC= Vaginal Birth after Cesarian.

[Miss Vickie]

hey smart girl, lol, i dont even know all your abbreviations, maybe you could spell it out for the rest of us??

hugs :)

Bwah! Sorry! :D I'm not smart. Just... steeped in my jargon. I forget that those aren't terms that everyone knows. :doh:

Here's a couple more:

LTCS - low transverse cesarean section, the side to side "bikini cut".
Vertical incision -- up and down incision

not if you have had a classical c section to begin with..the up and down kind..you wont ever have a vaginal birth afterwards..thats what kind of c section I had

True. That's what I said, though. If you have a low transverse incision, you can -- often -- have a VBAC. However, it bears keeping in mind that whatever kind of skin incision a woman has doesn't always translate to what's inside. Especially in fat women, where they often do vertical incisions externally so as not to go under the pannus, which is hard to manage during the procedure and hard to heal afterward. We have a couple of docs who always do verticals on fat women, and I'm always sure to tell the women, if they've had transverse uterine incisions to be sure and keep their op report and talk to their future docs if they want a VBAC.

It's unusual to do a vertical incision for a breech unless the baby was in severe distress and had to get out... like... now. Most of the time when we perform cesareans for breech, it's not an emergency so the doctors will do a low transverse because it is much much much safer than a classical incision. Even if a woman never labors, the uterine incision can be stressed and rupture. A classical incision is in a lot more danger of doing this, which is why the whole "oh, cesareans are no big deal" thing really chaps my ass. I've seen some really catastrophic shit resulting from cesareans so it is a HUUUUGE deal. Definitely, cesareans are great when necessary but there are a lot of elective ones being done which concerns me a lot.

ACOG= American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists. It's the governing body for OB/GYN doctors.

VBAC= Vaginal Birth after Cesarian.

Thank you. But I disagree about the "smart" thing. ;)

My point was just this, and it was a general point:

Just because a woman has had a cesarean does not mean she cannot have a vaginal birth with her next pregnancy. I wrote this because not all women realize that they have that option, and have cesarean after cesarean, which IS risky. I think it's particularly relevant to fat women because we already have a higher risk of cesareans (unnecessarily so, I think), and are already treated as high risk pregnancies because of our weight. So I just wanted to empower those women out there to avoid cesareans if they can (because there IS risk), and if they do have one, to know that may be able to have a vaginal cesarean later.

Okay, done now. Back to your regularly scheduled belly pics. :bow:

[HottiMegan]

I was heartbroken i couldn't do a VBAC. I had the bikini kind too :( The nearest hospital that allows them here is 90 miles away. Can you imagine driving 90 miles while in labor?! eck.

[bexy]

I am going to question my doctor and hospital this week about having a homebirth. I am scared my weight is going to be brought up as a factor against this, but I am prepared for it! My pregnancy has NOT been classed has high risk, I am not under a consultant and am having shared care, only allowed with low risk cases. So if they tell me my weight means I can't have a homebirth, I won't be giving up without a fight!

So here's hoping it goes well!

[bigirlover]

bigirlover, totally adorable!

Well, thank you. :D

[Miss Vickie]

I am going to question my doctor and hospital this week about having a homebirth. I am scared my weight is going to be brought up as a factor against this, but I am prepared for it! My pregnancy has NOT been classed has high risk, I am not under a consultant and am having shared care, only allowed with low risk cases. So if they tell me my weight means I can't have a homebirth, I won't be giving up without a fight!

So here's hoping it goes well!

Hey cutie. Did you know that I had my youngest at home with midwives? Now granted, it was here in the US, but if anything we're LESS accepting of home birth here. Definitely talk to your doc and see what they say. And if they say no, let me know. I have a friend who's deeply involved in the home birth movement in the UK; she may be able to help.

Being big puts you at higher risk, possibly, for some pregnancy complications. However, it shouldn't complicate the birth itself. As long as your healthy -- with good sugar control, no hypertension, stuff like that -- your weight shouldn't be an issue.

[bexy]

Well they didn't like that idea lol! They are very against me having a homebirth, because of the lack of staff and because it is my first baby. NOTHING to do with my weight, in fact they don't even mention it! I am the one who brings it up and they look at me like I have 2 heads...they just don't seem to view it as an issue so thats good.
Going to look into the homebirth thing more and will update soon!
They measured baby and she is coming in at 4lbs at the mo, which seems like a very good size!
I am going to be 29 weeks on Friday!

