For anybody that is pregnant or already has children I was wondering what your starting weight was when you got pregnant??
I know that being overweight affects being pregnant and being able to get pregnant! I was just curious! My husband and I really want children and I am praying that this is the year that it happens. We have been married for 6 years and have never done anything to stop from getting pregnant. It looks like the new in thing now is waiting til your 40's to start having babies well, I'm 31 and I would rather not wait that long! I'm also curious if anybody knows where you can buy a home sperm test (tmi?) I have seen them once at Eckerd before they changed over to Rite-Aid but they dont have them there anymore. I have also checked with CVS and Walgreens. It seems that nobody has heard of them but I know they exist. It's just one of those things that I think hubs would feel better about doing from home if you know what I mean!
For anybody that is pregnant or already has children I was wondering what your starting weight was when you got pregnant??
I know that being overweight affects being pregnant and being able to get pregnant! I was just curious! My husband and I really want children and I am praying that this is the year that it happens. We have been married for 6 years and have never done anything to stop from getting pregnant. It looks like the new in thing now is waiting til your 40's to start having babies well, I'm 31 and I would rather not wait that long! I'm also curious if anybody knows where you can buy a home sperm test (tmi?) I have seen them once at Eckerd before they changed over to Rite-Aid but they dont have them there anymore. I have also checked with CVS and Walgreens. It seems that nobody has heard of them but I know they exist. It's just one of those things that I think hubs would feel better about doing from home if you know what I mean!
Hi, there! I hope that this is your year, too. I wanted to share my own situation, not sure if it will help you.
My husband & I have been married over 14 years now, and have never done anything to prevent getting pregnant, either. We were open to children but not actively trying when we got pg. with our oldest, who is 13. I was a fairly healthy weight then, averaging about 130 lbs during the non-summer months. BMI-wise, I was probably always a teeny bit overweight (I'm only 5' tall), but I was comfortable in my own skin. I had actually lost probably about 10 lbs the summer our son was conceived and would guess I was around 120 at that time. I was 158 lbs the day before he was born, so I gained about 28 lbs from the weight I averaged during the non-summer months, 38 lbs gained from my skinnier summer weight. After our son was born, I was about 142 -- just 12 lbs to lose to get back to the non-summer weight. I never did manage to lose it. I maintained for a year or two, and was in about a size 12. Then the weight started creeping on. Went up, up, up each year.
Unfortunately, we also had difficulty conceiving a second time. I'm not sure if my weight had anything to do with it, or maybe it was other issues. I've never been checked for PCOS, but have enough symptoms that I am going to inquire about the possibility.
It ended up taking us 7 years to conceive our second child. By that time, I was 196 lbs. (again, I'm just 5' tall) I only ended up gaining 8 lbs during my second pregnancy. I wasn't trying to not gain, it just happened that way. But our daughter, who was born in Feb. 2004, was a very healthy weight -- 7 lbs 11 oz. I actually was weighing in at 187 for the first few weeks after she was born, so it was like my body had been losing weight while our daughter was growing just fine. Wish I had maintained that and been able to keep losing, but it didn't take long for the weight to start increasing again. I got back up to 196 and really hung there for a while. We had a lot of stress for a while, and a move in Aug. '05. After that the weight went up little by little again. By April '08 I was up to 205.8. Lost about 12 or 13 lbs on WW between April & Aug. that year. Then got off-track. Maintained until about January '09, then started gaining again. At this time I'm a little more than 211, but as recently as this January I was up above 218.
We did managed to get pg. again in '06, but sadly we lost #3 because he/she had implanted in my left fallopian tube, tube ruptured, etc. Lost the baby and the tube and we haven't managed to conceive again since.
I don't know how much of it is weight-related and what the chance is that there's something else going on. Weight alone isn't always the issue. My mom has almost always been overweight, and my sisters & I were conceived without trouble. My middle sister has struggled with her weight since puberty, and she conceives at the drop of a pin. She has four children, plus she miscarried one. Her first two are 16.5 mos apart, then there are 3 years between #2 & #3 because of the miscarriage... Baby #3 would have been only 14 mos younger than daughter #2. The youngest two are just shy of two years apart. She and her hubby are just blessed with great fertility! I have friends who are overweight who have conceived, and friends who are skinny who have had trouble. So I know weight isn't everything. Don't let that discourage you!!
