Obese and Pregnant - My latest blog post for Scary Mommy.
Here's a sample:
"When I first began considering a pregnancy, I was a size 22/24. Even
without any medical training, it was clear to me that it wouldn’t be
healthy to carry a baby at that size. I set about working my ass off
(literally) by exercising and joining Weight Watchers. I was successful
in losing 42 pounds. Despite that weight loss, I was still, technically,
overweight at a size 16/18. I arrived at my first OB appointment full
of joyful anticipation, so excited about our expanding family. The
first thing the OB said to me, the moment she walked into the room, was,
“Because of your pre-pregnancy weight issues, we strongly suggest you
gain no more than 10-15 pounds throughout your pregnancy.” And…
excitement instantly and thoroughly squashed."
If you're interested in reading the entire article, please see: Obese and Pregnant.
Hi Erin, I just read your post over on ScaryMommy and thought I'd come to the source. Love your writing style and your frankness. I went to an OB practice that had five OBs. The day after Valentine's Day where I gorged on the chocolate fountain at work (Augustus Gloop anyone?) and about 12 donuts/cookies, I ended up seeing an OB I hadn't seen in prior visits. I guess I would have been about 7 months along? I had gained 5 pounds since my previous visit. She told me I had gained too much weight, and I needed to be more careful about what I ate. Oh, and she was a total bitch about it. (Side note: she's the same one I had to see at the end of my pregnancy and she freaked me out telling me that I was probably going to end up in a c-secion. I didn't care if I had to have a C-section if it came to that, but do you need to tell me that before I've even gotten started? Oh, and in the end, she was wrong anyway. Sigh.) SERIOUSLY? I'm an exhausted, first time mom who has a parasitic creature inside my body, and you're telling me..... Oh, it makes me fired up just thinking about it. I saw my regular OB at my next visit, and she shook her head and told me that I was just fine. So, long story short, I'd like to find your OB and tell her to suck it. Thanks for putting your story out there, Erin.
ReplyDeleteYeah, bedside manner is a lost art. I think medical schools really need a required series of classes in sensitivity training.
DeleteMy husband and I will start trying in a few weeks. I'm a size 14. I haven't been able to lose any weight, though my (male) doctor has been really nice (he's said that I'm OK... not in bad shape or health at all, just bigger).
ReplyDeleteI've been anxious about how my weight could affect getting pregnant or being pregnant, so I really appreciate this perspective. Thanks!
Hey, read the article and was so impressed. I have been looking for inspiration, as I said in my comment @ScarryMommy, I am 24 weeks into a pregnancy and weigh 118 kg now (I guess size 22 would be it). I am trying to avoid c-sections at all costs, and am looking for such stories. I believe my body was made to be able to give birth naturally and want to find people that can encourage me to "fight the system", while still taking care of my baby and my body :)
ReplyDeleteHope you can help!
Thanks,
Tea
Thank you so much for writing this article on scarrymommy.com. I have been struggling with weight issues most of my adult life. Before I got pregnant I was a size 8 (I know, not technically overweight. ) but over looked my pregnancy because I thought (stupidly) that I was gaining weight and exhausted all the time due to depression, because both me and my mother have suffer from depression off and on most of our lives and I had no other symptoms of pregnancy. I didn't notice that I was pregnant till just under a month ago, by then I knew I had gained "too much" weight. Not only do I get thinly veiled remarks about my "excessive" weight gain, but I both obgyn and nurses tend to interagate me on my not receiving prenatal care from the start. I'm an extremely blunt, no nonsense person. I am now on my 3rd obygn. I see tomorrow for the first time. The first I made his nurse cry, the second I fired. your story helped me a lot. It is sad to me that any professional, let alone a doctor, should think this kind of behavior could ever be acceptable.
ReplyDeleteAgain Thank you,
Constance
Thank you so much for writing this article on scarrymommy.com. I have been struggling with weight issues most of my adult life. Before I got pregnant I was a size 8 (I know, not technically overweight. ) but over looked my pregnancy because I thought (stupidly) that I was gaining weight and exhausted all the time due to depression, because both me and my mother have suffer from depression off and on most of our lives and I had no other symptoms of pregnancy. I didn't notice that I was pregnant till just under a month ago, by then I knew I had gained "too much" weight. Not only do I get thinly veiled remarks about my "excessive" weight gain, but I both obgyn and nurses tend to interagate me on my not receiving prenatal care from the start. I'm an extremely blunt, no nonsense person. I am now on my 3rd obygn. I see tomorrow for the first time. The first I made his nurse cry, the second I fired. your story helped me a lot. It is sad to me that any professional, let alone a doctor, should think this kind of behavior could ever be acceptable.
ReplyDeleteAgain Thank you,
Constance