[bigmac]

First off congratulations – kids are great.

Next let me share something we discovered totally my accident. My wife got pregnant last January at about 380 pounds. Her OB/GYN in Camarillo (one of those Southern California towns where any woman who weighs more than 110 pounds is considered obese) was very concerned about how her weight would affect her pregnancy and delivery. Her pregnancy went very smoothly. She decided to eat as healthily as possible and actually lost weight. However, her doctor was still dreading the delivery.

As chance would have it she went into labor in Fresno (a working class city in California’s central valley). She checked into the nearest hospital – Fresno Community Medical Center. (For the record we were very impressed with FCMC.) Likely in response to the demographic they serve, this hospital is very experienced in treating gun shot victims and delivering high risk babies. In Camarillo the doctors couldn’t really get their heads around the idea of a SSBBW having a baby. In Fresno SSBBW’s having babies was a routine event.

Since all the medical staff had experience with plus sized deliveries no one over reacted and the c-section delivery went very smoothly (the doctors recommended a c-section due to very slow dilation). The surgical staff easily taped back my wife’s tummy with what looked like duct tape (I’m told it’s a special surgical tape) – a very low tech but efficient solution. Our nine and a half pound daughter was delivered through an amazingly small lateral incision under my wife’s belly.

The moral of this story – try and find a hospital that does plus size deliveries on a regular basis – and that such hospitals may not be the ones think of first.

[petunia805]

Congratulations are definitely in order!! Like the hubby said, having the baby in Fresno wasn't what we planned, but it ended up being the best possible outcome. Its true that while I was pregnant I ate healthily, but by NO means did I starve myself. I really only cut out High Fructose Corn Syrup and Partially Hydrogenated Oils (which EVERYONE should do anyway!) My husband and i did a lot of walking during the pregnancy too. I lost 17 lbs while I was Pregnant, gave birth to a VERY healthy 9 lb 9oz baby girl, and then proceeded to continue losing weight up to 90 lbs total. Again...no dieting. I had No high blood pressure, no gestational diabetes, not ANYTHING. I did have a cesarean in the end, which i had not planned on, but i think that was more due to slow dilation. I held out in labor for 3 days, and at that point, I just wanted it done. Even so, the whole process was easy. the staff was respectful, and didn't treat me any different because of my size. The recovery was super fast, the incision healed quickly and there is virtually no scar. I intend to opt for a cesarean agin with the next one. Right Bigmac? :)

My advice is to find yourselves a good doctor, but also take a look at the hospital and its staff too. The doctor really only shows up for the "big show" anyway. Its the nurses and hospital staff that handle it before and after that. If they aren't freaking out, you will be much more at ease. For now, just relax, enjoy being prego, and get some sleep. You won't get to sleep much after your little bundle of joy arrives!!

[phatfatgirl]

Well love those pics of the belly... awwww love the babies!! :wubu:

And congrats and what an exciting time to all the other moms-to-be out there!!

I'm so excited for you's! lol :D

[ksandru]

Hi, bigirlover! Congrats on you and your significant other's upcoming bundle of joy!
Both my pregnancies were head-scratchers for both OB-GYN's. My first pregnancy in 2005 was at age 43 and we conceived naturally. I was 306 when I gave birth via C-Section to my 1st son. No complications during the pregnancy. except for morning sickness. At the time, we lived in CT and my midwife, OB-GYN and employer at the time were extremely supportive and helped me to have a positive birthing experience. I loved Hartford Hospital's Maternity Unit. It was (almost) like giving birth at home. Having my 2nd child here in Jersey was a day-to-night experience. I delivered my 2nd son at 37 weeks in 2008. I was 46 and weighed 346. The first OB-GYN was extremely fat-phobic and didn't really treat me with respect at all (he thought I was going to miscarry, so why bother). I went to a website called: www.plus-size-pregnancy.org who helped me to deal & to find a more acceptance physician. The midwife & doctors at New Brunswick OB-GYN as well as their staff are extremely supportive and will do what they can for you. Unfortunately, the same couldn't be said with my former employer. I suffered physically and emotionally with the stress they put me through. Happily, Erik was delivered healthy and happy. So you and your lady FIGHT for proper care and respect. check out the website and all of K-Mom's resources and God Bless the two of you!

[fatgirlflyin]

First off congratulations – kids are great.

