Plus-Sized and Pregnant Tribe!! - Page 12

[mchalehm]

I like Hanes bikini or hipster panties--I just bought a couple of sizes up for later pregnancy last time. They weren't the cutest (okay, you could have used them to measure first downs) but they were comfy and cheap.

I'm down about 5 pounds from pre-pregnancy weight at about 10 weeks; once the m/s fades I will probably start gaining but I hope to keep it reasonable.

[Kealli]

Hi Everyone!

I'm new to the forums here and so happy I found this thread. Though a little late in the game. I'm due in two weeks with our first (a boy). I've always been plus sized and did a bunch of research before we started trying to have a baby. I wanted to know about any possible complications, etc. Or what I would have to deal with concerning doctors. A website I found extremely awesome is http://www.plus-size-pregnancy.org/

Right before I got pregnant I was at 308, then lost about 15 pounds through the first two trimesters. I had pretty bad all-day-sickness for a while. But baby continued to grow right on schedule and the past month I've gained about 5 pounds.

I'm lucky enough to have a midwife practice near me and they have been very okay with my weight. They are CNMs and will be delivering the baby in the hospital they work with. They did say technically I am at higher risk for GD and pre-e, but my sugars and and blood pressure are excellent so it was never really an issue after that.

I'm nervous and excited about the upcoming birth, and was SO proud to read each page of this thread and know there are lots of others out there like me! (I also have the B belly hehehe)

[EthansMom]

I'd like to join the group...

Hi,
My name is Kelli and I am from Va. Dh and I are ttc#3 so right now I am weighing in at 235 and 5'9" size 18/20. I weigh as much now as I did full term with #2. I really wanted to lose at least 20 lbs before #3 but will find out really soon if # 3 is on the way. I really only gained 15 lbs with my 2nd preg and 30 or so with my first. I am looking forward to sharing this journey with women who understand and can't wait to "meet" you all.

[butterfly_mommy]

Kealli and Kelli!

Kealli- Congratulations on your pregnancy! I have midwifes too and they are fine with my weight too. It is so helpful to have care providers that don't assume the worse because of your weight!

Kelli - I hope you conceive number 3 soon

[momaste]

I am jumping in here, 5 weeks pregnant with #2. I have a 2 year old son.

With DS, I gained 31 lb. and lost 24 giving birth. He was only 7 lb. 6 oz. so the placenta and amniotic fluid must have weighed a lot!! I was back to my prepregnancy weight almost immediately, but that was really heavy anyway.

I've been plus sized all my life and have been doing Weight Watchers for about 6 months and lost 35 lb. so far, so I'm starting this pregnancy lower than I started with DS. Hopefully I'll maintain or lose, and not gain weight with this pregnancy, as approved by my Dr., by continuing my moderate eating plan with a few adjustments (more dairy, more healthy fats like olive oil.) We'll see how it goes.

[EthansMom]

Thanks!

Scarlett, for the warm welcome!
We have started the 2WW and should find out b/w the 19th and 25th.
Which would make me due end of Aug./ early Sept. I went "early" with ds by 5 days and "late" with dd by 3 days. It looks as though I have a gestational due "week" LOL.

[EthansMom]

Bump...

[butterfly_mommy]

I have a UTI : ahhhhhh...I started to feel a bit of burn last night when I went to the bathroom before bed. Instead of taking my D-Mannose like I should have I took two cranberry tablets. Well at 6:00 this morning it was worse So I took some D-manose at 7:40 and am waiting to take it again. It is so uncomfortable... Sorry just complaining.

How is everyone else holding up?

[Snookler]

Oooh, hope you feel better soon mama.... UTI's are the worst.
I'm holding up over here. Peeing like a crazy person, and riding the hormonal roller coaster, but holding up overall.

[MamaJamie]

Can I join? I'm 34w 5d pregnant with baby #2. I was originally told it was a girl but now am doubting this along with everyone else. We'll know better after another US on Monday! I'm about 5'4" was 185 prepregnancy am about 193 now. My dh is in the military so my doctors haven't exactly been nice about my weight, but frankly, I don't really care what they think! Luckily I've made it through with no GD or pre-e. In fact, it's been a relatively comfortable pregnancy. Can't wait to meet my new baby and thanks for having this thread!

[DBZ]

I thought my MW group (cnm) was "fat friendly" until today. They want me to have an epidural with or without the meds to keep anesthia "in house". Today, they told me I need to have an appt with anesthia because I am a "big girl". WTF! I am getting even more POed typing this out. Sorry, but I don't have layers apon layers of blubber on my back where they think they are going to insert a needle (hell no) and last time I checked my throat was pretty normal. Giving me an IV is not a prob, so where the heck is the problem?!?!?

Thanks for listening. I just wanted to tell someone who might "get it"

[Kidzaplenty]

WOW! No way would I let someone stick a needle in my back just because! With or without meds. Right. I think they are nuts! And I am guessing they don't believe you can do it without meds and are "preparing" you for having some.

If it were me, I'd be out of there before they could blink and never look back.

[avasmomleigh]

Wow! If I have a needle in my back, there better be a reason. It sounds like a lack of faith in your ability to birth without meds to me. How is that person going to be good support in labor? if you like the cnm otherwise, can you talk to an anesthesiologist at the hospital-see if they agree? (it would upset me to hear another persons bias though...) good luck!

