[sosurreal09]

I was 150 lbs when I got pregnant with DD, I gained a ridiculous amount of weight (due to varying non health reasons) and gave birth at 238lbs. I had a completely event free pregnancy and birth in a birth center. My bp was always 110/60 at all weights while pregnant.

I am down to 195lbs now and DD is 20 m/o. We really want another baby and I have been trying to get the weight off a long time now. I am physically healthy BP is 100/60 and I have no health issues. I walk at least 2 miles several days of the week, go hiking regularly, and do pilates. I am very muscular/strong although I definately have some fat! I eat really healthy and make all our food from scratch plus am dairy free b/c I am still BFing and DD has an allergy to it. I eat a lot of fruits/veggies and only drink decaf coffee and water.

I went for a physical and the Dr said I was healthy but needed to lose weight (no brainer!) and I told her I may want to take out my IUD and she told me she wouldn't advise that considering my current weight...

I know I gained waaaay too much with DD but I am not going to make the same mistakes with this pregnancy as far as gaining goes. (last time I was laid off a very active job and quit smoking on top of my bad food choices)

So what do you think should I keep trying to lose more weight and put off TTC or should I just go for it? The timing would be good right now for other reasons. How much does being over weight initially effect a pregnancy?

 

[Subhuti]

I think I would have asked what the risks were from your doctor, and perhaps get a second opinion.

Yes, ideally, you would take off some weight. But if you had no issues with the last pregnancy and don't plan on going up to a higher weight than you became at the end -- I would say ... I am not sure I see why you wouldn't TTC.

 

[lovelylisa]

Just because you're overweight doesn't mean you will have any more problems than anyone else, especially if you are watching your diet and exercising anyway.

And, on a superficial level, might as well have the baby now and THEN lose the weight.

ETA... this is coming from someone who hasn't been thin since I was like, 5 and so far so good with my pregnancies. Sometimes docs give me a hard time with the GD testing and so forth (I've always been negative) but eh, it comes with the territory.

 

[sapphire_chan]

I read somewhere a long time ago that the biggest risk factor in giving birth while overweight is having a care provider who believes the weight is a problem. So for your best chance at a birth experience you want, if you decide to get pregnant before losing weight, get a different doctor.

Out of curiousity, is the IUD one of the many forms of birth control that cause weight gain? (Google....) Well, in the anecdotal evidence suggests that the hormonal version has all the same problems as any hormonal birth control. Such as weight gain particularly in the abdomen. If you are using the copper one, there doesn't seem to be a weight gain problem, but if you're using the hormonal one, definitely get it out ASAP if you want to try losing weight.

Now I'm really curious about which sort of IUD you have, because I want to know how annoyed to be at your doctor.

 

[sosurreal09]

LOL I have the copper one. I have always had weight issues and to get to the 150lbs I was at before I got pregnant took me like 3 years....I was 210 when I graduated HS..everyone in my family is big. It is so irritating though b/c I eat so well but I am still heavy! I was on an elimination diet for DD (since she has gotten better) and was eating nothing but chicken and lettuce essentially and then just lettuce...and went from 238 to 160 but when she got better the min I added anything to my diet I just gained a lot very fast (like 30lbs in 2 months) but I think it was because my diet was so extreme (not by choice) but I felt sick all the time I would assume I did not get enough calories. I used to eat tbs of olive oil to try and get fats. It was rough!

 

[AllyRae]

Considering the obesity rate in America, I think our population would go down dramatically if everyone had to be in their target range to get pregnant. ;-) If your health is good right now despite your weight, I personally would go for it, and just make sure to make a lot of really healthy choices--eat right, exercise, keep your bp down as best as you can, limit salt, etc.

 

[iixivboots]

Hey sosurreal. I bumped a thread for you with a bunch of resources about TTC and being plus size.

http://www.mothering.com/community/forum/thread/1295104/mamas-ttc-with-more-cushion-february

 

[hildare]

There are other factors to consider in TTC besides weight, you know? Like, your age... your work situation/leave situation if applicable, or family status (like i know one person who wanted her aged grandma to see her baby so she worked hard to make that happen).

i was heavy (around 160 or so, which wasn't 'medically obese' for my frame) and then gained 70 lbs with dd. i was pretty miserable, stinking hot during the summer time, my knees hurt from supporting that weight, as did my back.. sleeping was hard, too... and with the additional gain i had a huge baby. my ob encouraged me to birth vaginally (which ended up not happening) and did advise me to slow down the weight gain, but no one behaved as though it was an emergency. my blood pressure was fine until the last month, etc.

