Autumn (or others)

MSJ

MSJ

Cathlete
My OB at my last appointment lectured me on not gaining too much weight because having large babies would eventually be hard on my body. He did not tell me why or how this would be hard on my body and from his tone of voice, I was too shy to ask.

I had no problem delivering Bardric, who was 10lbs 7oz. He was out in one push and I did not tear. What is the danger of having large babies, do you know?

thanks,
Maggie
 
Maggie, I certainly am no expert especially since Alexis was only 6.11 but the what to expect book says that mothers weight gain has no effect on babies size.
 
That's sort of what I thought, but he said that maternal weight gain was the single biggest factor in the size of the baby.

I think I am going to just stop worrying about it.

Maggie
 
JMO, but I thought that if a baby is large, then the baby is more at risk for problems. For example, if the baby is very large, then it may be more difficult for him/her to breathe.

I also disagree that maternal weight gain is a big factor in the size of the baby. I've seen plenty of women gain a lot of weight and have babies on the small side. I never gained much with my pregnancies and all of my babies were average sized. Actually, I've seen a lot of women on bedrest give birth to bigger babies - probably because all of their calories went right to the baby since they didn't need any calories for activity.

Erica
 
Hi Maggie!! Here is an article from 1997 that lists risks associated with excessive weight gain http://www.findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m3225/is_n1_v56/ai_19617691
Research indicates that excessive weight gain during pregnancy increases the risk for c-section. http://www.greenjournal.org/cgi/content/abstract/104/4/671
It also influences labor. http://jognn.awhonn.org/cgi/content/abstract/24/5/434
The maternal pelvis has not kept pace with the larger babies produced as a result of better health and nutrition. As a result, a baby may be too large to pass through the pelvis resulting in prolonged labor & delivery & birth trauma.

Excessive weight gain is now thought to play some role in macrosomia (oversized baby) also referred to as LGA (large for gestational age) babies http://www.emedicine.com/med/topic3279.htm
http://www.aafp.org/afp/20010701/practice.html.

"he said that maternal weight gain was the single biggest factor in the size of the baby."

I am assuming your doctor is concerned about macrosomia b/c of your history. "The most common cause of macrosomia is maternal diabetes."
http://www.drkoop.com/ency/93/002251.html
My maternity nursing books all support this.

Maggie, as others have stated, if you are exercising and eating well, your body is going to gain what it needs.

Maybe Sheila will give us some more information on this.

HTH!
 
Thanks, Autumn--I'm going to check out the links. I have never had gestational diabetes, but I have lots of risk factors for it.x( You are just a font of information and that's a good thing.

Erica-thanks for the input. I asked him about risks for the baby and it was not the baby he was worried about, it was me, but now I'm a little worried about the baby.

Maggie:)
 
Maggie, Maggie, Maggie. Worry is not good. Worry is not from God, but from Satan himself. Please don't let him rob your pregnancy!! This is your time to relax & enjoy the little wee being developed in your womb, knitted together by the Great One Himself!!! Perfectly & wonderfully made!! You are an AWESOME mom & I know you will do everything in your power to have a healthy baby & gain a resonable amount of weight (which is differnt for everyone).
I'm praying for you, Girl!!

**Melanie**
baby to be 11/28/05
Justin born 1/17/04
Jory born 4/9/94

http://lilypie.com/days/051128/2/4/1/-6/.png[/img][/url]
 
Thanks, Melanie--I'm worried, but not WORRIED--I mean I'm not really losing any sleep over it or anything. I suppose if he thinks the baby is getting too big, he could always induce me at 38 weeks (which would be good for tax purposes:p :p)

I'm dreading standing on the doctor's scales more than anything else at this pointx( :p :7

Maggie
22 weeks, 2 days
 
If it makes you feel better, I can be a witness for the possibility that your weight gain has no effect on the baby. I gained the most with my first and she was just over 5 pounds... kind of a bummer, when I was counting on losing a TON of weight after delivery and then had to admit that all those 'extra' pounds were mine and not hers!! :) I gained less with #2, and she was bigger (6 pounds 4 ounces). That's not to say that if you have a condition (GD, for instance) that it couldn't have an effect, but just to point out that it doesn't necessarily have to.

