What Do You Think About Being Pregnant and Overweight

I'm speaking from experience that there can be complications from being pregnant and overweight. It puts you at increased risk for diabetes, preeclampia and a low birth weight baby. I wanted to avoid a c-section at all costs but my blood pressure kept rising and rising to the point that my baby had quit growing and I had very low amniotic fluid. They had to do a c-section at 37 weeks because he was worried about my baby. It all related back to my blood pressure which I'm sure related back to my weight. I am on a quest to lose 50 pounds by January so I can try for #2 and hopely avoid the complications I had with the last pregnancy and possibly have a VBAC. Good luck.

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Try reading this book called Big, Beautiful, and Pregnant: Expert Advice and Comforting Wisdom for the Expecting Plus-Size Woman, by Cornelia van der Ziel and Jacqueline Tourville

Gives great advise and even offers you things you can do to have a healthy pregnancy! I was/am overweight when I had my daughter (my 1st and only... so far) by more than 100 lbs and I kept yo-yoing throughout my whole pregnancy! I ended up losing lots of weight in the beginning and not until the last week did I gain 10 lbs! So throughout my whole pregnancy I only gained 10 lbs of weight I had already lost! Then after I gave birth, I lost 20 lbs and then with breast feeding I lost another 25! So now I am under the weight I was BEFORE I was even pregnant and I had a beautiful, very healthy baby girl.

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Hi Y.. I've about 100 lbs overweight and I've delivered 2 healthy boys. One my 2nd boy, I was heavier than when I got pregnant with #1 but my body just naturally lost that weight to put me back to my #1 weight. I gained only 12 lbs with each pregnancy. I also had 2 miscarriages but those weren't related to my weight. So, I don't know if it helps your or not but I had great pregnancies, despite being overweight.
C.

I'm sure women of all shapes and sizes daily deliver healthy babies. I have heard that it is more difficult to conceive being overweight. You do need to consider yourself for one, how the extra pregancy weight could affect your own health, and how much more harder it will be to lose after the baby is born. Also, it adds increased risk for the baby, being carried by an unhealthy mother. Now, it depends on what you're considering 'overweight'. Are you simply carrying 10-15 lbs from your last preg. with your 2 year old, or are you carrying 50+ lbs. and already at risk for several conditions being that overweight? In either case, start walking, getting in shape, eating healthy before you get pregnant and provide a healthy environment for your baby to grow! Here's a link I found with some information. Hope it helps! http://www.storknet.com/cubbies/pregnancy/news-obeserisk.htm

Good for you losing twenty pounds! It's so hard..... If I were you, I would talk to the doctor and see if he/she has any advice for you. I was overweight with 3 of my 4 pregnancies, and the complications I had with them were not weight related! If you've had healthy pregnancies and children in the past, why not again?! Good luck.

Y.,
I'm overweight now and not interested in having babies anymore, but I can't imagine being in the shape I am in and enduring the struggles of pregnancy. It would be so hard.

At least some other posters have given you good info. Though I'd try to lose as much weight as possible before getting pregnant.

There can be bad things that happen in any pregnancy, fat or not fat. Though the chances of c-section or other complications are greater with bad health. And being overweight is bad health. I'm fat, I don't care what they say about my blood pressure or blood sugars being good, I'm fat and it's bad for me and I'm trying to lose it.

I don't believe you can be fat and healhty. I wish it were easier to lose.... it's so hard.

Good luck on your decision.

I've been about 20-30 pounds overweight with three of my four pregnancies (I gained 70 pounds during the first pregnancy and never quite got it all off) and haven't had any complications (crossing my fingers for my current pregnancy, which isn't yet halfway over). With all of them, I've had the usual complaints: morning sickness, feeling tired, aching everything, etc., but nothing life threatening or even terribly worrisome. I waited tables through one pregnancy & supervised a busy inventory/receiving room for a retail bookstore through another. No big deal for this big girl. :)

On a side note, I just learned that Lane Bryant does maternity clothes online. I wonder if they're any good?

Y.,

Good for you for wanting to add to your family. Congratulations on losing 20lbs.

I certainly do not want to upset you or point fingers. I have always been a yo-yo weight. Generally speaking you know that being overweight is not healthy. With my first pregnancy I put on 60lbs due to gest diabetes and luckily it all fell off. With my second and third the same thing however the weight didn't come off as quickly and I felt very sluggish. How do you feel physically after dropping those pounds? Can you notice a difference in the way that you feel?

It's very possible that you will have an absolutely normal pregnancy and deliver without issue. Everyone wants that for you and everyone also wants you to be healthy. Do you have a desire to lose anymore weight?

My obgyn is a stickler for weight. He of course is in very good shape. He would always get onto me for gains if it was more than what it should be while pregnant. (20lbs in 4 weeks! eek!) He would say that the heavier you are the harder your pregnancy would be and encourage you to loose the weight.

If you are interested in losing more weight and/or exercising on a regular basis there is a gym in Keller that is doing a fitness study. Send me a PM and I'll give you the info.

Good luck

Im overweight and pregnant with number 4. The only issues I have ever had were blood pressure except with the 1st child. I was normal size with him, and I developed pre-e with him. With the other 2 and the 1 I am pregnant with now, I have taken blood pressure medicine from day 1.

I am overweight by about 50 pounds and had a very healthy baby with no complications as did several of my friends who are about the same size. What I researched before I got pregnant was that as long as you practice a healthy lifestyle before and during your pregnancy (eating right, exercise, no smoking or drinking, etc) your risks should be low. Talk to your OBGYN if you are very concerned. I'm sure she can shed some light on this issues as she knows all of your specifics.

Good Luck with #3

This is something that you should talk to your OBGYN about. Only he/she knows you and how it will affect you. Each person is going to be different, depending on not only the amount of weight gained, but also, age, health history, etc. Good luck!

You should talk to your OBGYN and Dr it is different for every person. I personally have the same struggle. I asked my OBGYN and she said that she would not recommend that I need to lose weight before getting pregnant, she said that I am not at risk at all. My family doctor said the same thing, that I am young, in good health but overweight. He said that I am at no greater risk of gestational diabetes or preclamsia than a woman who is a size 2. (I know that some moms on here will disagree, but my doctor said I would be fine) I have one daughter and was overweight when I had her and never developed any problems at all.

Good luck, hope this helps