Next let me share something we discovered totally my accident. My wife got pregnant last January at about 380 pounds. Her OB/GYN in Camarillo (one of those Southern California towns where any woman who weighs more than 110 pounds is considered obese) was very concerned about how her weight would affect her pregnancy and delivery. Her pregnancy went very smoothly. She decided to eat as healthily as possible and actually lost weight. However, her doctor was still dreading the delivery.

As chance would have it she went into labor in Fresno (a working class city in California’s central valley). She checked into the nearest hospital – Fresno Community Medical Center. (For the record we were very impressed with FCMC.) Likely in response to the demographic they serve, this hospital is very experienced in treating gun shot victims and delivering high risk babies. In Camarillo the doctors couldn’t really get their heads around the idea of a SSBBW having a baby. In Fresno SSBBW’s having babies was a routine event.

Since all the medical staff had experience with plus sized deliveries no one over reacted and the c-section delivery went very smoothly (the doctors recommended a c-section due to very slow dilation). The surgical staff easily taped back my wife’s tummy with what looked like duct tape (I’m told it’s a special surgical tape) – a very low tech but efficient solution. Our nine and a half pound daughter was delivered through an amazingly small lateral incision under my wife’s belly.

The moral of this story – try and find a hospital that does plus size deliveries on a regular basis – and that such hospitals may not be the ones think of first.

Both of my kids were born there at Fresno Community, its a pretty decent facility and I thought the staff was pretty good too.

I was over 300 pounds when pregnant with both of my kids, the pregnancies went fine, delivery was fine when they decided to come. I had to be induced both times.

[OneHauteMama]

My girfriend and I just found out that she's pregnant! :D She's a just over 300lb BBW and we've started to research the different aspects of being overweight and pregnant, boy some of the stuff we've read is scary! So, we thought we'd like to hear the feedback of "real life" cases rather than things we've just read...

We've read that underweight birth is a major concern as well as stillbirth. Has this been the case for most pregnant BBW's?

Did you experience any complications related to your weight? For either you or your child?

How much weight did you gain?

Were you able to deliver naturally?

ALL feedback is greatly appreciated! Thank you so much.

First of all, congratulations!

Second of all...BREATHE lol.

Seriously, a lot of what is out there is written to scare women into losing weight before pregnancy. While some women who are BBW's experience Gestational Diabetes and Hypertension, there are many who do not.

I've had 3 children. None were natural births, but it had nothing to do with my weight...it was a complication with my induction for my first child that led to my cesareans for my other 2. C-sections (for me) are really not all that bad. My recovery was quick and not very painful, even though I have the whole double-belly-bottom-flap thing going on. I never got infections, and my incisions healed wonderfully.

I didn't gain any weight. In fact, I lost weight. As for birth weight, 1 baby was almost 9lbs, 1 was over 8, and one was over 7...so, low birth weight was not a concern. I also did not have Gestational Diabetes or Hypertension or anything like that. Healthy as a horse.

It's possible to deliver naturally when you're overweight. In fact, there are MANY experiences of women who have! Google SSBBW Birth Stories and stick to the size-positive sites. A good midwife, a good doula, can make your birth experience WONDERFUL and can make it possible to deliver vaginally.

Above all, don't stress about the ending...just enjoy the ride. It doesn't matter HOW your baby gets here, just that he/she and mommy are healthy. :)

[enxtc]

Congrats!!!
I had my son 10yrs ago, and I was over 350 when I became pregnant. I lost weight during my pregnancy, cause they treated like I was diabetic, and I was sent to specialist, cause, of my weight, and my age (I was almost 35).
As it turned out, they told me I was a boring patient, cause I didn't end up having all the problems they thought I would. I even had my son natural, cause my obgyn, didn't want to do a c-section, unless there was no other choice. All my problems came after.
Good luck and don't spend to much time worrying about what your reading, just take care of her, and I am sure that she will be fine!

[msbard90]

My girfriend and I just found out that she's pregnant! :D She's a just over 300lb BBW and we've started to research the different aspects of being overweight and pregnant, boy some of the stuff we've read is scary! So, we thought we'd like to hear the feedback of "real life" cases rather than things we've just read...

We've read that underweight birth is a major concern as well as stillbirth. Has this been the case for most pregnant BBW's?

Did you experience any complications related to your weight? For either you or your child?

How much weight did you gain?

Were you able to deliver naturally?