[avasmomleigh]

nursing bras

Where do you find nursing bras? last time I had some that just didn't fit, I think they only ran to 36 D or 38D at target, so those are the ones that I got. they were uncomfortable! I don't want to/can't spend a fortune on them, but I do want some that fit this time. Any ideas? Thanks!

[Kealli]

Aww, I'm sorry to hear that DBZ.

Being plus sized I really prepared to be assertive and stand up for myself. But those assumptions are still disappointing and can still hurt.

[Kealli]

Originally Posted by avasmomleigh

Where do you find nursing bras? last time I had some that just didn't fit, I think they only ran to 36 D or 38D at target, so those are the ones that I got. they were uncomfortable! I don't want to/can't spend a fortune on them, but I do want some that fit this time. Any ideas? Thanks!

i got a few great basic cotton bras from www.motherhood.com

This is the one I got and they have up to band size 46 and cup size F. It still has underwire for support but I find it very comfortable. And it is about 16 dollars!

[Snookler]

Originally Posted by DBZ

I thought my MW group (cnm) was "fat friendly" until today. They want me to have an epidural with or without the meds to keep anesthia "in house". Today, they told me I need to have an appt with anesthia because I am a "big girl". WTF! I am getting even more POed typing this out. Sorry, but I don't have layers apon layers of blubber on my back where they think they are going to insert a needle (hell no) and last time I checked my throat was pretty normal. Giving me an IV is not a prob, so where the heck is the problem?!?!?

Thanks for listening. I just wanted to tell someone who might "get it"

That totally sucks mama. I hate the thought of having to switch providers this late in the game, but when they come at you with this kind of crap out of the blue it feels like a betrayal after trust.
When I had ds 2 years ago I was probably in the 325 range and I found myself unable to deal with the pain after 18 hours of induced labor, and they had NO problem getting the needle in for my epidural, which lasted a whole 15 minutes before he was born. If they have that little confidence in the hospitals anesthetist, That's what would make me concerned.

I'm finding myself feeling pretty dissatisfied with my ob after my last appt on Monday where she backpedaled her green light on my birth plan because of my history of "big babies" (ds was 8lb1oz when they induced me a week early - not very big in my book) she threw in the shoulder distocia scare tactic for good measure and I just about wanted to . on her. All of my tests are perfect, passed the GD test just to avoid this "big baby" junk, and my fundal height measures right on track, so I have to figure she's coming up with this crap cause I'm a big woman who gains weight with pregnancy (30 lbs so far). I pretty much told her that unless there's some evidence that I'm going to birth a 12 lb baby, I felt confident we'd be just fine. I think she thought I was joking.

Why do these people feel they have to manufacture problems for our healthly pregnancies just cause our bottoms (or other places) are bigger than average? Do they have job security issues?

[Jennisee]

Originally Posted by DBZ

I thought my MW group (cnm) was "fat friendly" until today. They want me to have an epidural with or without the meds to keep anesthia "in house". Today, they told me I need to have an appt with anesthia because I am a "big girl". WTF! I am getting even more POed typing this out. Sorry, but I don't have layers apon layers of blubber on my back where they think they are going to insert a needle (hell no) and last time I checked my throat was pretty normal. Giving me an IV is not a prob, so where the heck is the problem?!?!?

Thanks for listening. I just wanted to tell someone who might "get it"

Ugh, that is awful.

Originally Posted by Jennisee

I had a midwife appointment last week that left me a little bummed. While they are so much more natural and laidback than my former OB on so many things, every single appointment, I hear the words "big baby" or "sugar problems," even though I had no problems like that with my DD. As induction- and episiotomy-happy as my OB was, she made a point to tell me that my weight would be no issue with her whatsoever. I also found out from the midwives that while I can labor in water, I'm not "allowed" to give birth in water because I exceed their weight limit.

These midwives work in a hospital, so I've started to look (again) for a homebirth midwife, but the law here is really restrictive. Only CNM's can legally attend homebirths, and I can't find anyone closer than 3-4 hours away. Le sigh...

Ok, I have an update. We found a homebirth midwife! Well, a partnership of two actually, but one is much closer to us, so we met with her last weekend. We really seemed to click with her. She seems about my age and size, is a big supporter of waterbirth, shares our religious beliefs. All appointments will be in my home, which will be amazing after driving 70 miles to the hospital midwives. She is also a certified childbirth instrutor, and when I brought up my concern about handling the pain (I had an epidural after 22 hours of labor last time), she offered private, in-home lessons. It's like I never have to leave my house the rest of the pregnancy! DH is completely on board, and I am so excited!

[DBZ]

Thanks for your words of support and encouragment. It means a lot to me. I have a nurse that comes out once a month....it's part of an Early Intervention program here. I was glad I signed up for it, because it's been really wonderful to unload all this stuff on to her. She came today. She said that it's a new growing trend to send "big girls" to the anesthiologist prior to delivery and that all these docs do all this because they are afraid of lawsuits. I think we ought to start suing them for being prejudiced against overweight mamas and causing birth trauma in the mothers.

[DBZ]

Jennisee, I'm glad you found the care you are excited about.

Snookler, isn't is just grand how those docs get so wishy washy this far into the game.