Plus size mamas support thread!

[DoomaYula]

Hiya mamas!

I've noticed a few others mentioning Lane Bryant maternity, so I figure I'm not the only plus-size mama. Hooray for already looking pregnant, before I even conceived!

[Aeress]

in the words of dd 5, "Is the baby in your tummy now, cause your tummy is really fat."
Me-" nope, my tummy is fat becuase it is."



I was able to wear stretchy skirts for both pregnancies. No matter what pant I tried that were never comfortable. They cut off my tummy.

[crazycandigirl]

Hello! I belong here. I have extra fluff and stuff and am pregnant. All is good in my world. And I am sooo excited that lane bryant has maternity clothes. After my ultrasound next week, and I know that everything looks alright, I am going shopping.

I haven't had any problems with anyone making a big deal about my weight. This is my third pregnancy in the past year (I have had 2 losses), and my ob is awesome. I asked her if I could just not do the weigh in thing, and she said that was fine. So I will keep track of things and if I suddenly gain way too much I will let her know, but I do not have to deal with the scale thing every time I go in. I am so glad I realized that I could opt out of being weighed.

[momuveight2B]

That is awesome that you do not have to weigh. That causes me so much stress and anxiety, not because of what is but because of the judgement I feel from the medical staff.

[DoomaYula]

You can opt of being weighed, or you can weigh yourself backwards.

With my first pregnancy, when I was on the high end of normal-sized (pre-preg), I was having twins, and I gained a ton -- as I was told to. When I finally hit about 220lbs, I flipped out at my doc and told him that this was ABSOLUTELY IT I AM DONE STEPPING ON THE EVIL SCALE OF LOW SELF-ESTEEM AND THERE'S NOTHING YOU CAN DO ABOUT IT. Yes, I was pretty hormonal! But the doc was cool.

With my second pregnancy, I would just step backwards on to the scale, so I never really saw the numbers, and nobody at the CNM clinic said anything about my weight.

How I would love to be 220 again! Now, that seems skinny to me!

Recently I went with a VERY petite client to a prenatal appointment, at 36w. She is about 5 feet tall. She weighed 120, at 36w. The mw said, "That's less than I weigh now." The apprentice said, "That's less than *I* weigh now." I said, "That's like more than 100lbs less than I weigh now!"

[Hippiemommie]

Hi everyone! I'm heavy and concerned with how the midwives will treat me because of this. With my son they saw a sudden weight gain and said the baby was huge, sent me for an u/s, said we couldn't go past 40 weeks with them, induction then section. : All because I was heavy. I'll have my first appointment Friday with new midwives and I am addressing the issue because I believe I am seen as weaker or lazy expecially when I'm pregnant and that $)#$ ain't flying this time around. I'm also going for a VBAC any VBAC plus mamas?

[MOMGOTSPUNK]

Originally Posted by YumaDoula

Hiya mamas!

I've noticed a few others mentioning Lane Bryant maternity, so I figure I'm not the only plus-size mama. Hooray for already looking pregnant, before I even conceived!

:

I looked in the mirror yesterday without any clothes.: I look five months pregnant, and I am only 7 weeks. I wish that I could go through this pregnancy without gaining anything, but I know that I can't. I have kept on the baby weight from both of my last 2 pregnancies, and I wasn't skinny to begin with. 1st pregnancy started at 212. Second pregnancy started at 220. Third pregnancy/NOW starting at 230. : Thankfully I have recently been able to find some plus-size maternity clothing. Anybody have ideas for maternity plus-size swimsuits.

[sanguine_speed]

I guess I'm not what you'd call "plus sized" per se, but I am 20 pounds overweight according to BMI. So, I'm about a size 10-14, but my whole point here is that I look 5 months pregnant when I'm only 11 weeks! It's all fluff on top of there. It sucks because maternity clothes dig in to my fat, especially when I sit down.
Here's a pic of my belly (inches of fluff on top of tiny uterus ).

http://jemm.dyndns.org/feb07/

[khaoskat]

Add me to this....

Worst thing is, I have no clue what my starting weight is...I haven't stepped on a scale since my last OB apt in Oct. Ok, wait, I take that back, I did at my family doc, but have no clue what they were as I was busy chasing around 2 kids.

With DS1, I was 218, dropped down to 204, then weighed 225 at birth. (Winter pregnancy)

With DS2, I was 231, dropped down to 228, then weighed 234 at birth. (Winter pregnancy)

With DD1 (stillbirth at full term) I gained apx. 20 pounds. (Summer pregnancy)

Hopefully I wont gain as much this time.

I have never been able to find maternity shorts that fit right. They are either too low cut, or to tight fitting in the bottom..etc.

Melissa S.

[Miny20]

Joining in!

