bmi 35 +

[BevG]

they class high bmi as high risk and i know a lot of larger ladies end up consultant led so i thought id add a thread for that.

my bmi was 40 during preg and i had no problems due to my weight. my lil girl was born at 40+3 after a sweep and was happy and healthy and weighed in at 10lb 14oz. i didnt have gestational diabetes despite being tested for it twice and i had no growth scan or any extra care. due to my bmi i couldnt use a midwife led unit or birthing pool but i had a normal labour and delivered naturally with the help of an episiotomy and gas and air with a shot of diamorphine just before the episiotomy.

i tried to have an epidural but the anaesthetist couldnt get it in and by try 4 id had enough, epidurals can be difficult to do on larger ladies and i was 9cm dialated by the time i was offered it so if you want one ladies ask early lol.

 

[kanga86]

I am being consultant led too, my bmi at booking in was 35.6. I was initially told that I wouldn't need to be under consultant care, but got a letter through the post with 3 consultant appointments and 2 growth scans booked up. To be honest though, the 2 consultant appointments I have had have been pretty pointless as they seem to wonder why I am under there care!!

I have been told that the reason for being con-led is because I have a higher risk on developing gestational diabetes (GTT came back clear), risk of high BP (it;s always on the low side), risk of developing pre-eclampsia (at risk of due to family members getting this anyway) and the risk of losing too much blood during the delivery of the placenta. Oh and the reason for the growth scans is because they are worried baby is going to grow too big. Bump has measured spot on at each midwife appt and first growth scan LO was measuring 3 days small for his dates.

I have my next growth scan on thursday and I am hoping that if all is well with LO that at my last consultant appointment I can ask to be put back to midwife led. Because I have had no complications at all this pregnancy I am hoping they agree as if possible I would like to be on the midwife led ward at the hospital, where there is a chance I may be able to have a water birth. xxx

 

[Sunshine_1]

How things change. I wasn't consultant led when I had my daughter, the only doctors I saw was one trying to give me an epidural (it was actually they couldn't get the IV in rather than the epidural that stopped that), and the peads doctors who came in to her as she having difficulties towards the end.

I understand why I might be consultant led this time, I have diabetes this time, but why would they want you so carefully watched just because of your weight when all else is fine? What a waste of resources!

 

[Pudds86]

Hi Girls, thought I would add my experience.

My BMI was 39 when I fell pregnant with Campbell although I lost a lot of weight in the first 3 months and only ended up 8lbs heavier the day before having him. I am 5ft 8, size 18/20. I was consultant led, and had 3 growth scans. This was more to do with the fact that my dates kept changing as Cam was small. I did have the glucose test which was negative. I had an appt to see the anaesthetist as was told Epi can be harder with larger women. However when I saw the anaethetist he said there was no problem in seeing the spaces in my vertebrae so wouldn't be a problem..

I was weighed at every visit and was once lectured about how important it was for me to not put on excess weight by overeating during pregnancy. I just sat and listened because I knew I was losing weight. The look on her face was a picture when she saw I had lost 3kgs... hehehehe. Proper made my day.

I was also told I could not have midwife led delivery, but there was no reason whatsoever I couldn't have a water birth (I heard stories they didn't let women who had high bmi have one in case they needed to be lifted out of pool in an emergency). I was treated like any other woman and never once was discouraged because of my weight. My midwife called me cuddly. haha. Also there was some concerns for early scan that they would need to do an internal to see baby for larger women... this was also bollocks. Baby was clear as day on my scan.

In the end... Campbell was 9 days late, waters went but contractions didnt. I was induced via drip. Labour pain was dealt with by G&A only and lasted for 5 1/2 hours. I was told he would be at least 8lb 8oz, but was a lovely 7lb 6oz- Was a wonderful experience all round.

xx

 

[Belle23]

I am proper scared as my BMi is 47. I've only put 8lb on through my pregnanxy and I've kept active. They have said my back could be difficult for an epi so now I'm proper frightened xxx

 

[Emmamb]

My bmi was 45+ when I was pregnant with my youngest-had all the extra scans and consultant appts,had no diabetes,was higher risk due to c section with my 3rd but had no problems at all-infact it was probably the most trouble free pregnancy out of my 4 apart from going 9 days overdue Kieron was born weighing 9lb 4oz completely natural with minimum drugs x

 

[Lolly85x]

At my booking in appt I had a high bmi of about 32/33. I'm 5ft 6 and was 15stone. Wearing size 14/16 clothes... Nothing was mentioned about my bmi... I asked on here and they said that it's when's it's 35+ it's an issue... I'm nearly 33weeks. Now. And last time I weighted myself, about a month ago, I was 16stone, taking my bmi to over 35. My midwife has not weighted me again. She hadn't done the gtt test. Iv not had any extra appointments. No extra scans. I havnt been told it could cause complications. Im still wearing size 14/16 maternity clothes, and have been told I am doing well by friends and family by not gaining excess weight.

