I am a larger woman (a size 20-22) and 11 weeks pregnant.
Was just wondering if there are any other larger pregnant women on this forum who would be happy to share their pregnancy experiences with me?
Printable View
I am a larger woman (a size 20-22) and 11 weeks pregnant.
Was just wondering if there are any other larger pregnant women on this forum who would be happy to share their pregnancy experiences with me?
Im not preg now- unfortunately- but would be happy to share anything!! Ask away!! I am also a size 20-22 :)
Hi Lee,
I'm curious - why do you think it makes a difference in pregnancy what size you are? The only thing I noticed about being a little overweight was that I gained less weight than average during the pregnancy, and actually ended up a few kilos lighter after I had the baby.
Kerrie
I weigh over 100kg and am a size 18-22....when I was pregnant I managed to not put on any weight - I found I just ate normally. Worst thing was trying to get maternity clothes.....Clothing manufacturers obviously don't think bigger women get pregnant - I mean who would sleep with us we are so unattractive :evil:
Ok vent over
Congratulations on being pregnant \:D/ Enjoy it
I'm not overly large, though a fiar bit overweight. I got up to about 92-3ishkg full term (actually term+11days ;) )
They only thing I can suggest is ensure you have a ob or Dr that you are very comfortable with. The last thing you need while you are cooking a baby is worrying about what someone thinks about your body during exams. Some drs are brilliant! No matter what happens to your tummy (ie stretchmarks, flab etc) they will say you are looking gorgeous!
Target/K Mart are better places for preggie clothes I think for larger people, although in saying that there is a fairly good chance you wont need pg clothes for a while.
Also, you might find that you dont feel pregnant - that is you are not sporting a great big bump out the front so people say "How many months are you". This happens to alot of people, and its not only us that are overweight. I didn't look pregnant until I was close to 6 months, and its sad when people looked at me like I was pudgy, not pregnant.
Know that you are gorgeous, and you're doing a great thing having a baby, whether you are one of these lucky people to have a basketball or not!
Finally, drink plenty of water, keep an eye on your blood pressure, and watch your diet - you dont want to get diabetes as well.
Have a happy and healthy pregnancy! Congrats to you!
Fi
Lee - I think this is a great idea...
I am also quite large and sitting at around size18 at the moment. My mum is going to make a lot of my maternity clothing which will be a help...
I guess its just like a couple of people have said.. you need to make sure you drink water, watch blood pressure etc...
More weight can mean more risk of blood pressure problems or other problems.. and just the strain of everyday work is more when your pregnant and more when your overweight, so I guess adding the 2 makes double the strain again. (Shannon mentioned ankles etc)
I guess thats why over weight women can be classed as high risk for a homebirth etc.. they dont want to take the risk.. (Note to self: must lose at least 20kgs b4 pregnancy)..
I have enough trouble with clothes now as an 18/20!.. let alone pregnancy.
I am pretty luck in the sense Kirbay that most of my weight is muscle thanks to my job...I lift well used to before little one started to grow up to 150+ KG a day of flour... so you could just imagine my back muscles.
My blood pressure is normal and everything else is. I think I just need to drink more water...I hate water... ](*,)
Thankyou for your responses! I was beginning to feel a little lonely... but reassuring to know there are other overweight women on this forum who have done the pregnancy thing whom I can ask questions!
I do think being pregnant while overweight is a slightly different experience to being pregnant while a 'normal' (I hate the term normal, but hope you all understand what I mean) weight. I have a wonderful GP looking after me, she has advised me to keep my weight gain to a minimum, and that I am at a higher risk of gestational diabetes. I am doing shared care with the Womens and Childrens Hospital (Adelaide) and do not have my first appt with them until I am 19 weeks. It will be at this appt that they will decide whether I will be categorized as 'high risk'. At this point, my health is perfect, apart from my weight.
My main question is - when will I show? I had a feeling that being bigger it would take a while for me to get a noticeable baby bump. Will I actually look pregnant, or will I just look bigger in general?
Also, does it take longer to feel the baby moving for the first time?
AHGGG maternity clothes! Not looking forward to that, lol. Good to know it may be a while yet before I will need any. Perhaps I will be able to get away with buying a size or two bigger than usual??
Yep, guzzling away at the water!
Again, thankyou so much for responding to my post. It is great to know I have somewhere to come with my questions!