so.. gaining a ton of weight on top of being overweight is VERY ill advised from someone who's been there. and the reason i was overweight to begin with was that i was stress eating and unable to exercise self control at that point in time. that certainly does NOT improve once you're pregnant, i might add. i KNOW i took in too many calories but i was so hungry!

however, there are plenty of mamas out there who gain the recommended amount of weight for a medically overweight person ( i believe it's 15-25 lbs for an already overweight mama) and are just fine. i wouldn't base my decision on my present weight only...

consider your decision based on these things (just from my experience):

• your health status now : are you able to walk/exercise and do you regularly? if not, then you might really consider at least starting a regimen of walking before ttc (and that just a month's worth or so before starting)
• are you going to be able to control your food intake/weight gain with the pregnancy (and i am not implying that is why you or anyone else is overweight -- that is what happened to me personally as i stated above)
• do you have supportive midwife/ob who won't push you towards a c-birth based on that factor alone? (and if not, that's easy to fix )

 

[Three~Little~Birds]

I personally think that there is a difference between being a healthy overweight and an unhealthy overweight, at the same weight. Meaning you could be the weight you are from eating crappy food and not exercising or from eating well and exercising. I could be wrong, but if your health indicators are good, then I say " go for it". I was 193 at the beginning of my last pregnancy ( my heaviest start- weight ever) and ended up at 210. It was my healthiest of 3 pregnancies, actually. I walked everyday and kept sugar down.

 

[sosurreal09]

To clarify which is already written in my OP I am very healthy besides the weight. I go hiking regularly and don't even have a car (DH takes it to work) so I walk nearly 6 miles into town with my 20 m/o on my back at least once a week.

My BP is literally the lowest being healthy 100/60 every single time. My whole pregnancy (even at 238lbs!) I was 110/60 and did not have any complications at all. I won't be using an OB I will have a MW and hopefully do a HB instead of the birth center this time (because it is a 2hr drive)

I am in my early 20s btw.

Thanks for the link!

 

[Dacks]

Please look into Health at Every Size. Being overweight is a health factor, not a doom and gloom indicator that you must be unhealthy. If you are eating well, exercising, and not suffering actual health problems, then you are healthy and your weight is the weight that is normal for your body. Every person has a "set point" or normal range of weight for them, and I'm guessing by your details that your range is 170-200 ish. The weight of 150 you achieved was due to restriction, which will fly right out the window with any stress or change in life and cause you to overshoot your own normal range.

 

[Subhuti]

Quote:

Originally Posted by sosurreal09

To clarify which is already written in my OP I am very healthy besides the weight. I go hiking regularly and don't even have a car (DH takes it to work) so I walk nearly 6 miles into town with my 20 m/o on my back at least once a week.

My BP is literally the lowest being healthy 100/60 every single time. My whole pregnancy (even at 238lbs!) I was 110/60 and did not have any complications at all. I won't be using an OB I will have a MW and hopefully do a HB instead of the birth center this time (because it is a 2hr drive)

I am in my early 20s btw.

Gee -- you sound MUCH healthier than me. I really don't see much of an issue of your getting pregnant if that's what you want. GL!!

 

[sosurreal09]

Thanks it is really hard though when you are trying everything you can to be healthy and the weight still lingers. The only time I lost weight was when I hardly ever ate or when I only ate chicken and veggies every meal every day... I was "thin" with DDs pregnancy b/c I was partying non stop and didn't really eat and even then it was a year of constant drinking to get down to 150 from 170 which took a year of constant working out and binging and purging to get there from 210..can genes really play this big a role?

 

[eclipse]

Really? 75% of the poll respondents think it's irresponsible? WTH?

OP, no. Not irresponsible at all.

 

[eclipse]

Quote:

Originally Posted by eclipse

Really? 75% of the poll respondents think it's irresponsible? WTH?

OP, no. Not irresponsible at all.

Wait, I see I misread it. Your title and the question of the poll conflict and got me all confused. So take one of those no responses and move it to yes.