And, hey, being induced early is certainly not the WORST thing, right? (Especially for tax purposes :) )

Hang in there!
 
I do think it is important to remember that research does not mean that each one of us will respond exactly as the research indicates. One of my dearest friend's smallest babies was the pregnancy she was diagnosed with GD, but she was diagnosed and managed. The research does guide us and keep us aware of potential problems. We are prepared, which is a good thing. :) It is all about evidence based practice.

With that said, I still believe that if you eat a well-balanced, healthful diet and exercise your body knows what it needs. 50 pounds may be excessive for one mother but not enough for another.

I wonder why your doctor told you that maternal weight gain was the single biggest factor in the size of the baby?

Maggie, there were weeks I turned my back to the scale. I just told the staff that I knew I was gaining more than the recommended amount but that I KNEW (didn't matter what they thought they knew :) I was not making poor food choices.

Please enjoy your pregnancy!
 
Maggie, I'm glad that you're concerned & not worried. ;) I was worried about you. ;)

**Melanie**
baby to be 11/28/05
Justin born 1/17/04
Jory born 4/9/94

http://lilypie.com/days/051128/2/4/1/-6/.png[/img][/url]
 
I ALWAYS turn my back to the scales at the doctor's office, because it's the middle of the day and I have clothes and shoes on. I weigh myself at home naked (TMI?)and first thing in the morning.

Maggie:)
 
<I weigh myself at home naked (TMI?)and first thing in the morning.>

Me too! The office staff would give me funny looks when I turned around.

You take care! I think some of us moms need to get together and go KPC your doc. }(
 
Hi Maggie,

As a mother who's given birth to three large babies I just wanted to chime in here. I don't know how much weight you've gained this far into your pregnancy but please don't worry about it. I think alot of times doctors mean well but they don't know what's exactly right for you and your body. From reading your posts in the past I know you won't have any problem taking off this baby weight:)

I'm not sure I agree with the idea that the mother's weight directly affects the size of the baby. With my last pregnancy I only gained 30 lbs. (20 lbs. less than with my previous 2 pregnancies) and Hannah was 10 lbs. 7 oz. just like your Bardric:) It's hard to believe she's going to be a year old this month. Anyway, it's hard to say what kind of toll having large babies will have on your body later on down the road. I had a c-section with Hannah so I can't compare that with vaginally delivering a large baby. However, I did have a 9 pound baby vaginally and now seem to suffer from a weak pelvic floor and some mild urinary incontinence. That's something you may or may not have to deal with. Like Autumn said everyone is different. Statistics don't speak for everyone. I don't know how many drs. asked me if I had gestational diabetes because of my baby's size but I didn't. She was just big, there's no explanation for it.

Jacque
:)
 
Thanks, Jacque--wow! another 10lb 7 oz baby--It's nice to know I'm not the only one!

My doc also said that the older I get (I'm 37) and the more babies I have, the larger those babies will be--I'm wondering if that has more to do with it than my weight gain...Well, anyway, I feel less worried about the whole thing, especially because my back feels much better and I can work out again.

edd--You mention your pelvic floor--I have not had problems yet with that, but I have had to be catheterized after every baby, I'm assuming because the are larger and come out fairly quickly...maybe that's a clue that all is not well. I'll have to ask him.

Maggie, who is on the forums for the 3rd time today, waiting for the "announcement"
 
<Maggie, who is on the forums for the 3rd time today, waiting for the "announcement">

LOL!! You are funny.

My dad was #5 and a TWELVE # baby. TWELVE pounds... 1933 before prenatal care and improved nutrition. My grandmother probably did have GD with all those "starches" she ate. :) That is what my dad always said. :) Babies do tend to get bigger as we age and parity increases.

Oh my, my dad weighed almost as much as BOTH of my children at birth. WOW!! My maternal grandmother was tough!
 
well, now make it 5 times--the 4th time, I gave a terse (for me ) answer to Dave above--which you saw and responded to. Thanks.

I am loathe to post on the political threads because they can get so ugly, but I could not let that comment pass.

Maggie}(
 
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