Plus-Size Pregnancy

[valdree]

hi guys, im at 4 weeks right now and i'm wondering, how will there be room for a baby!? i carry all my weight around my middle and really already looked like i was pregnant pre bfp. anyone else have this and experience of a healthy pregnancy and baby? i mentioned the worry to the doc at my first visit yesterday in a casual way, and although she was very nice overall, she's a tiny little thing and said nothing reassuring about the tummy fat issue. i expected to hear something to the effect of "haha, i assure you your lo will*make* room."

i am due december 3rd and this will be my first!

I carry all my weight on the front too and I managed ok last time. I looked pregnant before my BFT last time and this time. In fact a neighbor asked when the baby was due and I was too embarrassed to say I wasn't pregnant so I said 'not for a while'. Two months later I became pregnant and I wondered what the poor man must have been thinking..........the longest pregnancy in the world lol.
I did feel quite a bit of stretching and pulling pains the last time (and this time), but I doubt that was a space issue.
V
xxx

 

[horseypants]

valdree, thanks for sharing your experience with me and the story. i know i totally looked preggers for the last few years so it's pretty rad that now i really am for MANY reasons!! (i'm 33, this is the first, i've done it all and want to have *my* family now more than anything)

i hate that face people have when they're trying to not show they're judging whether you're pregnant. yesterday, shopping, i had the best case of SMUG! cause even though it's so early, i do have a special somethin' in there



...as for the actual physics on how my lo will fit, i've been looking at scan pics/sonograms imagining how my little love will be squished amazing the issues i'm managing to manufacture over here, never having been past this stage. my grandma carries her weight the same way and had a few babies. i imagine she started out thinner than i am now with her first and i'm not exactly sure how different she looked from me when she had her last one. it's possible i'm heavier right now than she was for any of them. but whatever i'm counting her experience as more support for the conclusion that our bodies can do amazing things

your lo is adorable - i love it that i get to hear the story and see happy mamma with lil kid!!

oh another totally silly thing i've been dying to ask: i always sucked in my stomach, but since i found out, i've been letting it all hang out. does it make a difference either way? what do you do? i remember being a kid and my mom telling me to keep my tummy in. now, i just want things to happen in the best way for lo and dont care if i look like im already about to deliver. let people talk - yes. i'm having a VERY long pregnancy, at about 34 weeks most of the way! lol

thank goodness for this thread and being able to say these things to other people i know someone else out there sucks in their tummy usually.... heh. what do you do while prego? i've totally been forgoing tight waisted stuff too. i figure if stuff's all rearranging itself in there, make it as easy as possible for nature to find her way?

 

[valdree]

There is only so long you can suck it in anyway lol. I am finding it quite difficult to suck my tummy in because I am pretty bloated, and really, I am not too fussed about it anyway.
V
xxx

 

[KEslinger]

i have put on 9kg now im very upset about it i dont no why im getting so much bigger im eating ok not over eating hole thing getting me down anyone put on that much or anything like that i looked it up on line and thats all im ment to put on the HOLE time

If you read around there are plenty of girls who have gained more than that. I know when we're bigger they give us limits 10-20 or 10-15 pounds. It's discouraging. I'm hoping to not gain more than a pound a week from here on out (or less would be great). Realize that from around 30 weeks or so your baby actually triples in size before it's born (if it's on time). Your body goes through alot of changes and you retain fluids, you have more blood volume, etc. Look for a breakdown of weight gain during pregnancy... if you subtract the "maternal fat stores" it still leaves you with weight to gain. Relax. Remember to drink a lot of water, eat well, and walk when you can. My doctor hasn't said ANYTHING about my weight gain, lack there of in the beginning, or the way I'm putting it on now. Try not to worry too much unless you gain 4+ pounds in one week, then you might want to let your doctor know about a gain like that. I'll try and find the list that I had put on this thread...

 

[niknik1more]

thank u x

 

[KendraNoell]

ALL my weight was in my stomach. Of course they will fit because they aren't growing in your fat LOL.