 

[mambera]

Quote:

Originally Posted by sosurreal09

Thanks it is really hard though when you are trying everything you can to be healthy and the weight still lingers. The only time I lost weight was when I hardly ever ate or when I only ate chicken and veggies every meal every day... I was "thin" with DDs pregnancy b/c I was partying non stop and didn't really eat and even then it was a year of constant drinking to get down to 150 from 170 which took a year of constant working out and binging and purging to get there from 210..can genes really play this big a role?

Whoa. I agree with the majority here who say that a moderate amount of overweight is no reason to put off TTC (actually there is some evidence that a moderate amount of fat storage is protective over the long run).

That said, I just thought the other behaviors you mentioned seemed rather riskier than just being overweight. I know from your previous posts it sounds like your current lifestyle is super healthy and that is great. I just wanted to double-check that you aren't still using weight-loss strategies like replacing food with alcohol, or binging and purging. Both of those are really really bad for your health, way worse than being overweight in the first place I'd say. And they are also not productive for weight loss in the long run - if anything they are more likely to add to the weight problem than otherwise.

If you are still binging and purging then I would actually lean towards TTA until that behavior is under better control.

But if you've overcome that stuff then kudos to you and good luck with the TTC!

 

[sosurreal09]

Nope! When I found out I was pregnant with DD I quit doing everything! (all drugs, alcohol, smoking, binging, purging, energy drinks!) No more of any of that stuff! She totally changed my life for the better

We are still nursing too so definately have not gotten drunk once! I have had a beer here or there though..maybe like 5 total in 20 months. Not too shabby

 

[amberskyfire]

No, I don't think that would be irresponsible at ALL. Every woman has something going on that somebody would consider "irresponsible." I was very poor when I became pregnant. Everyone hassled me about it and it was awful, but we're doing just fine. Some women are called "irresponsible" because they want a baby and they are gay or overweight or underweight or not married or have "too many" children already or they may have some kind of genetic disease which could potentially be passed on to the baby. No one is perfect. You do what's right for you and your baby!

BUT...I personally would lose the weight first if it was my own choice. I would want to be as physically ready as possible. Being overweight isn't bad, really, but it can potentially cause some complications. That doesn't mean that it will. Fat is stored in the vagina, so overweight women may have more trouble giving birth in some cases. Also, giving birth is incredibly trying. I wish I had been in shape when I gave birth, but I wasn't. It was like running a marathon and I was about as prepared as a surfer without a board. Once you are pregnant, you can't go back and lose that weight. You're stuck with the situation you are in, so if you feel more uncomfortable with the extra weight or if it impedes your labor in any way, there's nothing you can do to change it. You have to live with that decision until after you have had the baby.

I didn't have weight to lose when I got pregnant, but I did go through a few months' period of preparation. I changed my diet a year in advance and started taking prenatals and taking care of myself. I didn't work out because I thought I didn't need to. Next time around, that is going to be a whole different ball game! I'm working out like a fiend right now.

 

[Storm Bride]

I've had five healthy pregnancies (the births didn't go well, but that was because my first two were breech, and I wasn't given an option about a section, so then my others were all on a scarred uterus), and was at least overweight for all of them. I may not have been clinically obese when I had ds1 (was a long time ago, and I remember my weight, but have no idea of my measurements and I was packing a LOT of muscle at that time), but I definitely was with my other four. Aside from excessive fatigue and "birth" related PTSD and depression, I've never had a single health problem related to pregnancy, birth or breastfeeding, and neither have my living babies. (I had a stillborn son, and the cause was never identified, but there's nothing to suggest it had anything to do with my weight...and I was attempting a HBA3C, and then made some bad decisions during labour.)

I have also had ten years of heartbreak between ds1 and dd1. I spent most of that time ttc, largely unsuccessfully, and with only three miscarriages to show for my efforts. FWIW, I was lighter during that time that during the years in which I carried my last four babies.

That's my way of saying, "hell, no - don't wait". You're healthy, which is what counts. I do think I'd find another doctor, though. This one sounds fat phobic, and she could cause you problems.

 

[Kontessa]

I don't think weight alone is a reason to judge a pregnancy choice as irresponsible.

There are different levels of being over weight and different risks.

I have had 6 healthy babies and I am over weight. The last two have been peaceful homebirths. No BP issues, only GD controlled with diet. I have friends, thin and seemingly health who have to have hospital births with BP issues, and all sorts of things. I trust them to make the best choices for them. I do not think judgements are helpful.