Plus size mummies

[MrsL3]

Hello ladies! I'm a plus size mum to be too. I'm 5'7" size 16-18 and BMI was 36 at booking in but think I've lost weight since then.

I too was wondering if ill show really late even though this is my second pregnancy so I googled n googled n just like every other woman regardless of size, the verdict is we are all different n will all show at different times in different times (boring right?!!!!) soooooooo

I google imaged something like 'plus size belly/pregnancy pics' loads came up but my faves are in community baby centre .com some American some Canadian n some uk but there's lots if pics with ladies staring how many weeks they are their height pre preg weight / bmi etc.

I know we are all different but I live looking at em all so thought I'd share xx

I just had a look at baby centre for the pics as I'm also really worried that I'll never show! Quite encouraging to see all the lovely bumps!
My SIL told me she didn't show till 20 weeks and she's not at all a plus size mummy so I guess it really is different for everyone- just hope that when I can finally tell people I'm pregnant that they believe me!!!!

I had a look too, came across them a few weeks ago and I worry now I'll get one of those b bumps :/ Although it is really reassuring to see lots of lovely bumps- Shell makes a great point, we are all different and will all have different bumps regardless of size.

The thing is, I know it's not the end of the world and we all are lucky to be pregnant and just want healthy babies but I can't help but worrying!

Pudds, thanks for the pics!! Lovely! And I agree, I had to have an internal scan previously but I wasn't overweight then, I was just not far gone enough and couldn't see bubs very well.

 

[BevG]

i never had to have an internal scan either ladies and i am pretty high on the bmi side of things, just had to hold the belly up a bit haha

 

[glowing]

I have known sonographers to comment that average size 12-14 women are difficult to scan so don worry its just them.

 

[Victoriad]

i had booking on appt on Friday and was given a letter to take to my gp. Basically it said because my bmi was over 30 i needed 5mg folic acid tabs and 75mg aspirin to be taken every day. im sure the folic acid works out at over 10x a normal recommended intake? anyone else been prescribed these?

 

[MrsL3]

I just looked on my pack of pregnacare and it says there's 400 microgram of folic acid in each tablet. You sure it was wasn't microgram and not milligram? Like you said if its mg it would work out as 5000 mcg which is pretty much ten times the amount (I think!!) xx

 

[Kitty Kat]

Morning

I read that you need to take 5mg of folic acid if your bmi is over 30. I went to my lovely gp and she says she has not heard this and I'd be fine taking my Pregnancare with the 400mcg. I agree the difference between 400mcg and 5mg seems way too big.

I did some research online and it seems that you cant overdose so to speak on folic acid, so I have been taking my Pregnacare plus an additional 400mcg folic acid tablet every day. I'll only do it for the first 3 months and I'll check with my doctor when I go for an early scan next week (previous partial molar pregnancy) But the inconsistency in advise and the huge variation in doses seems ridiculous and is stressful. I don't feel I should be in the position at such a vulnerable time where I am having to weigh up information and deciding what to do on my own, rather than having clear guidelines to follow.

Rant over ladies, sorry but this has been concerning me for a few days. What do you guys think I should be doing?

 

[MrsL3]

Agree with you kitty kat. All my midwife said was to take pregancy vitamins with folic acid and vitamin d in them. It's a worrying time as it is, let alone having to figure out what vitamins to take.

I just had a quick look too and the nhs website says if you have a family history of spina bifida then you need to take 5mg folic acid until 12 weeks but "taking doses of folic acid higher than 1mg can disguise vitamin B12 deficiency"

I'd just continue to take normal pregnacy vitamins and then speak to your midwife again when you next see her.

 

[Victoriad]

I just looked on my pack of pregnacare and it says there's 400 microgram of folic acid in each tablet. You sure it was wasn't microgram and not milligram? Like you said if its mg it would work out as 5000 mcg which is pretty much ten times the amount (I think!!) xx

yes, pretty sure on amounts as it was hubby who pointed it out (he is a scientist of some sort) when he looked at the letter.
Apparently because of the higher then normal BMI (35.9 - im only 5ft 3) our local NHS prescribe this and due to my high bp the aspirin helps the flow between me and the placenta etc. have to stop it at 36 weeks though as after that it can cause heamoragging.

All rather scary stuff. im determined now that i will lose the weight after baby comes - i had just lost my first st when i suspected i was up the duff and had to stop. Saying that, with the nausea i think ill lose over the duration rather than put on.

 

[MrsL3]

I'm determined too. I was just about to start dieting when I found out I was pregnant. I'm really trying hard but I feel hungry all the time now. I made a huge fruit salad this morning to keep in the fridge to snack on, rather than crisps etc but lets see how long that lasts!! I've got a wedding to go to in feb, I'll be about 35 weeks by then and I'm already panicking about that to wear

 

[Jojo84]

I take my pregnacare and an extra tablet and my mw said that was fine and would go no harm

Also while I'm in here .. When we were talking about worry if we won't get bumps till later... 11+3 this week lol I'm going to be huge aren't I?!

