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A plus size pregnancy attracts plenty of naysayers; here's a positive story of a plus sized woman who took charge of her body in the way it suited her.
A plus size pregnancy attracts plenty of naysayers; here’s a positive story of a plus sized woman who took charge of her body in the way it suited her.
They say that friends come in all shapes and sizes. I would say that a mother also comes in all shapes and sizes. Society sometimes, however, judges women over the shape of her body in terms of what she can do or what she cannot.
If a woman is overweight before getting pregnant she is more often than not, discouraged about the journey of pregnancy. A woman’s body is extremely powerful and nature has made almost every woman capable of reproducing if she wants to, irrespective of her body structure.
When it comes to the decision of becoming a mother, more than the capability of the body, according to me, a major part is played by the mind. Yes, I am aware of the biological issues that may not be in the favour of some women to conceive or to reproduce. But apart from such issues, a healthy plus size woman can surely become a mother without much difficulty.
I have been a plus size lady since my adolescence and unfortunately, the norms of society equate weight with health. Yes, weight surely matters but so do other parameters of one’s health. If you are on the whole, a healthy woman, with no gynaecological issues, a successful pregnancy is not a myth.
I had a lot of anxiety about being pregnant because of my weight. Having a high BMI during pregnancy does need more effort to fight the risks and it needs very strong discipline and willpower. I fought the risks that high BMI brings to pregnancy. I weighed the same on the first day at the the doctor’s clinic and after I delivered my 7.8 pounds baby. I had a long labour and delivered naturally. I had a risk of Gestational Diabetes (GDM) but I did not end up taking insulin due to a well-managed risk. But all of this came with a lot of hard work and discipline. I had my own weak moments and my husband was my pillar of strength, who kept me going.
Below are some of my mantras that I used as a plus size pregnant woman. These have helped me a lot to go through pregnancy successfully and give birth to a healthy, happy baby naturally.
Even 30 minutes of light exercise like walking, yoga, and swimming will help a lot to keep the weight gain in check. I did not put on a single pound during my pregnancy and I give credit to my yoga and exercise regime. You will get motivated when you see the weighing scale not adding numbers as you progress during your pregnancy. This will keep you going.
Increasing anxiety about risks in pregnancy due to high BMI can do more damage than anything else. Breathing exercises can help you with with staying calm. A calm mind will make the rational choice about exercising and eating habits.
I will write a detailed post later on the risk of gestational diabetes. But to sum up things here, it is very important to screen for GDM early on in pregnancy if you are overweight. Knowing if you have the risk will help you watch your food and exercise habits to keep sugar levels in control.
One of the reasons for an overweight woman having a C-section as per my midwife was due to the additional fat around the midsection. I made sure during my entire pregnancy to concentrate more on exercises to keep my lower body muscles active so that they work well for me at the right time. Squatting, walking, Kegels and yoga postures during pregnancy are great practices.
Everyone I met (except my doctor and midwife) kept telling me to eat for two, now that I was pregnant. However, I decided to follow a very healthy eating routine. I ate smaller portions more times in a day than having larger meals. When I had cravings I fulfilled them with smaller quantities or with healthy substitutes.
I plan to write separate posts on each of these in the coming days as I think it will be very helpful to anyone sailing in the same boat. Pregnancy is a beautiful journey and seeing a new life taking shape in your own body is a fulfilling experience. I did not want anything to ruin this experience.
I feel very powerful when I look back and somewhere in my mind, appreciate all the people who scared me in the beginning with doubts about my ability to give birth because of my weight. During the pregnancy, I started doing everything in a disciplined manner, mainly to prove the people who doubted me, wrong.
But during the journey, I realised that everything I did was just for me and my baby. I felt very empowered when instead of focusing outwards, I turned the focus inwards. Ultimately pregnancy is all about what is changing and happening inside of you – physically, emotionally and mentally.
This blogpost is dedicated to all the ladies who have doubts about having a healthy pregnancy due to the weight; to give them hope that with discipline, you can achieve the pregnancy of your dreams.
Top image courtesy free Vectors via www.vecteezy.com
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