I know weight can affect a woman & her baby during pregnancy. Things like high blood pressure, gestational diabetes. Skinny gals can develop those conditions, too, but I've heard weight can increase the chances. Just something to watch out for. Many a healthy baby has been born to an overweight mom, though.
As for the home sperm test, I've never heard of one myself. I took the liberty of googling "home sperm count test kit" and came up with quite a few hits. Here are just a few:
The first one, the store that sells them through Amazon -- Early Pregnancy Tests -- I've purchased a basal thermometer (do you have one of those? Have you read up on the Sympto-Thermal Method of natural family planning?) and some inexpensive pregnancy tests there before. They ship super-fast. I think I got my order from them in just a couple days.
I also found it very interesting when I recently saw a home fertility test at our Rite Aid. It's not an ovulation predictor kit, it's actually a home test that is supposed to show you if you yourself are fertile or not. (??) I think you take it shortly after your period has started. Would be interesting to try it out myself.
As I said early-on, I'm not sure if this is going to help you or not. If nothing else, it's some information, and someone else's story to refer to.
All the best!! I'll keep you in my prayers that you are, indeed, blessed with a little one soon.
Hi Jenn! Thank you so much for your reply! I will be sure to check on those links as soon as I get the time to really look at it. There is just so many things that can be linked to gettin pg or no gettin pg. I just choose to believe that when it is my time, it will happen!! I certainly have been praying for it though Thanks again and I will definitely will be agreeing with you in those prayers!
Do you know if you are ovulating or not?
If you haven't already, start recording your BBT every morning at the same time and chart it along with ovulating signs. Just google 'Fertility Charting' to get all the juicy details.
This really helped me at determining if I ovulate or not.
I am also overweight trying to get pregnant, but I hope to lose 40lbs or so before I do, just so my body isn't under more strain. I don't think my feet could get any wider, lol.
Get the book Taking Charge of Your Fertility by Toni Weschler. There is even a website now: http://www.tcoyf.com/ It will help you determine whether you are ovulating. If your periods are really irregular like mine, then you probably aren't ovulating. I have PCOS and don't ovulate without taking Metformin to control my insulin resistance. This book explains everything you need to know about trying to get pregnant. There is also a website devoted to infertile women trying to get pregnant. I have no idea if it still exists since I haven't posted there in close to 5 years. It's called INCIID; you might be able to find some information there.
I have 3 children now. I was 185 lbs when I got pg with my first, 180 with my second, and 190 with my 3rd. I was seeing a reproductive endocronologist when I got pregnant with my first, but the only treatment I was receiving was taking metformin. I hope some of this helps.
I was about 250 when I got pregnant (TOTALLY by accident). I had JUST lost about 30 pounds. I was very very worried about being so overweight and pregnant. My pregnancy went just fine till the very end when I developed high blood pressure. I ended up having a C section and my daughter was almost four full weeks early because my BP was just out of control. I have had issues with high BP ever since (although never had it before then). I was putting on three and four pounds a DAY for the last few weeks (fluid retention, lost forty pounds in four days in the hospital - girl, I had NO neck going in). I started weight backwards in the last two weeks of my pregnancy. I know I went over 300 and I never want to know by how much.
I personally would not ever purposely get pregnant at that weight again. My daughter is amazing and the best surprise ever, I love being a mom, but it is HARD being pregnant and that big. It's uncomfortable and it's just very very hard on your body.