Maybe you need to get a couple of shirts printed up saying funny things like "I may be chubby, but I'm also pregnant" or "Go on, ask me how many months I am" or Cooking a big bundle of love".
At least wearing something like that, people will know you are preggers! As for showing, it is really different for everyone. I managed to stay in pretty much my normal size until about 24 weeks, and then I had to buy preggie stuff. As soon as you start wearing preggies stuff, you start looking pregnant. They are very obvious!
Great that you are shared care with a supportive dr. I really enjoyed being shared care, and I feel that my daughter has a special bond with our GP.
Fi
Lee,
When I had my first babies, i started at 100kgs.
I found I didn't start showing until around six months. Finding maternity clothes was awful and my mum made alot. The worst thing for me was the discrimination from the doctors and the rudeness of some of them.
When I was pg with my third daughter, I was heavier again and I kept a really low profile.
With my last pregnancy and this one, I have lost quite a bit of weight but I still worry, when I get to term what others think of me. They will tell you that you are high risk and are at risk of gestational diabetes but that was never a problem for me. My BP played up a bit in the end.
All I can say is enjoy your pregnancy and do what is right for you!
I am scared that I will be labelled as high risk, and if the hospital does that, it means I can no longer use shared care with my GP :(
All my appts will then have to be at the hospital, which I dont want as I wont know any of the doctors/midwives there! At least my GP knows me and I feel comfortable with her, and I know she would be a good advocate for me if needed (if I experience any discrimination, for example)
As long as I keep reading and researching, it will help keep me informed, and I will hopefully be aware of my options, so that if a Dr says I must do something that I feel uncomfortable with, I can turn around and tell him what I want to do!! Hope that makes sense....?
Hi - I was just on 100 when I became pregnant earlier this year. My doctor does not weigh, so I don't know what I am now. I don't think I've put on much because for the first few months, I could not handle chocolate or fried food.
I just wanna find a maternity bra in a E cup for under $65 ! I bought a super reduced marked down one at Myer last time for around $17 and have been holding my breath for another one this time ! No such luck. And decent undies !
The hospital where I'm going has a cut off of 130kg at the start of pregnancy - after that there are issues with anethtist liability and whatever.
For clothes - there is this INSANE maternity wear shop in Melb - I bought size 20 jeans last time for $20. Almost everything is under $20. I've lived in trackies and maternity tshirts this time. I like to op shop and have bought a few larger size tops and skirts for next to nothing there. Pants are a bit harder, cos they just hang down and don't look good, but larger sized skirts and tops work.
I'm 7.5 months now, and the bump disappears when I sit down, dunno where he goes, into my backside, perhaps ?
Also - my blood pressure has dropped since becoming pregnant, did last time as well and my diabetes reading was 6 and under both times.
My iron levels are low though.
Cheers,
Barb.
Barb, Berli make a maternity bra in an E, F & G cup for about $50-$55. I'm normally a DD but at 10 weeks I found that I was hanging out of all my bras so bit the bullet. I got my first 2 at a shop called Bras & Things at Werribee Plaza for $49.95... they are not the most attractive but super comfortable and I have had much less breast pain since getting them.
A couple of people have mentioned not having those overweight associated problems (meaning more at risk... things like gestational diabetes and high blood pressure) I love hearing these positive things.. I guess the scare tactics etc make you think 'If im overweight, im automatically gonna have these problems' (like as women and mothers/mothers-to-be we dont have enough things to feel guilty about).
DH aunt is quite a large woman and has had 4 beautiful children and she was never put in the "high risk" factor. I am afraid they will do it to me. I know I ain't skinny, but a lot my weight is muscle, like they are going to believe me??!?!?!
I was 86kg when Jacob was conceived and I didn't have a problem with my blood pressure or gestational diabetes at all.
I retained STACKS of fluid though (I gained 17.5kg!!) and got carpal tunnel syndrome as a result! I remember mentioning my weight gain to my OB (who didn't weigh me at all during my PG) who said to me that weight gain (or even weight loss) during PG is of little importance (unless it is associated with other things like high blood pressure etc etc) - the main thing is that the baby is growing as it should. He also told me how I'd be surprised how much of the weight I had gained was actually fluid - and he was absolutely right. Only a few weeks after Jacob was born, I had lost all of that weight, bar 2kg.......no wonder I had puffed up like a balloon!!!
Hi Lee33 :)
I am 34 yrs old and 8 weeks pregnant with a starting weight of 103 kgs.