 

[kanga86]

I don't think they count what ur bmi is at the end, I haven't been weighed once since my booking in appointment at 12 weeks. Although after my last growth scan last week I asked my consultant if I could go on the midwife led ward at my hospital instead and he said he didn't see a problem with it because I had no problems so far

As for the gtt test, if u had GD it would have shown up in ur urine, as ur body would have excess sugar in ur pee. So if ur BP and urine tests have stayed clear I wouldn't worry too much Hun. Xx

 

[Sunshine_1]

My BMI is 43, it was probably about the same maybe a little higher in my first pregnancy and it was practically trouble-free. My worst issue was the fact I had a lazy LO who sometimes would go for weeks without kicking me, and they would have terrible trouble trying to keep me on the fetal monitor, which only just went around my belly and then rolled around if I didn't keep still and hold it.

I had no gestational diabetes though, she was only 8lb 2 oz born so not huge, and I had to a forceps birth, not because I was big, but because she got stuck (apparently it might happen again so they told me all those years ago). I was about to have a epidural, but had terrible veins (still have), they couldn't get a line in, and took about 20 attempts, the epidural was about to go in when my line came flying out, by the time they relocated that again it was too late and she was born with gas and air alone.

Don't let things get you down, there are bigger women than you giving birth just fine, you will cope and the hospital will help you, don't be frightened xx

 

[Lolly85x]

I don't think they count what ur bmi is at the end, I haven't been weighed once since my booking in appointment at 12 weeks. Although after my last growth scan last week I asked my consultant if I could go on the midwife led ward at my hospital instead and he said he didn't see a problem with it because I had no problems so far

As for the gtt test, if u had GD it would have shown up in ur urine, as ur body would have excess sugar in ur pee. So if ur BP and urine tests have stayed clear I wouldn't worry too much Hun. Xx

Thanks Kanga!!! My urine has been fine, and my blood pressure has always been fine. I'm hoping it stays this way!xxx

 

[BevG]

they couldnt get the epidural in on me so i just had the gas and air and diamorphine. i had nothing but cocodamol til 10cm tho. i only put on 8kg during preg, my starting bmi was 39 so i was really overweight to start with, im 6ft tall and around 21 stone. my baby was 10lb 14oz and born completely naturally after an hour or so of pushing. the only issues i had due to weight was that they had to monitor me and it was a back to back labour so having to lie on the bed hurt. id been bouncing on my ball and walking round until i got to 9cm and they checked ma and made me get on the monitor lol.

 

[Terri1884]

I was consultant led with my first and with this 1 too but more due to the fact I had a brain tumour when I was 13! I do have a bmi of 32 also! Have 1 growth scan at 32 weeks and a gtt at 28 weeks!

 

[redbear]

My BMI was 39 so consultant care for me too, i had perfect blood pressure all the way, had glucose test which was fine, had all the extra scans showing big baby, had horrid doctors telling me i would need the epidural to cope but read my birth story very easy very quick labour all on gas and air baby weighed 8.15 happy and healthy. Please dont let the doctors scare you like they did to me and tell me due to my size i would struggle wehn i had the esiest labour out of all my 'normal size' friends xx

 

[BevG]

yeah, i had a pretty easy time and my baby was huge to boot lol. didnt struggle to push her out really, no forceps or ventouse were even mentioned

 

[MrsGC]

Hiya girls...

I was 35+ BMI with Jack but I had such an easy pregnancy! No sickness, no cravings, no gestural diabetes nothing. My labour was 3.5 hours long, delivered natural with no drugs or help. Jack came out 8lbs 6oz.

I was always treated like an alien a doctor called me fat and had me in tears in the hospital. Also told at growth scans I'd have a difficult birth and a 10lbs plus baby. But I didn't...

So now I've just got my BFP I'm really scared because due to the business of having a baby I didn't lose any weight but I've been doing slimming world for 2 weeks so I'm really scared to go back to the doctors and this should be such a happy time in my life

Great thread! Love it! x

 

[BevG]

i like to think that as they say your body wont make a baby that it cant handle. since mine obviously did handle the whopper it made lol. im a bit worried about next time as i plan to have another within the next 2 yrs, preferably ttc in dec and if its bigger next time im screwed lol

 

[MrsGC]

Haha they are supposed to get bigger and quicker..

My mum was 16 when she had me. She was in size 6 up to 8 at full term and I was 9lbs 14oz and then my little bro was 10lbs 0oz. Her body managed it. I think bodies are designed to handle all of this.

My last midwife was fab but I had her 1 week at the end and she said take everyone with a pinch of salt in the medical world. She wasn't a stick thin woman so I think she understood x

 

[redbear]

Yeh one had me in tears actually said there was a chance my baby could die - i complained and he was delt with but still, There talking about moving the maternity ward to the next hospital about 30 minutes away i wouldnt have got there in time i was pushing in the car on the way so next time if its moved i want a home birth they say i cant because of my weight but if the next one comes faster im screwed 0cm to baby out in about 1 hour and 1/2 (by the time i was at hospital to be examined) x

 

[MrsGC]

Can all be different though i asked my nan as she went through it 4 times lol. And she said all very different and first was quick but my mum who was second was hours!!!

I don't think weight affects anything unless they can show proof which I haven't seen yet then I don't understand it. On this thread alone all of us have high BMI and have healthy happy babies x

 

[MrsGC]

And lol my diet now was for my wedding but obviously i will continue but won't miss out on certain needs for the bubs.

I never see or hear a doctor or midwife offering to help with a diet plan or anything x