While I was doing some research for the Belles site, I came across this website and it seemed really informative to the subject. So I thought I would pass it along.

www.plus-size-pregnancy.org

Nice site! Thanks for sharing. I personally know that being a pregnant bbw is quite a hard thing to do!

I've been pregnant twice. The first time I developed toxemia and had to have the baby 9 weeks early. She weighed 3 lbs. 6 1/2 oz. and came home in a cabbage patch doll outfit which was too big for her at 4 1/2 lbs.

My second pregnancy was more than full-term (by my calculations) and she weighed 11 lbs. 10 oz. Both pregnancies were very different but both girls thankfully are normal, healthy young ladies. The tiny baby stands 5'6" and is 18 years old and the big baby is 13 and also stands 5'6" and is still growing.

I absolutely loved being pregnant both times.

Getting pregnant is what made me a BBW. I had problems with my feet swelling so bad I had to wear houseshoes two sizes too big, I had problems sleeping more than an hour or two at a time, I was exhausted and because my baby was so large (she weighed 9lbs and 12 oz), I had constant heartburn no matter what I ate. She was pressing against my bladder so I had to use the bathroom every 20 to 30 mins...lol. Ohhhh, and I carried her 2 weeks over her due date...lol. But she was worth it all. :-)

I friggin LOVED being pregnant!! I ate very well and only gained 15 pounds throughout the pregnancy. I was a BBW beforehand and my doctor kept close tabs on me ... thankfully I had no problems, although I went 2 weeks over ... was preggers almost 10 months! Found out I was expecting on New Years Day and she was born September 23rd ... felt like I pregnant that whole year! The delivery? Well ... that's a whole nother story ... I had such a horrible time that I never wanted anymore children ... and haven't!

Hello , I am a 42 year old bbw, with diabetes. I got pregnant for the first time this year. Due to the fact I cared for both my parents until they both passed away. I miscarried on Oct. 17. I was told due to my weight, age and diebetes I should never get pregnant again. I truely loved being pregnant and i really miss it. I guess i have let that time of my life pass me by. But I do wish everyone who is pregannt a healthy and happy baby.

I am so sorry for your loss. Thank you for sharing such a personal experience with us. Sadly, many plus-size women have trouble getting pregnant or carrying a child to term.

I've been pregnant as a bbw twice. Both pregnancies were as different as night and day so I'm not sure any of my problems were related to being bbw or not.

I had pre-eclampsia/Toxemia with both. My first pregnancy was a mild case. I made it full term and was induced a week after my due date. The swelling was pretty severe especially in my legs. I had what they called pitted edema. My legs were like play dough. I was on modified bedrest for a few weeks because of it and that helped a little.

With my second pregnancy the pre-eclampsia started giving me trouble at 32 weeks. I had to start going to the Dr. twice a week for monitoring and every single Dr. visit except one, I was sent on to the hospital for more labs and monitoring, some overnight, some not. Ugh. With more bedrest and 'taking it easy' I made it to 36 weeks and delivered a small, but otherwise healthy baby.

Speaking of pre-eclampsia/Toxemia... an important thing to remember as a bbw is to make sure your bp is taken with a large cuff. Otherwise you may get an inaccurate reading.

Swelling the 2nd time around was even worse. My feet and legs were huge. I had to go up a full shoe size and wear flat slip ons for the last half of my pregnancy. My face was puffy. My arms and fingers were swollen too.

I ended up with severe carpal tunnel both times. Apparently caused by compromised circulation and swelling. It was considerably worse the 2nd time around. I wore wrist splints on both arms all the time. Night and day. I remember being in the hospital in labor with my son and complaining more about the pain in my hands and fingers than I did the pain from labor. Labor was a breeze compared to that.

A few things I remember from my pregnancies being specific to plus size women:

With my first pregnancy it took a little longer than usual till we were able to hear the heartbeat on the doppler. I was assured that was normal in women with more 'fluff'. That combined with a poorly positioned placenta made it impossible to detect the heartbeat via dopple untill I was well into my 2nd trimester. Don't be alarmed if they don't pick it up right away. I was always re-assured and offered an u/s untill I was able to feel fetal movement for myself.

Anticipated weight gain for a bbw is different. It's actually considered normal to lose weight during pregnancy. And not cause for alarm.

Find a plus-size friendly doctor!! Fact is - you're overweight. The last thing you need right now is a health care provider that chastises you at every visit. You need to save your mental and physical energy for far more important things right now. If you aren't happy with the care you're recieving, plus don't hesitate to look elsewhere.

I've heard labor can be more difficult for plus size women but luckily that didn't occur to me. Both of my labor and delivery experiences were an absolute breeze. Despite being induced.

My first pregnancy was an induction at 41 weeks that resulted in a quick 2 and a half hour labor and a healthy 6 lb bably girl.

My 2nd pregnancy was an induction at 36 weeks. My labor lasted a little over 4 hours that time and delivery was literally effortless. My son came out all on his own, I didn't push at all. It was quick and there was no time to find a doctor. My mother caught him. It was a beautiful delivery!

During both labors I had an internal monitor inserted to keep track of the baby's heartrate. The external monitors were constantly slipping and they couldn't keep the belts tight enough. I was told this was another thing common in plus size women. I remember this as being extremely painful. But because of decels in the heartrate with both children, it was a necessary and welcome intervention.

If you're planning to breastfeed, educate yourself beforehand and get a support system in place. Nursing with large breasts can be a bit intimidating. Especially for a first time mom. You're not going to suffocate your baby. With a bit of creativity and experimenting with different positions you can usually get it to work.