And Kes I know what you were saying, I'm saying I can't wear my mat jeans either!

 

[Rosered52]

valdree, thanks for sharing your experience with me and the story. i know i totally looked preggers for the last few years so it's pretty rad that now i really am for MANY reasons!! (i'm 33, this is the first, i've done it all and want to have *my* family now more than anything)

i hate that face people have when they're trying to not show they're judging whether you're pregnant. yesterday, shopping, i had the best case of SMUG! cause even though it's so early, i do have a special somethin' in there



...as for the actual physics on how my lo will fit, i've been looking at scan pics/sonograms imagining how my little love will be squished amazing the issues i'm managing to manufacture over here, never having been past this stage. my grandma carries her weight the same way and had a few babies. i imagine she started out thinner than i am now with her first and i'm not exactly sure how different she looked from me when she had her last one. it's possible i'm heavier right now than she was for any of them. but whatever i'm counting her experience as more support for the conclusion that our bodies can do amazing things

your lo is adorable - i love it that i get to hear the story and see happy mamma with lil kid!!

oh another totally silly thing i've been dying to ask: i always sucked in my stomach, but since i found out, i've been letting it all hang out. does it make a difference either way? what do you do? i remember being a kid and my mom telling me to keep my tummy in. now, i just want things to happen in the best way for lo and dont care if i look like im already about to deliver. let people talk - yes. i'm having a VERY long pregnancy, at about 34 weeks most of the way! lol

thank goodness for this thread and being able to say these things to other people i know someone else out there sucks in their tummy usually.... heh. what do you do while prego? i've totally been forgoing tight waisted stuff too. i figure if stuff's all rearranging itself in there, make it as easy as possible for nature to find her way?

I love it! I carry soooo much weight around my belly, and also really have looked pregnant for years. I was just thinking this morning how nice and freeing it is to not feel the need to suck in or try to conceal my waistline. I'm 32, and this is my first as well. Feeling ready to be a mom for the first time. I'm finding that my fat is just getting pushed further out. I'm still only showing a little, though with my not sucking in, I look bigger, of course. I noticed last night when I laid down to sleep that my stomach muscles are still intact (haven't split apart yet), but they are moved waaaaay out. It's like they're out nearer to the surface of my belly, in front of the fat. It's soooooo weird. I think I'm going to "pop" soon. I'm 5'8", too, so my uterus has had plenty of room to grow up before it needs to expand out. That's what I noticed first--my belly fat up top under my breasts started pooching out a bit, as my uterus swelled upwards and started moving everything else out of the way. It's all pretty crazy and interesting, and don't worry, the baby will make room!

 

[KEslinger]

ALL my weight was in my stomach. Of course they will fit because they aren't growing in your fat LOL.

And Kes I know what you were saying, I'm saying I can't wear my mat jeans either!

LOL. I'm starting to look more pregnant... I just realized. Haha. Mostly the top part of my belly, I love it. We'll see how much changes over the next few weeks.


Anyway, just dropped in to say that we got the crib today!!! We still need a mattress for it so I plopped some of the cardboard over the support springs to keep the cats from getting stuck... Super exciting. We're heading out for a bit but I wanted to stop in and see what was going on here this evening. Not too much I see.

Have a good night, ladies!

 

[NihilSineDeo]

i haven't been on here in FOREVER...really
how is everyone feeling?

is anyone able to feel a whole lot of movement and how often?

 

[Hooblet]

I was feeling kicks on the inside from 16 weeks, and could feel and see them on the outside from 20 weeks - my placenta is towards the back, though, so it's easier. For the last month or so LO's movements have been very big, to the point of being a bit uncomfortable. I can also feel him turn from side to side - it's like a wave going across my belly Usually he moves for a few hours a day, spread over the course of the day. He's especially active just before bed