ALL feedback is greatly appreciated! Thank you so much.

Congrats on the pregnancy!
Well as many people know, or maybe they don't... Before having my son of 15 months, I weighed only 115 lbs. Throughout the pregnancy I gained about 85 lbs. Yes, the delivery was completely natural, I delivered a HEALTHY 9lb 8oz baby boy and healed rather quick. From gaining a lot of weight, I did have a lot of water retention issues, especially in my legs and feet. I also had to retake a diabetes test 3 times, just to make sure i wasn't diabetic (which i wasnt :) )
Good luck with everything!
Good luck with every

[EpsilonCool]

My wife was around 160 pounds when she conceived our first. She had morning sickness, pains in her hips and pre-enclampsia and gain 40 pounds.

She was around 290 pounds when she conceived our third. Healthy as a horse, easy delivery, ate for Canada, gained a huge amount and expanded at a scary rate and to a scary size.

The problems she had with the 3rd pregnancy had nothing to do with being pregnant.
1. The attitude of other people to her size
2. The problem in finding comfy clothing
3. The problem with room in the bed.
4. The problem with moving once into the 3rd trimester. She found she couldn't casually roll over. It required planning and a lot of effort.

[Linda]

My girfriend and I just found out that she's pregnant! :D She's a just over 300lb BBW and we've started to research the different aspects of being overweight and pregnant, boy some of the stuff we've read is scary! So, we thought we'd like to hear the feedback of "real life" cases rather than things we've just read...

We've read that underweight birth is a major concern as well as stillbirth. Has this been the case for most pregnant BBW's?

Did you experience any complications related to your weight? For either you or your child?

How much weight did you gain?

Were you able to deliver naturally?

ALL feedback is greatly appreciated! Thank you so much.



First of all do NOT believe everything you read. The rules now for pregnant women to follow are so stringent. Everyone is trying to be overly cautious instead of sensible. Like any pregnant woman she should, eat well, get around and do your normal activities and get ready for the best time in your life.
I was 30 when I conceived my son. That was a miracle in itself. I had many many problems during my pregnancy, none of which were weight related.
Being over 30 I was automatically sent to a high risk OBGYN. I had a c Section but that was not weight related either. He just wouldn't drop at all and they had to go in and pry his little fingers off of my rib cage because he just didnt want to come out.
I worked up until the day before my due date and then I was just too tired. Little did I know he wouldnt make it into the world for another week. I went through two inducements Is that the word? lol)
Simply, he was not done cooking.
Worst part of being pregnant was the diabetic testing. Never had it though. Best part of being pregnant was not gaining anyweight. I was losing weight as the baby was gaining weight and I just pretty much stayed the same. So I didnt have to buy a whole new wardrobe. Just wore it differently because of the baby in the front.
Sit back relax and just listen to her body. You will know what to do. because each pregnancy is different. Each woman is different. You can get a guideline but it wont be exactly the same for you.
Enjoy every second. :) The end result is amazing.

[bexy]

I had Ivy via a fully natural birth, she was a healthy 8lbs 5oz, I had no complications both pre and post pregnancy and found the whole thing a wonderful experience! Being plus size caused me no issues except for not being able to get nursing bras and maternity clothing when my bump got massive!

[00 toni lynn 00]

i did have complications with my first pregnancy, but none of it was due to weight--- one of the problems if you do have something going on, is trying to convince the doctor that it isn't the fat---- they will test everything that has to do with weight before they'll believe ya---

congrats on the baby--- what a wonderful time in your life!

[Blong]

I was just wondering if the ultrasound images for women with excessive belly fat come out clear and what kind of ultrasound did you have? I am thiking that I am about 4 or 5 months. I am having a hard time getting any doctor to believe me. I finally got an ultrasound and the doctor said I was not pregnant. I am so confused because my stomach is constantly getting bigger and I am able to get a hearbeat with a fetal doppler of 135 and up. The doctor says it just measues the blood flow. The ultrasound tech had me lifting my stomach, which is flabby at the bottom. I was wondering if this caused the images to be compromised in any way from me lifting my stomach up. Any advice, please help. I am so frustrated. I need a fat friendly doctor but they are hard to find. I just wanted to add that my stomach kinda looks exactly like bigirlover's wife stomach, exactly. How many months was she on those pic?

[Flutterby68]

My youngest child is 15 years old and I was 270 or so when I got pregnant with him. He was born in Feb 1994.