This is my second pregnancy and had gestational diabetes during my last pregnancy so I have heard a lot about high risk.
I am now not only diabetic but also they cant tellif its gestational as at my 12month test I WASNT diabetic but 10months later at 5.5 weeks pregnant I was showing diabetes.
So this time around I am already considered HIGH risk... but wait theres more LOL they sent me in for a ultrasound to check bubs due to the diabetes and tell me im expecting twins... now apparently Im VERY HIGH risk?
Either way, Adelaide Womens and Childrens is one of the better places in Australia to be cared for an honestly I think I might prefer there to my local hospital. Despite the team locally being excellent last time around.
I am in a secondary hospital (tertiary being the big ones like AWCH and Royal Brisbane Women and Childrens (I am currently in Brisbane area) but I grew up in Adelaide for 23yrs.
I agree on the maternity clothes thing.. last time around I wore ugly sack type shapeless dresses cos it was all I could find. I have already told my other half I wont do that this time!
Goodluck with everything and pleeeeease Message me and add me to buddys or MSN if you like! I am more than happy to help support you as without Bellybelly I would have freaked out in my first pregnancy esp once I got the GD.
Lots of Luck
Kate
aka
Kaety
Just wondering, Mods if possible could we make this a little section??
I think this would be a great support thread just wondering.
was just having a peek :)
Barb just wanted to say Target have some great larger size maternity pretty too, around the $35 mark in up to E etc :)
It is great that we are hearing the positive stories too. In all the reading I did while we were TTC, the message was always, 'if you are overweight, try to get down to your ideal weight before TTC.' I read about how it might be harder for us to conceive because I am overweight, how the pregnancy would be harder, etc, etc. It scared me, and started making me doubt my ability to conceive. After 6 months trying we went back to my GP, who ordered blood tests to check whether I was ovulating, and it was at this point she suggested I try to lose a few kg's to see if that helped. So just as Im beginning to attempt losing weight, I conceive the very next month!!!!
So my body is obviously working OK :) despite being overweight!!! Now I just have to maintain the pregnancy in the best way for me and baby.
We are trying to keep my weight gain to a minimum, so I am doing my best to eat a healthy balanced diet, and trying not to eat too much more than usual!
One thing my GP did mention, was that if I needed to have a cesarean, the healing process would take longer because of the fat over my abdomen?? Has anyone experienced this?
kaety, thankyou very much for your offer, I would appreciate any support I can get!
Lee,
I was classified high risk and was sent off to one of the best obst in Vic to have my treatment ( also prev preg problems)...I did end up with gest diabetes and needed to inject a large amount of insulin 5 times a day but this was nothing to my obst, he told me that little mini's get it too and although the weight was a contributiting factor , blood pressure was ok
I had an elective c-sect, my scar has disappeared there is no redness and I felt good 2 days after the procedure, it then got abit of working out as I had to then travel 70km as DD was still in hospital nothing to do with my weight. I put on 4 kilos the whole pregnancy and was on bedrest with no excercise....so that was an up side, left hospital lighter than what I weighed at my 10 week check..lol..
Yahh have a baby and loose weight!. I think if I have 50 babies I might be in the reccomended weight for my height. Who needs weight watchers
Bec
aww you made me laugh!!:
Ok since were all mentioning 'ideal weights' etc.. has anyone else noticed.. for my BMI ideal weight.. even being short.. id have to be a stick figure to weight that weight.. with no boobs either im sure. Maybe if we all take our 'ideal weights' (BMI wise etc) and added 10kg.. we might be better off.
Hi - will need to check out target this week for the over the shoulder boulder holders. I might get one decent ones and a coupla cheapies.
I asked my doctor about weight gain effecting conceiving when we had had no success after 10 months and he said unless it was a sudden gain or loss it should not have an effect. I also had referals for the ovulation blood tests, the first one came back that I didn't ovulate that month, the next one was due on easter sunday or labour day or something so I didn't go and we conceived that month !!
Barb.
Hi Ladies,
Just thought I'd put my 2 cents in. I started my 1st pregnancy at 97kg, which really shocked me, coz I hadn't weighed myself in about 2 years. Anyway, that was at about 6wks. I didn't go back to my GP until 16 wks, and found I had lost 7kg. I wasn't sick at all, but found I didn't feel like fried foods or takeout, or other 'junk' food, soft drink etc. It wasn't a concious decision not to eat it, just didn't feel like it. It was enough of a change in my diet to make me lose weight in those first weeks.