I was a size 22 pre-pregnancy, and up until 35 weeks hadn't put on any weight at all (I haven't weighed myself since then but am feeling very solid, so not sure I want to know ). So far my weight hasn't affected my baby at all - we were able to find his heartbeat at 13 weeks, his movements are fine, my blood pressure has been fine and I haven't had gestational diabetes. Despite this I had a horrible appointment with a registrar I've never seen before, last week, where she'd obviously decided my weight is a 'problem' and was going to make an issue of it one way or another. She decided to listen to the heartbeat and was insistent she couldn't find it (even though I swear I kept hearing her find it over and over), and pushing and prodding at me sighing and muttering about BMI. I was lucky that baby was hiccuping and kicking all the way through or I would have been really worried that he wasn't ok. She made me go and have a trace thingy, where a lovely midwife found LO's heartbeat in about 6 seconds with one of those metal ear trumpet things off of the 50s (and the trace was absolutely normal).

It honestly makes such a difference which member of staff you get. Up until last week I hadn't been made to feel crap at all, but I was quite upset after that appointment - not really what I needed at 36+ weeks! I'm not under any illusions that I'm Kate Moss or anything, but quite what they expect me to do about it right now I'm not sure! Well I can confidently predict I'll be losing around 7lbs in the next 4 weeks, anyway

Hope you ladies are all relaxing and enjoying your pregnancies! xx

 

[maisie78]

That makes me so mad Being large and pregnant doesn't make us 2nd class citizens!! As you say, what on earth does she expect you to do about it now?! Some people are so superior it drives me nuts! You've done really well not to put weight on for 30 odd weeks but of course that gets looked over. I'm just ready for the first person who tries to make me feel like crap, I'll come out fighting!

 

[KEslinger]

I was feeling kicks on the inside from 16 weeks, and could feel and see them on the outside from 20 weeks - my placenta is towards the back, though, so it's easier. For the last month or so LO's movements have been very big, to the point of being a bit uncomfortable. I can also feel him turn from side to side - it's like a wave going across my belly Usually he moves for a few hours a day, spread over the course of the day. He's especially active just before bed

I was a size 22 pre-pregnancy, and up until 35 weeks hadn't put on any weight at all (I haven't weighed myself since then but am feeling very solid, so not sure I want to know ). So far my weight hasn't affected my baby at all - we were able to find his heartbeat at 13 weeks, his movements are fine, my blood pressure has been fine and I haven't had gestational diabetes. Despite this I had a horrible appointment with a registrar I've never seen before, last week, where she'd obviously decided my weight is a 'problem' and was going to make an issue of it one way or another. She decided to listen to the heartbeat and was insistent she couldn't find it (even though I swear I kept hearing her find it over and over), and pushing and prodding at me sighing and muttering about BMI. I was lucky that baby was hiccuping and kicking all the way through or I would have been really worried that he wasn't ok. She made me go and have a trace thingy, where a lovely midwife found LO's heartbeat in about 6 seconds with one of those metal ear trumpet things off of the 50s (and the trace was absolutely normal).

It honestly makes such a difference which member of staff you get. Up until last week I hadn't been made to feel crap at all, but I was quite upset after that appointment - not really what I needed at 36+ weeks! I'm not under any illusions that I'm Kate Moss or anything, but quite what they expect me to do about it right now I'm not sure! Well I can confidently predict I'll be losing around 7lbs in the next 4 weeks, anyway

Hope you ladies are all relaxing and enjoying your pregnancies! xx

Great job on keeping that weight stable. I'm ALMOST back to my prepregnancy weight (which was 10 pounds higher than my lowest during the pregnancy so far). I weighed myself this morning (I go to the doctors later today) and I weigh 0.1 less than I did at my last appointment - which means no gain from 27-30 weeks. I know this is where you're supposed to start gaining, too. We'll see. LOL So, I weigh in, once again (like last week) at 283.3. I hope that number doesn't get much bigger, I'd love to leave the hospital weighing less than I did before I got pregnant. But, it is what is is. Honestly, I probably wouldn't have gained all of that back if I watched what I ate better, I didn't go crazy with it, but, there are those days...

