Overweight(pre-pregnancy itself).. Anyone??

[despttc]

Hello everyone
I am at 4 weeks 6 days.. I'm already overweight.. I've heard there's high chance of diabetes and hypertension in pregnancy if one's overweight.. So I mostly rely on fruits to curb my appetite.. Am terrified..

 

[Amygdala]

Congratulations on your pregnancy!! Exactly how overweight are you? I started my first pregnancy with a bmi of just over 25, gained 15 kilos total and had no issues during pregnancy or delivery. LO was and is perfectly healthy. This pregnancy, I started at bmi 34(!). In first trimester I lost over a stone this time and I haven't gained since, despite eating normally.
Yes, things like GD and other complications are more common in overweight mothers. But that doesn't mean they WILL happen. Equally, they happen to women of perfectly healthy weight as well. I really don't think you should beat yourself up over it or let yourself get scared, now that it's already "too late". Being overweight does not automatically mean you'll have a difficult pregnancy.
Fruit is a good place to start but of course make sure you get a varied diet that also includes carbs (from whole grains wherever you can), healthy fats and protein. Pregnancy is not the time to go on a diet, the key is eating balanced, healthy meals and correct portion sizes. Moderate excercise is also a good idea and will help keep you fit throughout and prepare you for labour.
By all means try to boost your health in these ways but please try not to worry too much about your weight! Happy and healthy 9 months to you!

 

[WhitheartsQ]

Hello! I am in a similar situation. Stalking to see answers. Thanks for posting

 

[Lara310809]

I'm about 3 stone, or 40lb overweight. I'm one BMI point away from the GD testing during pregnancy. Here they don't automatically do it, though in places like the US they do. It can increase your chances, yes, but there's no need to get worried about it unless you have to. Just try to eat healthily and go from there. They can give you meds to counteract GD

 

[MindUtopia]

Seriously, try not to stress about it. Make healthy food and lifestyle choices during your pregnancy to give yourself the best chance of staying healthy, but don't worry too much about any risks before anything has happened. The worry alone isn't good for you or your baby! And don't try to diet now or just eat fruit, that will reek havoc on your blood sugar, which is the last thing you want to do. I was overweight when I got pregnant with a BMI of 29 (so maybe 30 lbs overweight, I'm not really sure what I should weigh honestly) but I was healthy before, ate lots of fruits and vegetables and other whole foods, and stayed active throughout my pregnancy. I walked or hiked 3-5 times a week, anywhere from 3-15 miles a day, and started swimming in 3rd tri when it was too cold to walk outside much. I only gained 15 lbs. I had a great pregnancy, no complications at all, never had any extra testing (and wouldn't have done it anyway if they'd recommended it) and a wonderful, easy home birth. Being overweight isn't a death sentence and lots of overweight people are healthy and have much easier pregnancies than thinner people. So don't stress. Enjoy your pregnancy and your growing baby!

 

[BeachgalNY]

I was very overweight (technically, "obese") before pregnancy: BMI of 35.7. That's after I lost 30 pounds so we could get pregnant ( my OB/GYN's recommendation). I understand the fears, and at the back of my mind, I have them too, but overall, I feel very confident that my weight doesn't make me any more likely to have an unhealthy pregnancy.

One of the major factors in helping me to reach that conclusion was reading the book Big, Beautiful, and Pregnant: Expert Advice and Comforting Wisdom for the Expecting Plus-Size Woman by Cornelia van der Ziel and Jacqueline Tourville. It's exceptional, fully of information on what factors drive you to be more likely to have health problems or less, stories of women who did it at much higher weights than yours with no complications, and clear ideas about how to avoid gaining too much during pregnancy and do lots of good, safe exercise. I borrowed mine from the library and then bought my own copy (you can get one used for very cheap).

I have several friends who were overweight before getting pregnant with several pregnancies. Because they worked hard at eating healthy and exercising (with a slip-up now and then, because they are human! ), they had, in total, five healthy babies. Neither ever had gestational diabetes or any other scary stuff.