I went to Walmart and bought a pattern and intend to make my own maternity clothes! It's hard to find plus size maternity patterns, but this one has shorts, pants, a dress, and 2 shirts. So, I purchased a bunch of coordindating fabrics and will have stuff that can be worn together.

Either, way, they're all going to end up being hated clothes at the end of my pregnancy because I'll wear them so much!

Funny how your views on pregnancy change from the beginning of the first to the beginning of the second!

[ashleyhaugh]

im a plus sized mama to be too.... this is our first

[DoomaYula]

I remember being so psyched to buy my maternity clothes with my first pregnancy. I would always ask my best friend, "When am I going to start showing, already?!?!?!?" HA. HA. HAHAHHAHAHA. By the end, I was like, I AM SO SICK OF THESE STUPID 4 MATERNITY SHIRTS AND PANTS THAT I WEAR OVER AND OVER AND OVER EVERY WEEK.

[khaoskat]

Originally Posted by YumaDoula

I remember being so psyched to buy my maternity clothes with my first pregnancy. I would always ask my best friend, "When am I going to start showing, already?!?!?!?" HA. HA. HAHAHHAHAHA. By the end, I was like, I AM SO SICK OF THESE STUPID 4 MATERNITY SHIRTS AND PANTS THAT I WEAR OVER AND OVER AND OVER EVERY WEEK.

I was never able to find any summer shits this past pregnancy. I had a total of 4 - 2 short sleeved; 2 sleeveless.

I never found any maternity shorts, I wore plus sized a few sizes bigger than what I wore....in cotton that would stretch to fit.

I have no clue what I am going to do this summer.

I already feel like I am going to have to start wearing maternity clothes earlier this pregnancy. With DS1 - 7 1/2 months for pants 8 months for shirts; DS2 was 7 months for both; DD1 was around 5-6 months.

My pants already all feel tight to me.

Melissa S.

[MOMGOTSPUNK]

I will be at week 8 this week, and I am seriously losing my battle with my regular jeans. I don't quite want to go into maternity yet, but what do I do. Also, this will be my first pregnancy that I need maternity clothing during summer months. I have already spent more money on this pregnancy maternity clothing than my other 2 together. That still isn't very much money, though.

I am looking for my first maternity swimsuit online. I can't believe how expensive they are, for something that will not fit next summer and I may not use again.

[HeatherB]

Add me to the list of THRILLED that LB is carrying maternity! I told my DH it was a sign I needed to be pg again. I've begged them to carry it (again) through both of my pgcies, and I'm so happy now! Of course, I'm doing my best to hold out on buying anything yet, as I have been investing in REAL clothes lately! And I need to get my use out of those, too!

VBAC - I had my first VBAC 2.5 years ago - NO problems with weight, etc. Go for it, mama! I had a fabulous homebirth midwife who NEVER gave me a hard time about weight. In fact she sometimes worried because I lost so much. But I did the same with my first, too, and eating better and trying to exercise more will do that, especially coupled with throwing up for months! I am SO excited to birth with the same midwife this time.

We are currently in a "weight loss" class at the gym, approved by my midwife, but all the goals are totally out the window now being pg. I am eager to be more fit and have a healthier heart at the end of these 12 weeks. And I'm glad my DH is with me! But there's no telling if it will be easier or harder to lose weight right now. As I said, I typically drop a lot in the first trimester, but I have yet to throw up at all! (maybe it IS a girl this time?!) And I'm eating more often to try to keep the nausea at bay, so I am definitely gaining. The trainer today said to look at how your clothes fit more than the scale - but that of course isn't gonna help me!! I just keep reminding myself that it will be so worth it come labor time!

[hammycakes]

Originally Posted by MOMGOTSPUNK

:
Thankfully I have recently been able to find some plus-size maternity clothing. Anybody have ideas for maternity plus-size swimsuits.

I found 5 on ebay (plus sized) for under 30.00.. ebay is my answer for everything! just search maternity bathing suit plus sized

[HeatherB]

Forgot about the swimsuit question... I got mine at a Motherhood Maternity outlet. There they carry plus sizes. Not the cheapest and not the absolute best, I'm sure, but it works! Glad I'll have another summer to use it through, and this time, we own a pool!

[crazycandigirl]

Oh I wish we had a pool. It gets so hot down here in texas. sigh. I am already dreading the summer heat.

[HeatherB]

crazycandigirl, where in TX are you? We're in the Houston area. Gotta say, the pool gets alot more use than the yard would've had there been one! Our pool is really just a tiny lap pool, but it IS nice cool water on hot summer days!

[crazycandigirl]

I live in Georgetown, just a bit north of Austin. We do have a small public pool in georgetown, but it costs money and is always filled to the brim all day and every day. That makes it hard to go swimming.