Just moments after my Cesarean section, my OBGYN, a remarkable woman with an engaging French accent and an impressive resume, leaned in with a reassuring smile. “Don’t worry,” she said softly. “The incision is very low. You’ll be able to wear a bikini.”
I chuckled to myself, “What would I have done if I couldn’t wear my bikini?” Then I replied, “Doctor, you knew me before my pregnancy. I wasn’t wearing a bikini then, and I certainly won’t be wearing one now.”
At the start of my pregnancy journey, I was a size 22/24. It was evident to me, without any medical expertise, that carrying a baby at that size wouldn’t be ideal for my health. Determined, I began an intense fitness regime and joined a weight loss program. I managed to shed 42 pounds. However, even at a size 16/18, I was still classified as overweight. My first OB appointment filled me with excitement about expanding my family, but my joy was quickly dampened when the doctor informed me, “Due to your pre-pregnancy weight, we recommend limiting your weight gain to just 10-15 pounds during your pregnancy.”
My body, however, had other plans. I craved — and I mean CRAVED — brownie sundaes, and I allowed myself that daily indulgence. I’m talking about a small brownie with a single scoop of vanilla ice cream. Most of the time, I tried to stick to a balanced diet, but those brownies were non-negotiable.
As the weeks went by and the scale slowly crept up, my OB continued to ask about my eating habits. I was honest, sharing my healthy choices while admitting to my dessert. This petite doctor, who struggled to reach me during examinations, suggested, “Why not just have a bite of a brownie?”
“Doc,” I replied, “I’m doing my best, but I’m going to eat my brownie!”
“Okay, what if you only had 1/8th of a brownie?” she inquired.
Seriously? Who eats an eighth of a brownie?
During my second trimester, my husband and I took to mall walking as a way to stay active. While window shopping, I caught a glimpse of myself in the store’s glass. “OH MY GOD!” I thought. “I look huge!” At five and a half months pregnant, I didn’t have the cute little bump but instead looked like a waddling sack of Jello. I didn’t visibly show until I was seven months along. At work, I didn’t have to hide my pregnancy; to my colleagues, it seemed I was just indulging too much with Ben & Jerry.
Fast forward to a scorching August when I was 40 weeks pregnant. I waddled through the grocery store, prepping for a family picnic. As I passed other women, I felt their pitying glances. One woman even approached me, saying, “Oh, Honey, you look so uncomfortable. I remember when I was pregnant with twins.”
In a moment of overwhelming emotion, I crumpled to the floor of the condiment aisle, sobbing, “There’s only one baby in there! I’m just fat and pregnant!” The poor woman hurriedly retreated, while my husband shouted apologies after her.
Alright, maybe I overreacted a tad, but I was exhausted, swollen, and overheated. That day marked the second time someone had mistakenly thought I was carrying twins.
Despite the warnings about the dangers of being overweight during pregnancy, my experiences were surprisingly uneventful. I watched two close friends, both slender and stunning, struggle with infertility. Meanwhile, a fit colleague developed gestational diabetes while I faced none of that. Sure, I went a bit past my due date and had to have Cesarean sections, but I recovered quickly and without any complications.
My son was born weighing 8 pounds, 15 ounces, a chubby bundle of joy. The morning after his birth, I was eagerly anticipating my weigh-in—what other time would I get to shed what I imagined would be 12 pounds? I hopped on the scale, only to discover I had GAINED two pounds. How? The IV fluids had transformed me into a human marshmallow.
Ultimately, all my babies were delightful, healthy little ones, and there’s a silver lining—big mamas can lead to big babies. And those big babies often sleep through the night sooner. By nine weeks, all three of my children were sleeping a full twelve hours. Although I still look six months pregnant seven months post-birth, my adorable chubby girl is peacefully snoozing in her crib, while I’m gearing up for a well-deserved night of uninterrupted sleep.
And that feeling? It’s way better than being skinny.
This article was originally published on June 4, 2015. If you’re interested in more on this topic, check out some of our other posts on pregnancy and health.
For those considering home insemination, a reputable online retailer of at-home insemination syringe kits is Make a Mom. Also, to learn more about pregnancy and fertility, Science Daily offers excellent resources.
Summary:
Navigating pregnancy while being overweight presents unique challenges and experiences. While societal expectations can be daunting, personal journeys often reveal that health and happiness come in various shapes and sizes. Embracing one’s body and focusing on the joy of motherhood can lead to fulfilling outcomes for both mother and baby.
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