Very overweight and worried about labour

[furbaby]

Hi all

I know I'm a good way off labour yet but it's something I've been thinking about recently, as I weigh 21 stone (dress size 26/28) I am under consultant led care I lost 4 stone before becoming pregnant (although I had planned to lose more by that point!)

My consultants have been great but they have said a couple of things

1. It may be harder for me to have an epidural and I'll need a consultation with an aenetetist nearer the time. They haven't actually said I wouldn't be able to have one although I feel this is implied

2. I am at more risk of needing a csection

3. More risk of tearing....

4. Possible increase of bleeding (which they said if happened they would put me on a drip)

They said they want to push for a natural birth as health prior to pregnancy is absolutely fine and that with the increasing number of overweight women they have many successful vaginal deliveries....

I am just worried that if I need a csection and can't have an epidural I don't know what will happen as they are reluctant to put overweight patients to sleep due to increased complications, I try and reason with myself that many people have gastric bypasses under anaesthetic...

I'm just freaking out I could die or something could go wrong

Any advice greatly appreciated (I don't want to spend the next 3 months freaking out!

xxxxx

 

[Cazzlou]

Hi

I'm a big girl a size 20/22 and weighed 18stone before getting pregnant.

Im consultant led and had my first naturally without epidural and I was similar size to now.

I've had an anaesthetist appt and they were just checking that the spine didnt have any fluid that would impact it.

They say labour is harder when bigger but last time I was honestly ok.

I might be getting induced tomorrow so will let you know this experience.

X

 

[furbaby]

Thank you I know the point of consultant led care is to prevent any problems arising and if they do to manage them quickly and I have great consultants I'm just freaking- to be fair as this is my first I recon I would be freaking even if I wasn't overweight- I guess this is just one more thing for me to stress about!

good luck for tomorrow! xxxx

 

[BevG]

im about 21 stone and a size 22 before being pg. since being preg ive been under mw led care only, had 1 app with the consultant anaesthetist and they said the same things about being overweight making labour more difficult and the epidural needing to be done as early as poss if i wanted it. im not scared as im pretty healthy and fit despite my size, im almost 6ft tall and i have massive wrists and ankles so i cant ever get to be thin anyway lol. they have been happy with me so far and ive not had major problems, in maternity wear im now a size 18 since ive lost weight while being preg and put on bump. it will be interesting to see what size i am after baby is born and i will let everyone know how my labour goes when the time arrives too

 

[Welshhunniexx]

With my dd, i weighed 21 stone, dress size 24-26. i had no trouble with an epidural and also had a c-section (only because i didnt dilate proper, family history). everything went fine and i even recovered quite quickly.
im a bit heavier with this one, in a 28 at mo and due to the positive first experience, im happier this time around x

 

[furbaby]

Thank you so much ladies you really have helped put my mind at ease I don't know why my mind keeps going to worse case scenarios, I really need to relax and quit stressing

I'm glad everything went ok for you welshhunnie, and BevG and Cazzlou I'd love to hear how it goes for you ladies (fingers crossed that you both have a easy/ish pregnancy)

xxxx

 

[BevG]

lol easy ish would be good for just the labour thanks, its too late for easy preg. had a few blips but nothing concerning babys health lol. ive actually lost weight while preg so this is the best diet ever as far as im concerned. baby is eating me alive and i couldnt be happier lol. getting to the uncomfy achey bit now so i cant wait for it to be over now really lol.

 

[Bunnykins]

I was same weight and size as you, I was consultant led care due to a previous dvt and I had the anaethitist apt too, it was implied to me the whole way through that I would have problems, that I'd get diabetes that I'd definately need epidural and cesaerean etc etc as I wouldn't be able to push. I knew I felt healthy I never got high blood pressure or diabetes and the anaethatist checked my spine and was happy I could have an epidural if I wanted one. I chose to go down the hypnobirthing route and had the best labour ever (read my story in my sig link), it couldn't have gone smoother for me or the baby, so imho weight is not always a hindrance in labour so if your healthy and have no other underlying problems then don't worry xx

 

[Cazza]

I'm around the same weight/size as the rest of you ladies.

I had a pre planned C section last week (due to medical reasons but I had a choice) and had consultant led care from the start.

The consultant anestheatist was happy to do both spinal and epidural.

My experience with C section was very positive I have to say and 9 days on I'm doing well!!

So please don't worry!!!

 

[furbaby]

Thank you girls you have no idea how much you have helped me to relax and I feel way less stressed out

Thank you xxx

 

[redbear]

Im overweight and was on consultant care (size 22) and my labour lasted just over an hour and i gave birth to a 8 pound 15 baby girl on gas and air alone it was so quick and easy... so just because your big doesn't mean you will have a hard time! xx

 

[rebecca180624]

Hun i weighed the same and i had an all natural birth. My little girl was 5 weeks early but she came at a good weight of 8lb 4. She was healthy apart from she wasnt feeding too well. An i was only in labour for 3 an a half hours. Everything was perfectly fine for me. My consultant was an arse am was telling me i will definatly have a c section etc but i proved him wrong. You will be fine honest . Xx

 

[winnie89]

hi hun, i wouldnt always just go on what docs say they say i'm over weight and would never have kids ( i was 12.5 sonte before getting pregnant) like many of the ladies i was 15 stone at my heaviest, if you worry about everything all the time your only going to make yourself ill, if problems arise in your labour then doctors are there to help you just enjoy your pregnancy and if you have a problem free labour then there was nothing to worry about, there's always a chance anything can happen, and the medical service will do everything to stop the worst case scenario xxxx