OK, my experience. I have physical disabilities that put me in a wheelchair at the age of 28. Decided early 2002 that we wanted to have kids, I was 31 at that time and weighed approx 329 lbs. Fell pregnant within 2 months (blessed I know). Pregnancy was fine apart from morning, noon and night sickness, but it had a benefit in that I did not put on any weight during the pregnancy at all. Found it a lot easier to eat healthily for baby, than just for myself! Daughter was delivered 2 weeks early by C section (due to disabilities, not weight) and was a happy and healthy wee soul. She weighed just under 9lbs. I got weighed my GP's office 2 weeks later and was 32 lbs lighter than I was when I fell pregnant - talk about a bonus! YAYYYYY!
2nd pregnancy. You know that expression "It only takes once"? Well, BINGO! Hubby (now ex-hubby don't get me started) and I were going through a bad patch and one night, got reminiscing about when we fell in love (pass the sick bag) and well, it took once. Was just about a year since having our daughter and my weight was approx 310 lbs. Pregnancy went well, baby grew normally. I was in a bad way from about 20 weeks. Caught a chest infection that added with the morning, noon and night sickness, almost put me in hospital. Again managed to eat very healthily during pregnancy, just had trouble keeping a meal down. About 33 weeks, local hospital (not the specialist one I would give birth in) started worrying about my sugar level (I have diabetic parents) but from my extensive knowledge of food and sugars and diabetes, I knew I was actually well within normal levels. Local hospital wanted me on 4 shots of insulin a day "cough - bullsh1t", then they started saying they wanted me on meds for my blood pressure which was minutely above what is was normally. At this point I called the specialist hospital and my actual OBGYN and she told me not to go back to local under any circumstances.
I monitored my sugar level myself and was controlling it with diet so well, they decided it was pointless to put me on any insulin. At 35 weeks a number of domestic things happened, not to us, but around us and at my 36 week check-up they took my blood pressure and told me I wasn't going home. My blood pressure was high, but was also very very stable. My son was delivered by C section again a happy healthy baby just under 10 lbs and 4 weeks early.
When I was going home a few days later, the midwife who had been helping me with the sugar levels, stopped me at the door and said "I WON'T BE SEEING YOU BACK HERE". That was me told! We had already decided at that point, that falling pregnant again was just going to be too dangerous for me and for baby. Got weighed again about 2 weeks later, had lost 30lbs during pregnancy.
I guess what I am saying is that it is possible to fall pregnant whilst being extremely overweight and carry a healthy baby to term, but it is also very risky. I was soooo lucky with all my complications and I behaved myself so much during each pregnancy with food and drink (only drank ice & water and gallons of it) and I had to come off all my pain meds and my anti-depressant. The only reason I was able to have my children was because I was confined to the wheelchair during that time, strange that it made having children possible!
It is a very personal decision to take all these risks to have a child and it is not going to turn out as well for everyone as it did for me. I was guided by my instincts and they told me the time was right. But if asked, now with hindsight, would I do it all again?
Without a doubt or hesitation - YES! YES! YES! YES! YES!
I am in the same situation as you OP. I am right around 300 now and not ovulating on any resemblence of normal schedule. My OB/Gyn just put me on Metformin but I haven't been following low carb with it the way I should until now. I do not have PCOS or Diabetes but she said this was the first thing to try. I am really hoping that by following a low carb/low calorie diet I can not only get some weight off but also start ovulating regularly. I don't know how true this is or not but my Dr. said to not even bothering with buying the thermometer and doing the BT everyday bc it wouldn't be accurate right now and to wait a few months to let the metformin work. I go back in 2 months and they are going to add Clomid to the metformin and see what happens. I am 30 (will be 31 this summer) and while I want to get pregnant soon, there is a part of me that doesn't want to until I have a good 50lbs + gone and well on my way to having healthy habits as a way of life so I am really motivated to get my bootie moving!
Like you, I believe that when it is the right time it will happen and I just continue to pray that God will provide us with His blessings in His time. I will be praying for you in your journey...I know how difficult it can be at time! I'm new here but I'm in the same situation as you so if you ever want to talk please feel free to message me!
Hi Alicia! Thanks so much for the prayers! They are greatly appreciated and I will pray for you as well. I have been on the metformin before and it had no effect on me other than gas I don't have PCOS or diabetes either. I guess we are in the same boat!