Whoa.... That got much longer than I aniticpated. I had Kmom's site bookmarked from back when I was pregnant. I found it when I was searching for sling recommendations for the plus size mom. Lots of good info on there!

Good luck mamas!

8 replies, 2473 views.... Thanks for the great posts... keep em coming!

I've been through two pregnancies as a fat girl. I was considered high risk due to weight and had to see the doc every two weeks right from the start. Some may see it as a chore, but I loved the bi-weekly update on the growth and development of the babies.

Due to problems with my uterus (not weight related) both babies were breech, and delivered by scheduled C-section, very close to their due dates.

Make sure you eat lots of green leafy veggies, lots of lean meats, and LOTS of dairy. If you can't stomach milk, eat cheese, yogurt, cream cheese, drink calcium enriched juices, and by all means, barring any diabetes have some ice cream.

Take your pre-natal vitamins! Those are ESSENTIAL to a healthy baby, due to pregnancy specific minerals and vitamins like folic acid, vitamin D, vitamin A, and iron.

If you're not on bed rest, get to movin'! Short walks, extra vaccuuming, wash dishes by hand instead of loading the dishwasher. All that helps! If you ARE on bed rest, have someone bring you some hand weights so you can get the blood pumping a little freer.

Get a body pillow. Those work GREAT to help support the belly and knees when you get "huge" later on.

Get comfy shoes, slip on type preferably. Danskins has socks that have built in arch support and they feel wonderful on swollen feet.

Keep a diary! Find a cheap little journal and write down feelings, thoughts, perceptions, and anything that feels funny, or weird. You'll be able to refer to it later when those first years are gone and be able to remember the pregnancy with more detail than if you didn't keep a journal. I made a gift of the pregnancy journal to my daughter on her tenth birthday, and plan on giving my son his when he gets old enough to get it.

Keep a medical journal! If you feel weird, or something pops in your head, write it down, and bring it up at your next OB visit. Remember, the only stupid questions are the unasked ones. Also keep in mind, that no matter how weird your question is, your doc has heard it before, and won't think you're crazy.

Don't listen to old wives tales! I was terrified for the first six months of my first pregnancy. I was afraid I'd wrap the cord around the baby's neck by lifting my hands over my head, I would give her an odd birthmark if I got scared, and all kinds of weird stuff. Listen to your doctor and your intuition. Pregnancy is a natural state don't ya know.

Subscribe to every free magazine for expectant parents you can get your hands on. I loved American Baby and Parenting.

Get the "What To Expect" books. All of them. I got my first one as a gift, and I give them at showers with a mommy pamper pack for every new baby in my life.

Pamper yourself cos darlin' you may be the Queen right now but when that baby gets here, you're gonna be less than invisible so take advantage of this time to focus on you.

Talk to other moms-to-be. They're an invaluable resource and can help assuage those fears til your doc can call you back.

Fear is normal. No, you haven't ever done this, and no you don't have a manual, but trust yourself. You're going to do what's best for your baby from the start.


Enjoy the special little kicks and gurgles and flips your baby is making. Right now, the baby is all yours, but all too soon you're gonna have to share.


Don't take a bath after about the seventh month! This has nothing to do with the health of the baby or yourself, but has EVERYTHING to do with your dignity. I personally got stuck in my tub for three hours until hubby came home and "rescued" me.

Finally, quit stressin' sweetheart! It's gonna be fine! You'll be a great mom, and that baby will bring you more joy than any one person deserves, but for some reason, whatever higher power you believe in has seen fit to bless you with the miracle of life. Enjoy it, and good luck!

...extra vacuuming????


...getting stuck in the bathtub...bless your heart!!!

Ok I have a question that maybe someone can answer for me. I had a baby 10 years ago and had no problem getting pregnant. When I got pregnant I weighed 180. Now I am about 100 pounds heavier and have not had any luck getting pregnant. Is it really harder for BBW's to get pregnant? Is there any techniques other than putting pillows under you or putting your legs up in the air after sex that might help? My husband doesn't have any children of his own and we would love to have another one, so any advice will be greatly appreciated!!

There are a lot of variables to pregnancy and infertility.
Have you spoken to your doctor about this situation?
Some BBW's (but certainly not all) have PCOS, which is an endocrine disorder. But there are other things to consider. I highly recommend talking to a trusted physician about your challenge.

I have been to the doctor. He sent me for a hysterogram that came back normal. He also said that I was ovulating normally and everything seemed to look ok.

Congratulations! Glad all is well with you. Um, has he been checked?
I am glad you have a doctor who listens and is trying to help you get through what can be a challenging time.

He hasn't been officially checked. We bought a home test and he used that and it came back normal.

Like Jeanne said there are some things (like PCOS) that may make it more difficult for a BBW to concieve but that doesn't mean everyone will have trouble just because of their weight. It just makes it more likely. Since you've recently had an HSG and had your ovulation checked it sounds like things are working as they should. If you aren't already doing so, I'd recommend charting your cycles. You can purchase a basal body thermometer at any drug store. Leave it on your bedside table and take your temp every morning, at the same time and before you get out of bed. Fertility Friend is an awesome website for tracking your cycles. You can track your temps, mood changes, cervical mucous and when you do the baby dance . Based on the temps the program will give you a coverline each month and tell you when you most likely ovualte. You can also use OPK's (Ovulation Predictor Kits) to be sure you're getting the time right.

Good luck!