"too fat for a homebirth vbac"

[jrojala]

Just fyi, I am poasting this in both the VBAC, UC, and homebirth forums as well, you are not just going crazy!
I was at a consult with a midwife, I am not pg yet, ttc now, and she said that I am "too large" to attempt a homebirth, esp. a vbac, because of "endurance issues". She also said that I should only gain 15# during pg. as I have "plenty of reserves" : I am appalled at this, because I wonder how many other women had to hear this?? I don't think I am "too large" (5"4; 178lbs) and I know that I am healthy, but now she planted a small seed of worry in my mind, and as you know that is all it can take sometimes. Please let me know what you think and lend support. Thanks!

[sevenkids]

I think she is dang out of order!

Look for another midwife, this one is too rude.

[MidwifeErika]

First off, don't even let it worry you for a moment... I am the same height and was 240 on the day that I had my 3rd child . 220 when I had my 2nd one, which was my homebirth.

Some midwives may not be comfortable with overweight or heavier women. This is just like how some doctors aren't. There is a fatphobia that exists out there and some care providers will look at you as a ticking time bomb if you are heavier than what they like to see.... that doesn't mean that you really are a ticking time bomb though!!! It is actually good that she told you now that she has a problem with it rather than taking on your care and putting that negativity on to you.

[BirthFree]

Agreed. Stamina? How does she know you won't deliver that baby in an hour and a half? Eat well, exercise well and call that that. I think there's a lot of hang up on weight when that shouldn't be the focus. Nutrition is more important than pound numbers.

I never knew there was a cut off on weight limits for birthing at home - I wonder if our ancestors knew that.
: rolling my eyes :

[jrojala]

Thank you!

[MotherWhimsey]

I have an aquaintance that had a homebirth, and she's 290 at maybe 5'6" or so, maybe a bit shorter. she even had high blood pressure during pregnancy. It still all worked out fine though. I'd find a different midwife.

[MidwifeErika]

Oh, and as for the advice she gave on the weight gain..... do not listen. Now, if you eat really, really well and don't gain a ton, then don't worry as sometimes the heavier you are, the less you gain, but you shouldn't try to diet to limit weight gain. As I was much heavier than you (I started my last pg at 215 and ended at 240), I read up on it a lot and everything I found said to gain a MINIMUM of 15, even if obese (which I don't even think you fall into the obese BMI) as there are better pregnancy outcomes with gaining at least 15. That doesn't mean a person should try to force themselves to gain at least 15, but just that there shouldn't be any pressure for you to gain less than that.

I didn't diet at all, but was decently careful about my food choices and I gained 25lbs and had a 8lb 8oz baby at 43 weeks while breastfeeding another child, so I think that was really the right way to go.

And the stamina thing? WTF? I couldn't run half a block, but I still managed to labor and birth just fine.

So, just eat well, be active, and find yourself a better fit for a care provider.

[Marilyn82]

BULL****!!

[mommaduck]

The bigger the less stamina??? Never heard that one before. Look for a better midwife....because believe me, some of these amish and mennonite women are regularly on the "large" side and they deliver just fine (many times before the midwives get there).

[BrooklynDoula]

That is just absurd. I am 5'8 and started at 195 this time, 211 this morning, and I have twice the endurance of my teeny tiny SIL (who had a VBAC but at a hospital). Endurance has nothing to do with size per se -- find someone else, she is plain wrong.

[Lynnette]

Ridiculous!!

[rstump]

Crazy. Finda a new midwife!

I am MUCH healthier and have MORE stamina NOW as a BIG mama than I did with my first birth when I was a tiny 21 yr old.

I am 5' 4".
My first ended in a FTP c-section. I was 125lbs. (gained 45 total)
My second I started at 174llbs and gained 35lbs....ended in a hospital VBAC.
My third I started at 184lbs and gained 27lbs...ended in a home VBAC.

I am currently prego with my 4th....started at 184lbs.....I am planning my 2nd home VBAC....so far I have gained 15lbs.....and I am 23 weeks.

I am stronger and more fit now than ever. My nutrition is FAR away the best during this pregnancy.

My midwife has never put regulations on what I need to gain. We focus on healthy eating and living.

Tell her to take a flying LEAP!

[DoomaYula]

Another vote here -- I am 5'6" and was around 270lbs when I gave birth vaginally in a birth center. Now *ONE* of the midwives had some concerns with my weight, but it was a large practice and I didn't see her.