Anyway, went on to have a perfectly normal pregnancy I put on about 5kg from my starting weight. My blood pressure was slightly high, but it was consistent during my whole pregnancy, so the doc didn't seem to worry. It wasn't until my last appt on my due date that my blood pressure was really high and they booked me in that night to induce me. Personally I think my BP was high coz the doc had just said I would be waiting AT LEAST another week and I didn't want to!!!
Moral of the story, it doesn't have to be a drama to be pregnant and overweight. As long as you are looking after yourself and your baby, you should just enjoy your pregnancy and the beautiful baby you have in your arms at the end of it!
Bel
Great to hear such positive pregnancy stories!
How far along were you all when you first felt your baby kick??
Im 12 weeks now, and from what my Dr has said, it could be a while yet before I feel my baby.
I started off a bit overweight for me, but a lot according to the good old BMI. I was 83kg at 6 weeks. The first OB I saw was really nasty about it, would not let me do share care or Family Birth Centre. She said that the baby would not develop properly. I was in tears Anyway I went to the FBC anyway, they had no trouble accepting me and they never weighed me. My pregnancy was fine, not high blood pressure etc. I did gain a lot of weight though, pregnancy made me sooo hungry.
The birth was a different story, after a long attempt at a natural child birth I ended up having an emergency c-section, which was nothing to do with my weight. Recovery was difficult, but that was more due to the fact that the c-section was complicated due to bubs being stuck in the birth canal. My tummy is still quite flabby, but then again I have not attempted to do to much about it.
As for maternity clothes I found Target ok, and the bras are fine. For a really good bra I had to spend some money, the Triumph ones are pretty good, especially when properly fitted. I wear the cheaper ones around the house and save the better ones for going out the front door as I look better in them. Just a warning about maternity pants, they can be a bit thin in the thighs, I found the jeans from 1626 to be quite good as the denim has a some stretch in it and they have good thigh room. The Ripe brand can go quite large, but it is hard to find a store that will stock XXL and up. I actually found some good stuff when I was in Tassie of all places.
Astrid
Lee,
I didn't feel a kick till about 20 weeks, scared the bejesuses out of me!
Never really had the uncomfortable legs poking out, too much padding I suppose. Hee My Obst you to say to me "you can hop on the scales if you like" Hmm I alsways said No Thanks..lol
Bec
I was 13w when I felt Jacob move!!! A lot of people find this hard to believe, but it's true! It was a very distinct bubbly feeling!!! I've never really been big around the middle though, perhaps this is why?
I don't think it matters on the inside what you feel, its moreso on the outside iykwim. Inside I'm pretty sure we're all the same. But I do know that having a "thicker lining" as the sonographers like to call it LOL can make seeing things early more difficult. And in this case bubs was up high so it was almost impossible to get pictures as good as the ones we have with Paris. So partly because I'm bigger and partly because of the position iykwim. But as for feeling, I think that also has to do with the position they are in, and where the placenta lies.
*hugs*
Cailin
Thankyou for sharing when you first felt your babies move. Very re-assuring for me. So I guess I should be on the 'lookout' for movement anytime then! Each night I lay very still in bed just focussing on my abdomen and baby, and cant wait until I feel movement.
Cailin, very true, we are all the same on the inside!!
Im having my screening ultrasound on Thursday, and even though I will be 12w5d I was told that I may still need a transvaginal u/s to ensure a clearer picture. oh well, I dont mind as long as I get to see a healthy baby in there !
I havent come across any negative comments about my weight yet, but hoping that if I do I will have the 'balls' to be able to deal with it.
HI Lee,
just wanted to throw my 2 pence (in the UK LOL) in...
I am 5 foot 11 ish and weigh around 93-95kg (depending on whos scales they weigh me on). I am currently about 1.5kg lighter than pre-pregnancy (i'm nearly 17 weeks). I haven't lost or gained since i got pg, though clearly i am very slowly losing since the baby is very slowly growing.
My GP wanted to put me in as "high risk" but sadly (for him) in the UK women have a legal right to birth at home, no matter what. So unless i become so ill that they section me under the mental health act to force me to go in to hospital, i can have my baby where i want.
My blood pressure is a little high, but, being big and tall anyway, it was never "normal", and it isn;t actually what is medically recognised as HIGH, just a little closer than normal. Last appt it was 142/83, but i am pretty sure that was white coat high blood pressure since i had been running around the hospital and worrying about fighting for my homebirth for 2 hours.