I'm seeing a different doctor this afternoon, I had to change my appointment which upset me just a little. This is the doctor that I had originally wanted to switch to in the beginning. My regular ob/gyn hasn't said anything about my weight except for like "good job" or "you must be following a very strict diet". I hope Dr. Z doesn't say anything about it later. LOL I also need to get my TDAP which my other doctor was setting up for today, so not sure if I'm going to be able to get that today or in 2 weeks when I follow up with her again.

 

[KEslinger]

Back!
Blood pressure was a little high - but, still normal.
Baby is doing good and, as I had thought, is head down. I had asked if we could find out what position she was in, he asked why I wanted to know (not in a bad way) and I said I thought she had moved, the kicks/movements are different, etc. The doctor explained that if they're breech they usually flip between 34 and 36 weeks and, if they're head down, they usually stay that way. Fingers crossed.
I'm up 2 pounds from last time - I was also weighed on a different scale and they really don't care. 1/2 pound per week is completely normal and, that's exactly where I'm coming in at. I see my regular ob/gyn in 2 weeks, we're setting up a growth scan for about 2 weeks after that. One more day of work tomorrow and then I get to see my beautiful baby girl on Sunday. I can't wait!!!

Everything else is going great, aside from the tremendous heartburn I have at the current moment.

 

[KendraNoell]

Glad to hear things are going well! I have an appointment on Tuesday, will be 34 weeks. I think they are testing me for anemia (I had it before I was pregnant so I'm surprised I was never put on iron supplements in addition to the prenatals or anything) and I am going to ask him about the pain once again. Just in so much pain its hard to walk or get in and out of bed, seeing stars when I get out of bed because my hips are so out of alignment. My chiropractor won't really work on my hips because of my preterm labor issue and he has said he will probably stop working on me altogether at 36 weeks in order not to start labor or hurt baby. Sooo I forsee an uncomfortable 6 weeks

 

[CaliGinger]

My blood pressure was higher than it was in the past as well this week, and i was put on iron pills too. That explains the crazy fatigue. I asked about positions too and my baby is laying transverse, but it keeps moving around. My midwife isn't concerned and said that's normal for 30 weeks. Ive been recommended to see a chiropractor.for.my hip/pelvic/pubic area pain, so I'll be setting that up soon as well.

 

[CaliGinger]

I just got a call and I completely failed my 1 hour glucose test. I have to go in on Friday for the 3 hour. I don't have any sick time and since I'll be missing work my Saturday overtime will revert to straight time.

 

[KEslinger]

Sorry ladies, money is really tight around here so the internet (and cable) have been sacrificed for now. I check in on my phone and what not but there isn't too much I can do on there without getting really irritated. I'll always check in and what not and I'll get on here when I can (before work). OH is finally getting some more hours in at work so it should get a little easier around here for the next month until I go on maternity leave. =\ If it's not one thing it's another..

@CaliGinger... so sorry about your 1 hour GTT. How far off were you on it? Keep in mind I failed my 1 hour but passed 2 of the 3 hour tests. You can message me on FB about it if you want. & It's totally normal for the baby to not be head down yet. A lot of them turn between 34 and 36 ot 37 weeks. Some make it much earlier. Ours turned into head down sometime around 26 weeks when her kicks started coming up higher.

We got a couple of cute dresses on clearance at Macys (I had a giftcard from a coworker) if the internet lasts more than 2 minutes I'll try and upload a picture of them.

3D ultrasound went great. She's got some chubby cheeks and looks just like I did as a baby. =) I really hope she gets OH's blue eyes and blonde hair - hope she gets the curls from both of us, too.

The internet I'm bumming off of keeps going out. =\ Damn.

 

[Rosered52]

The 3D ultrasound picture in your avatar is adorable!

 

[KEslinger]

She's a difficult scan...
to start we had hands in front of the face and head turned...







There are all variations of the same thing. You can see her one arm bent, and hand up by her face (which you can't see) her other arm is folded across her chest with her hand/fingers on her arm, in one of the photos you can see that her fingers were moving...

 

[KEslinger]

She started to come out of hiding but then decided to cover that face right back up...

I love the place I went to and I love the ultrasound tech, however, she had someone else start the scan and she SUCKED. like really.