A drain on the NHS
I went to my booking appointment yesterday to go through the initial health checks and medical history that will be important over the course of my pregnancy. Thankfully there were no obvious problems, my blood preassure was fine, I'd done my research well, I stopped smoking and drinking months before I fell pregnant and I'd started changing my life-style - eating better and excercising most importantly to give myself a healthier and better start at motherhood.
However due to my mothers history of pre-eclampsia and diabeties, and my BMI being over the average, I've instantly been noted as high risk. I shouldn't really let this bother me too much and I know the last thing I should do is worry but as soon as I heard those words I just got that sinking feeling in my stomach.
It's not that I'll have to go into Exeter to give birth that bothers me, (although I would have loved to be able to give birth in Tiverton being as it's pretty much on my doorstep), it's not even that I'll have to be monitored more closely, afterall it's in mine and my unborn child's best interests. It's the stigma attached to larger pregnant women that bothers me.
What the midwife said to me, bugged me all day. It only takes a quick search on google to see why. There are so many aticles about Obese (I hate that word) pregnant women being a drain on NHS resources and the like, that it really makes me feel that I've done something wrong, or that me and people in similar situations shouldn't be allowed to have children, simply because of our weight. I'm not naive, I knew it wouldn't be plain sailing but I never imagined I would feel so disheartened by it all. I don't think I've read a single positive thing on the subject.
All I can do now is wait and try not to put on too much weight over the course of my pregnancy, or so I was told. I guess I should be thankfull that at the moment I DON'T have problems but it doesn't stop me from worrying.
However due to my mothers history of pre-eclampsia and diabeties, and my BMI being over the average, I've instantly been noted as high risk. I shouldn't really let this bother me too much and I know the last thing I should do is worry but as soon as I heard those words I just got that sinking feeling in my stomach.
It's not that I'll have to go into Exeter to give birth that bothers me, (although I would have loved to be able to give birth in Tiverton being as it's pretty much on my doorstep), it's not even that I'll have to be monitored more closely, afterall it's in mine and my unborn child's best interests. It's the stigma attached to larger pregnant women that bothers me.
What the midwife said to me, bugged me all day. It only takes a quick search on google to see why. There are so many aticles about Obese (I hate that word) pregnant women being a drain on NHS resources and the like, that it really makes me feel that I've done something wrong, or that me and people in similar situations shouldn't be allowed to have children, simply because of our weight. I'm not naive, I knew it wouldn't be plain sailing but I never imagined I would feel so disheartened by it all. I don't think I've read a single positive thing on the subject.
All I can do now is wait and try not to put on too much weight over the course of my pregnancy, or so I was told. I guess I should be thankfull that at the moment I DON'T have problems but it doesn't stop me from worrying.