The only issue that my weight caused for me was gestational diabetes. I didn't have to take insulin, but could control it with diet. The problem though was later - after delivery, gestational diabetes is supposed to go away. Mine didn't. I was actually a Type II diabetic who was undiagnosed for several years, and that has caused some kidney damage.

I only gained 7 lbs with that pregnancy (I was considerably thinner with the other pregnancies). I had a very hard time keeping food down, though, so I don't know if the minimal weight gain was because of problems with eating, or because my starting weight was so high.

[Blong]

I was 430 pounds 13 yrs ago when I had my son..I gained 20 pounds..he had to be delived c section because he was breech
I was 520 pounds when I had my daughter 2 yrs ago..I gained 20 pounds as well..she had to be delived c section because of the c section cut with my son 13 yrs ago..let me know if you have any question .Ill help as much as I can

Ultrasound Images

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I was just wondering if the ultrasound images for women with excessive belly fat come out clear and what kind of ultrasound did you have? I am thiking that I am about 4 or 5 months. I am having a hard time getting any doctor to believe me. I finally got an ultrasound and the doctor said I was not pregnant. I am so confused because my stomach is constantly getting bigger and I am able to get a hearbeat with a fetal doppler of 135 and up. The doctor says it just measues the blood flow. The ultrasound tech had me lifting my stomach, which is flabby at the bottom. I was wondering if this caused the images to be compromised in any way from me lifting my stomach up. Any advice, please help. I am so frustrated. I need a fat friendly doctor but they are hard to find. I just wanted to add that my stomach kinda looks exactly like bigirlover's wife stomach, exactly. How many months was she on those pic?

[ksandru]

First of all, it's EXTREMELY IMPORTANT that you get prenatal care immediately! In the interim, go to a Planned Parenthood clinic & get a blood test to confirm your pregnancy. Then DEMAND that you get prenatal care! Ask your primary care physician to refer you. If not, go to a website called: www.plus-size-pregnancy.org & look for a size-friendly physician in your state. If you live in CT or in NJ, I know the names of some very good ones, since I had both my boys in each state. As far as an ultrasound is concerned, I have a big belly & had one throughout both pregnancies. I had to hold up my belly for the scanner, but was able to see the babies. Another alternative would be to ask for a vaginal ultrasound. You have to take the initiative & DEMAND quality care for you & your baby. Another alternative to an ob-gyn would be a midwife. I used midwives during both my pregnancies & both were non-judgmental about my size (306 during baby #1 in 2005 & 340 in 2008 for baby #2). Both my babies were born healthy & happy. Please keep me posted on your search & let me know if u need any support. I will be glad to help! :)


Ultrasound Images

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I was just wondering if the ultrasound images for women with excessive belly fat come out clear and what kind of ultrasound did you have? I am thiking that I am about 4 or 5 months. I am having a hard time getting any doctor to believe me. I finally got an ultrasound and the doctor said I was not pregnant. I am so confused because my stomach is constantly getting bigger and I am able to get a hearbeat with a fetal doppler of 135 and up. The doctor says it just measues the blood flow. The ultrasound tech had me lifting my stomach, which is flabby at the bottom. I was wondering if this caused the images to be compromised in any way from me lifting my stomach up. Any advice, please help. I am so frustrated. I need a fat friendly doctor but they are hard to find. I just wanted to add that my stomach kinda looks exactly like bigirlover's wife stomach, exactly. How many months was she on those pic?

[Miss Vickie]

Great advice, Ksandru. I answered, hopefully, her questions on the other ultrasound thread. I hope I was helpful, blong.

I've been meaning to post to this thread a little nugget of positivity that I noticed with the providers and nurses I work for in our L&D unit. I've noticed lately that with our fat moms that we're trying to do fewer cesareans on them because they have such a harder time healing from a large abdominal wound. So, counter to what many of us think (and what the studies seem to reveal), we're trying to do fewer unnecessary cesareans on our fat moms in order to help them heal faster. This makes sense, since as most of us who've had surgeries know, it's very hard to heal from belly wounds, and we're at a much higher risk of dehiscence (where the two sides of the wound don't "knit").

It was pretty nice to see, lately. It's not perfect, and there's still a lot of anti-fat bigotry (I dealt with some the other day, in fact) but I'm glad at last that in my little corner of the baby delivering world that we're helping more women have non-surgical births. :)