Comments on: Plus Size Stigma within the Medical Community

By: Kristy

Kristy — Mon, 25 Nov 2013 23:01:11 +0000

Reading some of these comments has really made me feel a lot better.

I went to my ob/gyn & told her my husband & I are ttc. She told me I really needed to loose weight first & she didn’t want me to even try for another 6 months. She told me the reason was because it is harder to hear on the fetal monitor & it is more difficult to do a c-section. She is super nice, but her even mentioning c-section concerns me.

Also, I was worried about my thyroid. My TSH was over 4 & she said it needed to be under 2 to ovulate properly so she retested me. The office called & said my TSH was normal when I asked for my results, they told me it was 3.8. I was/am really upset now. I feel like since she doesn’t want me to get pregnant until I loose weight, she isn’t going to address my thyroid. So, I found a doctor who will treat me for hypothyroidism.

At this point I don’t know what to do. We are still ttc but I really want a doc/midwife who I feel like I can trust & be supported from. I don’t want to have to worry about disappointing her though the whole process. I have met with a midwife who I think will fit that bill but she doesn’t do well-woman exams yet so I guess I’m stuck with my chick until I get pregnant.

By: sasha

sasha — Mon, 14 Oct 2013 20:30:56 +0000

I have been plus size most of my life. I had my first babe by emergency cs b/c of failed induction (unnecesarean), second I was scared uneducated and influenced and had another cs. Third weighing the most I have ever weighed, had a vaginal birth after 2 cs. Babe was 10lbs, 2oz. Not because I was overweight but because he stayed in a little longer to develop fully (42wks 2 days). My cs were because I was uneducated not because I was overweight. If your health care provider does not have faith in you, then you should not have faith in them!

By: plussizebirth

plussizebirth — Sun, 01 Sep 2013 08:23:45 +0000

In reply to Jessica Olarte Utu. Thanks for sharing Jessica. I wonder where your doctor got it in her head that 200 lbs is the ideal plus size pregnancy weight. In all of my research I've never read that. You're doing all of the right things to prepare your body for pregnancy! TTC can take awhile so don't get discouraged if you don't get pregnant right away. Just keep doing what you're doing and enjoy your TTC journey. Best wishes!!!

By: Jessica Olarte Utu

Jessica Olarte Utu — Thu, 29 Aug 2013 17:20:34 +0000

Thanks for your blog post. This is really reassuring. I’m 26 and I’ve been a bigger build my whole life and my husband and I have been holding off on getting pregnant for one, because I’m in school full time and work full time and because he works out at sea at the moment. He’s finally coming home to work on land and we both really want to start trying. The last time I was at the Dr. she said that ideal plus size birth weight was 200lbs. Well, I’m at 300 now after having lost 50 lbs since February. I’ve created a much healthier lifestyle by eating healthier and exercising several days a week. My mom has instilled a lot of fear in me based on online studies about all the complications of plus sized pregnancies. While I am still in the process of getting healthier and losing more weight, this provides hope for someone like me.

By: Susie

Susie — Sat, 18 Feb 2012 20:27:18 +0000

I was supposed to have my first at a birth center (I am 5’6”, started off at 210 and gained 40), and had a terrible experience ending up in an unnecessary c-section at the hospital. I am pretty convinced it’s because the terrible midwife I had has some fat bias, or I was making too much noise, or something. Anyway, it sucked. Am now 19 weeks with #2 and have a wonderful home birth midwife who I love. She does not weigh at all, she has a scale in her office but said to me on the first visit, “we don’t want you weighing yourself every visit, it’s just there if you are curious”. It’s so refreshing.
So, plus size woman, if you are open to a home birth, I would recommend finding a midwife you like, go to her for your well-woman visits and get to know her. In my experience, people in the medical professions have bias so ingrained into their education and minds they are unable to see a large person as healthy, even when they are. It’s shameful but true. Good luck.

By: Plus Size Woman

Plus Size Woman — Wed, 09 Nov 2011 14:36:29 +0000

In reply to plussizebirth. This is my question. Yes, I finally have access. However, I can't find my original question on your facebook page. Can you please post it again. As I am still looking for a plus size friendly doctor in the Chicagoland area. Much thanks.

By: Kathryn

Kathryn — Sat, 10 Sep 2011 15:14:35 +0000

I’ve had six babies, all overweight at conception and delivery. In order, I weighed 230, 240, 240, 250, 240, 260 at the deliveries. I gained 75 pounds with the first, but the others I gained around 30 pounds each. All were vaginal births. But the 4th and 5th, the doctor on call when I first arrived at the hospitals (mind you they both knew nothing of my medical record or previous pregnancies) told me to gear up for a c-sect. because of my weight I would be getting one eventually. Ugh. Little did they know that my births are extremely fast. My longest was 6 hours. I had my last baby at home in the birthing pool. I had always wanted a homebirth, but because I had moved to, ahem, south Florida, no doctor would take me on. My previous births were at the naval hospital so they ‘had’ to take me, I guess. Lol anyhow, I wouldn’t say I was forced into a homebirth because I really wanted to do it anyway, but if I hadn’t wanted one, I would have been forced… Make sense?

By: plussizebirth

plussizebirth — Thu, 08 Sep 2011 00:25:24 +0000

In reply to Plus Size Woman. You got some feedback on the FB page. Are you able to view it? :)

By: Plus Size Woman

Plus Size Woman — Wed, 07 Sep 2011 22:00:19 +0000

In reply to plussizebirth. Thank you plus size birth. I don't have a facebook account. I am kind of behind the times. I will set up one so I can correspond with these ladies. Again thanks.

By: plussizebirth

plussizebirth — Wed, 07 Sep 2011 00:11:36 +0000

In reply to Plus Size Woman. I'm going to post your question above on Plus Mommy Facebook page.