We can do this. The main point is that you should gain less than a person who was of average weight before the pregnancy. Here are the guidelines from the book:

Normal BMI (20-24.9): weight gain between 25 and 35 pounds
Overweight BMI (25-29.9): weight gain between 15 and 25 pounds
Obese BMI (above 30): weight gain of at least 15 pounds.

In YOU: Having a Baby, they delineate the amount of weight gain this translates into for each trimester (they also list underweight and if you're having twins):

Normal weight before pregnancy (BMI of 18.5-24.9):
First: 4-6 lbs
Second 10-14 lbs
Third: 10-15 lbs
Total: 24-35 lbs

Overweight before pregnancy (BMI of 25-29.9):
First: 2-4 lbs
Second 8-13 lbs
Third: 5-8 lbs
Total: 15-25 lbs

Obese before pregnancy (BMI of 30 or above):
First: 2-4 lbs
Second 4-8 lbs
Third: 5-8 lbs
Total: 11-20 lbs

Hopefully, this helps. There's a lot of scary talk out there, but the truth is, you CAN have a healthy pregnancy and healthy baby even if you were overweight beforehand. Just don't "eat for two" and trust your beautiful body!

 

[babyhopes2010]

im overweight was with both pregnancys. all is well have only put on 2lb this time around. just be careful what u eat thats all

 

[WhitheartsQ]

Thanks for all the tips guys!

 

[amjon]

Being overweight does not mean you will get GD or hypertension for sure. They will probably keep a closer eye on you, but in no way means you are destined to have issues. If you do get either they both can be managed. You may want to ask your doctor about taking a baby aspirin once a day to help lower the risk for pre-e.

 

[Dream.dream]

Being over wieght puts you at more risk but doesn't guarantee you'll get complications
And they will just watch you closer

As for wieght eat right and exercise . As long as your taking on proper nutrition you can even safely lose woeght during pregnancy and still have a healthy baby if you start exercising .

 

[despttc]

I have BMI of 33 which is obese

 

[BeachgalNY]

I have BMI of 33 which is obese

DespTTC, as I told you, my BMI is 35, and my doc has no reason to believe that's dangerous for me or the baby. You're going to do great!

 

[despttc]

Thank you so much for inspiring me

 

[Butterball Ma]

I am, according to the charts, very overweight. My doctor said she's going to have me take the GD test early due to my weight, but that's all she's said so far. I'll be at 12 wks on Friday and I've gained 5 lbs so far, more than I wanted, but I can maintain for a couple wks before any more gain. Definitely don't "diet" right now. I actually eat quite a bit, but I choose a lot of fiber filled foods, which before pregnancy helped me to lose 30 lbs. Fruits are good and try to choose whole grain carb choices, too (good for you and filling). You really need all the good stuff, including proteins, too. No one wants GD, but it's not anything that you and your doctor can't handle, if need be.

 

[despttc]

I have my first scan appointment today and I'm really scared. I'm 6w 2d today

 

[WhitheartsQ]

I am 6&2 today too! I also had my first appointment today. No scan for me though. Worst part was drawing the blood. Hope yours goes great!

 

[Try Rocking]

I had a BMI of 41.8 when I got pregnant with my daughter and then continued to gain weight (I did treat it like a free for all on food though). I had a wonderful pregnancy and my doctors weren't worried at all.
My only issue was my daughter was way too comfortable and refused to turn so I had to have a c-section lol

Enjoy your pregnancy!

 

[despttc]

Scan over!!!
Baby and sac good. Cardiac activity seen as a flicker. Follow up scan after 10days to see heart beat better. Thank God!!

 

[WhitheartsQ]

I'm glad it went so well! congrats!

 

[despttc]

Hello girls!
How're you feeling? I was a little down past few days and sowasn't active on internet. Ogcian said from the second scan that heartbeat is a little on the lower side,but the radiologist says the scan is perfectly normal. Maybe my obese abdominal wall would've made it a little confusing. (the scan was at 7+ weeks and transabdominal). Anyway I've gotten over it now. The ms is still pulling me down. My BMI is 31,not 33 as I had falsely calculated(gives a teeny bit of relief that its 2 points less). Do keep in touch,girls..