Pregnancy after surgery...
 

I am almost a year out (as of Jan 4th) and I am wanting to try and have a baby. I will be 39 in June and don't want to wait any longer after that to have a baby. Can anyone tell me or give me suggestions on what to do and if anyone became pregnant after surgery how was it to lose the weight.


Reneelynn

from what i've heard, you need to be at least a year out, it's not the baby that we're all that worried about - it's YOU. the baby will take what it needs from your body, and if you don't have enough vits and protein, you won't do as well as the baby needs you to do.

did that make sense? it's the end of a long day.

bottom line. yes, it's possible. it's not really a big deal, but YOU have to be healthy and might need some extra help to maintain your good health throughout the pregnancy. there. i think that made more sense.

My doctor daughter is 7 months pregnant and has had a perfectly normal pregnancy, a regular obgyn and a very healthy baby girl will soon be born.
Pam

You know I had this surgery done 13 years ago. They never told me to wait to get preg. Well I have big trouble getting preg the first time so we never used contraceptive...and 2 months after the surg. I got preg.
I had a fine preg, and lost all the weight in no time...it was different... but I have had NO problems since...I ended up with a screwed up thyroid 5 years ago, and 60 pounds crept back on, that is why I am here now, but I am half way back to my ideal weight...and just counting calories to do it....good luck to you getting preg.

Hi -- I had mine back in 1986 -- simple gastric stapling. I lost 50 pounds quite rapidly and my husband must have loved it, because I got pregnant right away! I gave birth to a healthy baby girl less than 1 year after surgery.

My pregnancy was healthier than my first one had been! In that earlier one, I had gestational diabetes and toxemia. My son almost died shortly after birth, and he is mildly autistic. A good part of that may have been due to my excess weight. My second pregnancy, both blood pressure and sugar were normal. I did have horrid morning sickness, however! I spent the first three months hanging over a commode!!

My daughter just started college this year. I'm glad I had the surgery, if for no other reason that it gave me the chance to bring my darling young lady into this world!

I don't have any advice for you but...
 

This is also something that I'm curious about. I'm in a fairly new relationship (8 months on the 23rd) and while I have 2 children from a previous marriage, we've talked a bit about having an "ours". I would love to have another child but I have to admit to being very nervous about the whole post-surgery pregnancy thing. This may be incredibly selfish but I'm TERRIFIED of gaining back the weight I've lost! I feel terrible & shallow for even saying it but it's the truth. I've worked SO hard to lose this weight and I've come so far, the thought of maybe gaining it all back and not being able to lose it again after giving birth really scares me. :( Anyone else feel like this??

Nita

Whoa there, nita!!!!!!! you worked ALL THIS TIME to lose weight, and you're thinking about becoming pregnant and you think you're SELFISH about worrying over the weight gain??

oh my!!!! a few of the post-surgery preggers ladies i know have RUN into therapy because they freaked out when their bellies popped!!!! they KNOW they have to eat for the baby, they KNOW they have to gain weight, but they couldn't handle the reality.

sooooooo, my suggestion. THINK THIS OVER VERY VERY CAREFULLY. and try to line up expert help beforehand - like an OB who has experience in pregnancies with WLS patients. and a nutritionist/dietician who knows the scoop as well, and a good therapist. and figure out a plan before you need it.

it IS possible to have a healthy, happy pregnancy, and not gain more than you have to, but it's going to take determination and work.

Yep, I had my surgery in Sept 2000 and had my daughter in Aug 2003. She came out fine!! But seriously, I have also heard that you should wait until your weight is no longer plummeting, for me that was about 1 year. I seemed to eat constantly while pregnant. I needed to always have something in my tummy for the queasyness and also because I can't eat large amounts of food due to my VBG. So what someone with a normal tummy could eat at a mealtime I would just graze on all day. I had cravings all the time for fudgesicles and cheezies and I gave into them. I kick myself now because I gained about 60 lbs that I am still trying to remove from my body. But basically, my pregnancy was normal, and my daughter was a healthy 7 lbs 9 oz at birth!

All the best to you,

Susan

Tiger, pregnancy is usually more easily achieved after WLS because of the vast amounts of estrogen that are released once the fat, where it is stored, is diminished. My surgeon recommended using extra precautions in the first year because of this.

I work in Maternity (ex L&D nurse, too) and we had several people have healthy pregnancies and deliveries after WLS. One of my co-workers just gave birth to a healthy baby boy, and she actually lost weight during her pregnancy. It can be done, sweetie. Just make sure you take care of yourself, and the rest will follow.