Overweight, high BMI and a natural labor ? - Labour and birth

SuzMcH1

14/07/2008 at 06:41

I'm currently overweight and have a high BMI. I was a size 18-20 before pregnancy and have put on at least 3 stone already and have 10wks to go.
That's not the point though.
So far my midwife and Dr have never discussed the fact that I'm overweight or expressed any concerns about my weight. However last week the mw gave me a leaflet saying that I would need to see the anaesthetist during labor as it was likely I would need a forceps delivery and would need a epidural early. I had gas and air and a water birth planned. This leaflet makes it sound like a forgone conclusion that I'll have a hard time and will need an epidural and likely a c -section.
Now I'm really worried about it. Has anyone had any good or bad expereices in labor that was related to your weight. Thanks. Suz x

MITZI

14/07/2008 at 08:12

well shug im a size 18 with my last delivery i put on 2st+ and my bmi was 33 i think i had a normal birth it was very painfull but i did so if i can do you can do it!

mommachase Silver member

14/07/2008 at 08:14

i was a size 20-22 when I had both of my children. I had them both naturally and without complication. I would keep your mind open when in labour because anything can happen but it would not be related to your weight.

PeppaDoodleDoo Platinum member

14/07/2008 at 08:45

My bmi during my last pregnancy was around 34 (im a size 18 when not pregnant) and i managed a natural birth with just gas and air. Remember its your body and your baby,nobody can make you do anything, they can only advise you, you're well within your rights to decline anything you don't want.I know with our midwives if your bmi is over 35 then i think they reccommend an appointment with a consultant just to be on the safe side (probably just due to the risk of increased blood pressure) but as long as everything is fine at your appointments then i cant see any reason why you should be treated any differently to someone whos a size 10 xx Good luck x

Edited: 06/01/2011 at 05:53

FlirtyFilly Platinum member

14/07/2008 at 09:51

I'm the same, a size 18 pre-pregnancy and put on around 3stone and am 31w now. No mention has been made by my MW about variation on labour and a friend who's even bigger than me and 39w is planning water birth with no objections. The only thing i had to have was extra growth scan to check size of lo compared to size of me!

gsmummy55

14/07/2008 at 10:08

I was a size 14/16 pre-pregnancy I think my BMI was 28. So overweight but not by too much. I only put on 1st 5 while pregnant but had a big baby 9lb 1. No one said anything about my weight and my blood pressure has always been normal even in labour...why does being overweight mean you will need forceps? Yes being overweight can increase BP but not always by any means, and thats the only reason you would need an epidural. I would go with what you want. I think the problem is with being overweight is you have a higher chance of going overdue (this is true!) which means a higher chance of being induced which can cause complications in itself.......x

pen

14/07/2008 at 16:03

hi. when i had mt first i was a size 14-16, i had my 5th baby last june and i am now a size 22. and in that pregnancy i was completely insulted by the sonographer doing my 12 week scan as she commented very rudely on my weight and how it made the scan hard work although they still got a good picture of baby and saw all was well.
then at almost 29 weeks i got a letter from my maternity unit to ask me to see an anaethetist as my bmi was over what they would call 'normal'. so iwent to see this anaethetist and it was just to check that they would beable to administer an epidural in case of emergency or me wanting one and it was explained that being over weight in pregnancy puts problems in place as when a epidural is administered it can be hard to feel for the epidural space. and the needles they use are different.all this made me feel very inferior about my size and i felt they were picking me out. my community mw was disgusted by this and put a complaint in she said it was wrong of the hosp to single women out who were of higher bmi.
all my births have been good and no bad experiances. i have always put on 3-5 stones with them as well. but i did have pre eclampsia with 3 of them and was induced because of it, but no one ever said that me being on the 'cuddly side' was to blame although i know that this can be a factor of high blood pressure.
try not to let people bully you about it, a natural birth is always possible no matter of size. you are doing an amazing job growing your baby and so enjoy it. good luck. take care.xxxx

mms

14/07/2008 at 16:44

hi

my bmi is 38 ive been overweight with all 5 of mine and had easy births all natrual no stitches ever so dont worry.

mandy x

mummybabe

14/07/2008 at 17:33

Im also overweight & was when i gave birth to my lo. (size 20)
I had a bad time in labour & needed a forceps delivery. However since i gave birth 2 of my friends have had babies (size 12's) & they have had worse times than i did.
When i found out i was preg i asked my mw if my weight waslikely to cause any complications & she told me that the only prob i may have would be if i needed an epidural as the aneasthatist(sp?) may find it difficult to find the right place to put the needle. As it happened i did have an epidural & it was fine. Dont worry!

Allie73

15/07/2008 at 01:21

I was an 18-20 before I got pg with my son. I gave birth naturally without any drugs or intervention. I actually wanted a water birth, but he came so quickly, the wouldn't have had time to fill the tub

SuzMcH1

15/07/2008 at 06:47

Thanks so much for all your replies. I was starting to feel like such a failure becuause I'm fat. I totally understand that if I need forceps, c-section and epidural becuase the baby isn't coming out any other way then fine. But I just didn't like being told that it was almost certain that's what would happen just cos I've been eating a few too many hob nobs !!
thanks again, feel much better now. S xx

bride-carly-barleyx Platinum member

15/07/2008 at 17:17

Hi hun. The first consultant I saw was a bit of a pig who made a big issue about my weight (as you know, I'm on the curvier side from BBB!) and said I would no way have a natural delivery and would need to see the anethesist (sp?) about my epidural, which I did and the anethesist didnt even know why I was there! He said I was overweight (which I know) but not enough to cause any concern about an epidural, then he said that he liked his girls with a bit of meat on them! Rob was slightly put out by that lol. I had a hard time having Abby and needed an epidural, forceps, ventouse and had a 3rd degree tear but that was unrelated to my weight, I was only a size 12 then! I'm a 14-16 now and have gained a stone so far.
xxx

gsmummy55

16/07/2008 at 03:37

Oh just to say that I had an epidural too and it worked really well so they obviously got the right place! Did take a while to get it in about 15 mins but that was because my contractions were so painful i couldnt keep still lol x

beckih2010 Platinum member

16/07/2008 at 05:52

hi

im over weight as well im a size 18/20 at the moment and no one has said any thing to me about this i even went through my birth plan with my midwife yesterday about a natural birth with just gas and air and she said it was fine i think you should talk to your midwife more about what you want and not what they want its not them giving birth its you.

becki 31+1

gsmummy55

16/07/2008 at 07:03

Btw Carly I think you look fab your bump is a bit like mine was like a beachball! Hehe x

JodieBuckley Platinum member

20/07/2008 at 08:18

i was the same with my second
with my first i was a size 12 before i got pregnant and just couldnt lose the weight after so when i had my second i was a size 18 before hand. thankfully this time round i manadged to losses the weight just in time for getting pregnant again or i would have been a size 24/26 before getting pregnat but i manadged to get back to an 18 x

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