 

[MrsL3]

Jojo!! You've got a bump!

I'm too scared to post any pics yet, I'm too big- I wear jeans that pull me in and I tend to suck in my big wobbly belly as much as I can. But when I let it all out I look about 6 months pregnant anyway (and its defo not baby cos I've looked like this for a while now ) that's why I'm worrying I won't get a bump-I think I have too much fat for the bump to be a proper solid baby bump, if that all makes sense.

Oh and STILL no scan date, getting very impatient now lol

 

[BevG]

lol i constantly suck in my tummy and try to have good posture, i think it means our stomach muscles are good and get used a lot so we have nice bumps when we get them

 

[Jojo84]

Lol I can't suck my bump in lol I kinda think that COs I'm fat the fat is pushing the bump put a bit more.. I hadn't Awen me grandma In a few weeks - just spoke on the phone but when I saw her on Wednesday she went "we'll hello junior! What a big boy you're getting to be" - she's convinced it's a boy, as an I tbh. Mum is on team pink lol

 

[MrsL3]

I used to be able to suck it all in but as I've got bigger I can't quite get it all, I have that horrid 'apron' belly that hangs a little luckily it's not really noticeable with clothes on so I can hide my flab lol at least as bump grows I won't have to suck it in and hide anymore, yay!!

Yes well Bev you have a great bump so maybe you're right! xx

 

[BeckyBaby]

Hi everyone. I am new to this site but thought I would say hello. I have been married since October last year, trying since March this year, and finally got a positive pregnancy test yesterday! We are both ecstatic (my hubby is bringing home a digital test from work today just to make sure as he can't believe his eyes either!). Only problem is I am a large lady. I am 5 foot 9 so relatively tall and I have always had a big frame (size 9 feet etc). But I am 20 stone and this make me a size 24. I have lost around a stone in the last 4 months but I am still terrified that this will have a negative impact on the pregnancy and that any doctors / midwives / sonographers are going to be really rude to me. My saving grace is that I don't smoke, don't drink, don't have high blood pressure or cholesterol (although medical professionals always think I am going to!) and am not on any sort of medication. Apart from the fact that my weight obviously means I am not going to be running any marathons any time soon it doessn't seem to have a visible impact on my health at all at the moment. Hopefully this will help!? I can't do any exercise at all apart from normal walking (not even swimming) on the advice of my orthopedic surgeon as I ruptured my ankle ligaments when I slipped in some snow severalyears ago (when I was thin) and after several surgeries my ankle has been left so weak that any exercise apart from gentle walking could rupture it again (hence the massive weight gain as I was very active before). Any advice? I have an appointment with the GP for Wednesday.

 

[BevG]

im 5'11 and 21 ish stone, never affected me in either pregnancy, i had natural delivery of my DD1 and im 36+3 now with DD2, still 21 ish stone, bmi of 44. my bloodpressure has been 120/30 over 60/70 the whole time or thereabouts, spot on for me. im not achey or particularly unfit. sonographers have never said anything about my size, just had to pull the flabby tummy up a bit during scans lol, the machine and report say something about high bmi butthey cant help the machines programming. you will have an app with the anaesthetist about eppidurals being a bit harder to administer to larger ladies and they will check your spine and you will be given a glucose tolerance test around 28 weeks to check your not developing gestational diabetes.

aquanatal was great and its very gentle aerobics so id deffo ask if you could do that. id also check with doc re the swimming as surely an excercise where your weight is supported and any shock is cushioned is gonna be good for you despite ankle weakness... and if you can stick to fruit and healthy snacking during preg you will likely lose weight during preg, i do without trying. if your pretty fit and healthy in general despite being overweight there is no reason that your size will impact negatively on your pregnancy

 

[Jojo84]

I heard you can get into slimming world for free of refered by your mw... Not sure how true that is

 

[MrsL3]

Hey Becky

Bev is right, you'll be fine. I was worried for nothing really. Midwife was lovely. My bmi was 34 so I'm considered low to moderate risk on most things but will still have to see a consultant. Don't know if you read all posts on here but my mw told me I won't necessarily be consultant led-they just like to meet you to check you're not so big that you're house bound or can't walk or move about without help.
I'm the same too-I don't drink or smoke (I did smoke but gave up when I got BFP) my blood pressure was 120/60 so spot on and I'm still fairly active so risks are pretty low.

And again I agree with Bev-surely swimming would be the best form of exercise for you to do? Speak to doc and mw about that again as I'm sure that would be better than walking..

Good luck on Wednesday and keep us updated as to how you get on xx

 

[MrsL3]

Oh. And congrats on your BFP!! x

 

[Jojo84]

Our local community centra had pregnancy exercise classes I'm thinking of starting, maybe it would be worth checking out to see if there's anything similar in your area