I want to be healthy for our children which is one of the main reasons I am on this journey. It's just so hard to see what seems like EVERYBODY around you get pregnant all at the same time. Maybe it's just in my head but that's how it seems to me. I have several friends right now that are pg. 3 that I can think of and there are at least that many who have very recently had babies! I try not to think about it much because I have heard that if you stress about it, that can keep it from happening.
If God can allow Sarah to conceive as old as she was, I'm pretty sure that he can do it for me too! I just don't want to wait that long It will have to be a miracle from God because my hubs is a truck driver so it's kinda hard to "plan" even if I knew I was ovulating! Something else that bothers me is to see people that really don't deserve children yet it seems that if they move the wrong way POOF, they're pregnant!
Well, there's my sob story! I think I will direct my focus on losing weight and before I know it, it will happen! Prayers and baby dust are sent your way!
Last edited by thinmintintraining; 05-28-2010 at 12:18 AM.
Hi Alicia! Thanks so much for the prayers! They are greatly appreciated and I will pray for you as well. I have been on the metformin before and it had no effect on me other than gas I don't have PCOS or diabetes either. I guess we are in the same boat!
I want to be healthy for our children which is one of the main reasons I am on this journey. It's just so hard to see what seems like EVERYBODY around you get pregnant all at the same time. Maybe it's just in my head but that's how it seems to me. I have several friends right now that are pg. 3 that I can think of and there are at least that many who have very recently had babies! I try not to think about it much because I have heard that if you stress about it, that can keep it from happening.
If God can allow Sarah to conceive as old as she was, I'm pretty sure that he can do it for me too! I just don't want to wait that long It will have to be a miracle from God because my hubs is a truck driver so it's kinda hard to "plan" even if I knew I was ovulating! Something else that bothers me is to see people that really don't deserve children yet it seems that if they move the wrong way POOF, they're pregnant!
Well, there's my sob story! I think I will direct my focus on losing weight and before I know it, it will happen! Prayers and baby dust are sent your way!
Oh I have so many of those same feelings all the time (especially the metformin induced gas, lol). I definitely have to give it to God to keep from feeling bitter or resentful! I went over to my friends house earlier this evening to meet her 4 day old little girl...she was so precious and I was thankful to be genuinely excited for her. I left with a feeling of peace knowing someday it would be my sweet little baby I was holding in my arms. That will be the same for you as well! Trusting in God to help us get where we need to be!
We're struggling to get pregnant now and I often wonder if I'm not getting pregnant due to my weight. In the last 6 months I've been trying to be really careful with exercise because you shouldn't do high impact or vigorous workouts while you're ovulating or while conceiving. That's 2 weeks out of every month of me "taking it easy" and combined with my slipping off good eating habits due to stress I've gained back 10lbs from the original 37 that I'd lost. It's confusing because I ovulate and you could set a clock by my cycle. I'm doing everything right yet still no results.
If this is something you're serious about then you would go see a doctor. The fact that your husband doesn't want to see a doctor and would rather do an at-home test means you guys aren't ready to tackle this issue, IMHO. The first thing a doctor will tell you is to get a sperm test which is no big deal. It's 10 minutes out of his day and the results are ready within a day. If you're suffering infertility it is you that will have to go through rigorous tests, IV-ultrasounds, x-rays of your fallopian tubes, 30 vials of bloodwork, etc. It never ends. I've been going to the doctor for 4 months now and I'm there every week checking on my ovulation patterns. It's an emotional roller coaster.
You're young but you have a lot stacked up against you. Your weight, your irregular cycle, and I wouldn't wait another minute before going to a fertility specialist. Take charge of what you want to do now. And good luck to you, I'm in the same boat, watching all my friends get pregnant without even trying.