I feel fine, no water retention, no pains to speak of. I felt movement at around 15 weeks and though it is still rare a fortnight on, when it happens it is definitely the baby! I look pregnant in maternity gear but just a little pudgier round the belly in normal clothes.
Anyway, my advice is worry not a bit and IGNORE all those know-all white coats who tell you you will be ill - remember they are DOCTORS - they ONLY see ill women. The healthy ones birth their babies in safety and joy with a midwife.
Hana
Hana,
What a wonderful thing to say! I agree whole heartedly!
I just read this post... great too know that there are ckickies out there that are 'bigger' I am curently a size 18-20 and am in the process of losing some weight... I really want to get under 100kgs before i fall pg, but saying that I want to fall pg NOW~! hehehe...
I think that it would be a great Idea to have a Big Girls Forum...
Good Luck to all... hope I can join you with the pg bit!!!
Melissa
Hi
I was 92kgs when fell pregnant I am now 39weeks and have only put on 8 kgs. I don't think it matters what size you are as long as you are eating correctly for you and your unborn baby. I also found Target great for maternity clothes.
Jules
I'm also reassured that there are some "larger" ladies out there who are currently pregnant. I think I'm the heaviest here (horribly admitting to currently 121kg, though that's 3-4 kilos lighter than when we found out we were pregnant a few weeks ago!)
I'm a little concerned I guess ... my blood pressure was a little high when I saw the dr a few weeks ago, but have to have it checked again next week when I see my gyno. I had extremely high blood pressure a couple of years ago (160 over something!!) so I'm a bit worried with that respect.
But we have our first u/s today!! so am nervous, excited and looking forward to making sure our little bub is healthy and ok.
Good luck to everyone!
Baby Crazy,
Good luck with the ultrasound, it is so exciting to see your little one finally.
As for your weight I think after you crack the hundy mark, they classify you all the same. Don't freak too much about the blood pressure. I had one check and I was 190\100. Apparently stroke level, next preg it was just a tad high of the norm.
I was stressing the pregnancy that I had high pressure.
Bec
Hi all,
I had a bad day "fat wise" yesterday. ](*,) 'Cos I am carrying twins I am finding my normal clothes are already starting to get a little tight at times around the belly and went looking for larger girls clothes to wear as I grow bigger.
After about an hour or two I was in dispair. All I wanted was some simple short sleeves sundresses which would allow me to be cool but not hippo like whilst the Qld summer hit. Sadly all of these seem to be made in Indonesia where no one is taller than 5'6 or wider than an XL.
(I know about brands 16/26 awhich I already buy and I LOVE some of MY SIZE stuff but they are a bit pricey for sundresses.)
I have asked my DP for a combined birthday/Xmas pressie of a sewing machine (that works properly) so I can make myself some less horrific clothes.
Has anyone else found this and how did you stop yourself feeling heffalumpish when it happened?
Thanks and Please MODS!! Make this a thread of its own! Us larger girls need a space too :)
Kaety
kaety,
congrats on having twins, how exciting for you! No wonder you are already finding yourself expanding!
I havnt had that issue as yet, still fitting into my regular clothes. I know that I am not looking forward to buying things like maternity pants, as Im dreading discovering the 'limited' range out there for larger pregnant women. Im hoping I will be able to manage with what Ive got for a quite a while yet as I tend to buy oversize tops anyhow, its just pants and jeans that scare me. I might end up in trackies for the last few months!!
I had my nuchal fold screening u/s this week, and it was very long and involed as baby wouldnt co-operate by turning into the correct position. Baby finally did and the test was done... when I got home I read the radiologist report and read the first line which said "The examination was technically difficult to perform due to combination of patient body habitus and position of the baby." At no stage during the exam did the radiologist mention my weight at all! Yet it was found necessary to mention it in the report......hmmmmm.
It was very exciting to be able to see baby, and it has made it all more real for me now :) and hubby and I are going looking at baby furniture tomorrow.
BabyCrazy, how was your u/s?
hoobley, how are your homebirth plans coming along? Why did you decide on a homebirth? Are homebirths more common in the UK than here in Australia (if anyone knows)?
Hi girls,
The Moderators have discussed your request for a forum of your own, however at this stage in time we dont see the need in a whole seperate forum, so please feel free to keep on chatting in this thread, and we will revisit this again at a later time if needs be.