We were together for 10 years not avoiding but not gaining a pregnancy either. You can buy male fertility testers all over the internet including ebay. You get a few in a test and it's easy. You can also get a female fertility kit that tests your fsh to see if you're getting over the hill so to speak. I did that too. I also had a goal to lose weight but I don't lose weight easily. I am hypothyroid but the thyroid pills didn't help pregnancy. I also ordered ovulation and pregnancy sticks by the bulk on Ebay :P
I was given clomid for many months with no success. I had an HSG done with an A ok. (Test to see if your tubes are clear) I went to a reproductive specialist and he said he tests glucose differently and that I was having an insulin problem. It's different than a regular diabetes test. You can have just one symptom and have PCOS. So he put me on Metformin and nothing. But then 4 months after taking the met I was pregnant. I've heard 4 months is a key trigger time for it to start working for some women I've read from. Or maybe it's just me relating.
Fertility starts to decline at about 28. I wouldn't wait any longer. It's also not fair for a kid to have a parent in hospice while they're still in high school. So I think you should start now.
You must eat like you are pregnant, meaning no ice cream. Eat for that baby to live. Makes you lose weight. Take your vitamins every day. You want a 3 month build up.
I was 249 when I became pregnant. I gained 7 pounds and lost 7 pounds the day after the birth. I DID develop severe Pre-e and gestational diabetes and ate accordingly. I found I could only drink a glass of milk for breakfast to get my sugars going. Anything more made my sugars go up. I also puked the majority of the pregnancy so I'm sure that helped with weight. Though never diet on purpose. Just eat super healthy. No additives and real food. I almost lost my liver and what not so I really want to lose weight for #2. But I'm getting darned old and this weight just doesn't come off and I know I won't be happy if I don't have another. So I'm eating very healthy so I can lose weight but I don't have too much faith in that.
I think you just have to go for it. Both feet in. You could be fat/thin without a baby a year from now or fat/thin with a baby. And if you lose a few pounds great but time.. why lose time.. that's life you're missing out on... Seize the day and all that.
I also highly recommend that book Taking charge of your fertility. You only have a 25% success rate per month. You only have a 12 hour window per month of when you are fertile. Then throw some things like off cycles and what not and it gets more difficult. That book will help you find that window and it has software that will tell you when it is. It's pretty awesome. I used it for YEARS. They also have a forum.
...You must eat like you are pregnant, meaning no ice cream. Eat for that baby to live. Makes you lose weight. Take your vitamins every day. You want a 3 month build up.
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This is what gets me the most. I've been on the pregnancy diet for 6 months now eventhough I'm not pregnant (doctor's orders) and it's ****. No coffee/caffeine, no soft cheeses, no deli meats, no sushi, no undercooked meats, no alcohol, no leftover chicken, it's awful. Vitamins, no heavy exercise. It's one thing to be on the pregnancy diet when you're pregnant, but it feels so humiliating to be doing it eventhough you're not pregnant. I miss sushi the most... and my linguini with clam sauce... and COFFEE!
Though I've never heard of the ice cream rule. What's this about?
For the sperm analysis- I'm going to a fertility endo and part of the requirements was that he get a sperm analysis (I thought this was rediculous bc I new I had PCOS- turns out his motility and morphology are extremely low and hes considered infertile!) All you need is a dr's order. He does his thing into a sterile container and you can drive it to the lab in your bra. You just have to turn it in within an hr of collection and they have to test it within 2 hrs. He doesn't have to collect the sample at the lab or the MD's office. My husband had to do this twice, very embarassing but he will never see those people again!
ALICIA - Hey girl! I tried to send you a message but I guess you haven't been on long enough to receive pm's yet! Oh well, I wanted to let you know that I picked up a book last week and was looking through it! It's called The Food Doctor. I was amazed to find out that raspberries are excellent for female reproductive health, they relieve menstrual cramps and raspberry leaf tea reduces nausea in pregnancy!! We better stock up on some raspberries and raspberry tea Just thought you would like to know that!!
Overweight and Pregnant
Lost the baby and the tube and we haven't managed to conceive again since. 
It will have to be a miracle from God because my hubs is a truck driver so it's kinda hard to "plan" even if I knew I was ovulating! 
Something else that bothers me is to see people that really don't deserve children yet it seems that if they move the wrong way POOF, they're pregnant! 
