Toxemia

3rd pregnancy of a plus-sized 20-something (Anonymous)

Bonnie (SOAM) Belly, Breasts, Child Loss, Gestational Diabetes, Plus-Sized Mom, Postpartum, Pregnant, Submissions, Third Pregnancy, Toxemia 40 Comments

I’ve never been very skinny. The only point I can remember being so was when I was 13 and 5’6″ and maybe 90-100lbs. After that I plumed big time. At the age of 15 almost 16 I started having really bad pains that made it hard to walk, it was found that I had ovarian cysts, a month later I stopped having a menstrual cycle. When I turned 16 I was put on birth control pills to regulate my cycles and help with the cysts. In that time frame, age 15-16, I packed on around 30-40lbs and was around 170 at 5’7″. Not horribly overweight but still higher.

I was on birth control pills from 16 to just after 18 when my last pack ran out(June 2005). My OB/Gyn said that I may not be able to get pregnant, so part of me though why do I need pills then. In July 2005 I had a cyst burst, while at work, I crawled under my desk and cried till my boyfriend and boss found me and my boyfriend took me to my mom’s house, and she took me to the doctors. A month after that I found out I was pregnant. Just by chance too. I had a friend that we knew was pregnant, she had to be she was more then 2weeks late, but she refused to take a test unless some one did with her. Her older sister had never been with anyone and I was the only one around, so I bought her a 2 pack, I went first, looked and threw it out all with in seconds, she peed and handed it to me not wanting to look. Hers instantly was positive. I went back somewhere between 5-10minutes later and got mine out of the trash, to my shock it was positive.

Over the next few days I took 2 more tests each positive. Then August 12th, 2005 I started bleeding. I went to the ER but there was nothing that could be done, we’d lost the baby all within a week of finding out. It was hard, I was only 18, living in the not best conditions with my Fiance(no house), but in away I think it was a slight blessing even though I still cry about it to this day. My cycle never came back after that. My OB gave me a shot of progesterone in October and it started a small cycle, light bleeding for 2 days, nothing then spotting the day after, I’d never had light periods in my life so it was odd. My Fiance and I had an appointment set in November to get the depo shot, but I had to have a cycle first. Instead of going to get the depo shot, it turned into my first prenatal visit of sorts. I found out in early November 2005 that I was pregnant again. Sadly we were planning a move to Texas where my then fiance’s family lives so I didnt’ get a real prenatal appointment.

The move to Texas didn’t last, we were there from Mid December to early February. I was horridly sick, severe HG morning sickness, I couldn’t even keep water down and was in the ER a few times in Texas. I also missed my mom too much. So we moved back to Idaho in February. And I got my first real parental appointment at around 18 weeks. It was such a relief to be able to go to the doctors if needed. We found out just 10days before my 19th birthday that we were having a boy(March 2006) to the joy of both of us. I was diagnosed with Gestational Diabetes in late April 2006, which is partly why I had been so sick before. My blood pressure started going up too in late May early June, and became Pregnancy Induced Hypertension, and was being watched for pre-e.

My son, Seamus was born on July 18th, 2006. I was induced at 39weeks 5days because of the GD and PIH and he was born just barley at 39weeks 6days (10:12pm). He had a little stay in the incubator for jaundice and we got to come home on July 21st.

In September 2006 I had Mirena IUD placed. It was ok except for it caused me to gain 25lbs in a month. The weight gain made me mad sense I was already way past my prepregnancy weight and thought I’d actually get under 200lbs. I struggled with my weight over the next 2yrs. From November 2007 to May 2008 I lost 20lbs of that weight (I went from 200lbs pre IUD to 225 after, then to 250 a few months later) but it wasn’t much. In May 2008 I had my IUD removed in hopes it would help me to loose more weight. I had bleeding (not really a cycle) from May 17th to the 20th and slight spotting on the 21st. That was the last time I had real bleeding. I had some spotting in early July but it wasn’t any more then what could lightly be seen on toilet paper. I was getting frustrated in late July early August sense it had been almost 90days sense I had any type of bleeding. I went to the clinic they ran tests for thyroid problems which came back normal, and the doc just said it was PCOS a term I’ve herd many times in regards to me. They did a pregnancy test on August 1st just to be sure. Then told me it was negative and that I’d need medical help to get pregnant again, much like the progesterone with my son. They gave me a script for it and my husband and I decided we’d fill it but not use it till December.

One thing had been on my mind though the whole time. How sore my breasts were. I had a digital test lying around from when my IUD was taken out and I decided sense we were going to be trying any time soon that I’d use the test to get it out of the house. I peed and put the lid on it and set it down. I picked it up a couple seconds later expecting to see “Not Pregnant”…..thats not what it said…it said “Pregnant” I freaked, my 2yr old son was in there with me and was confused why mommy was being weird. My husband was still asleep and I took the test to him and shoved it in his face and woke him up, he laughed! I didn’t believe it so I made him buy me another test, took it and it was also positive right away(line test this time) it was a shocker (all this August 17th, 2008). I went to the doctors 2 weeks later sense we didnt’ know how far along I was and found out I was 6weeks 2days, and due April 19th, 2009.

So far things are going ok this time around, I haven’t been puking near as bad as with my son, and actually its getting better at this point, 12weeks 4days. I’m having to have my Gestational Diabetes testing done between 17-18weeks this time sense I was on insulin with my son, and they are watching me closely for pre-e this time. So far so good.

I really wanted to show some pictures of me, the not skinny plus sized, 21yr old mommy thats pregnant, and really you can’t tell because of my gut. I want ladies to see that not everyone is small :)







Hurricane Tummy (Anonymous)

Bonnie (SOAM) Belly, Cesarean, Cesarean Scar and/or Incision, Complications in Pregnancy, First Pregnancy, Gestational Diabetes, Postpartum, Pregnant, Submissions, Toxemia 4 Comments

I am 27 and this was my first pregnancy. My daughter was born 5 weeks early by emergency c-section after I was diagnosed with severe pre-eclampsia after I started blacking out from high blood pressure. Up until that point I had battled many odds with this pregnancy. 2nd trimester bleeding, gestational diabetes, a bells palsy, crippling carpel tunnel, acne all over my back and chest, and morning sickness up until the day she was born. She was breach at the time of the c-section but was otherwise healthy and weighed 5 lbs 11oz.
I don’t really notice or care about the stretch marks, although friends that have seen my tummy looked surprised and shocked before telling me I “look great”. My husband and I have a joke that my tummy looks like the radar map for a hurricane, we find this funny since we live in Miami. I am going to the gym now several times a week and already have my one piece swimsuit picked out to hit the beach this winter. The last pictures are my tummy 5 months post partum.

How Fast Things Change (Anonymous)

Bonnie (SOAM) Before Pregnancy, Belly, Cesarean, Complications in Pregnancy, First Pregnancy, Postpartum, Pregnant, Submissions, Teen Mom, Toxemia 2 Comments

It’s amazing how fast your life can change. It can be a matter of minutes, hours, days, or like in my case a matter of 3 months. In may of 2005 I graduated high school, in June I turned 18, and in July I was married. Two weeks after I was married I found out we were pregnant. The first few weeks were fine, then I developed abnormal bleeding that required weekly visit to the hospital for blood work to make sure my HCG levels were rising normally. Around six weeks along, I had my first occurrence of morning sickness. To call it morning sickness is a joke, I had in morning, noon, and night; Everyday for three months. My fourth month the morning sickness vanished and in it’s place I had lots of energy. I felt great. The only problem I had now was family members assuring me, that since I had not gained what they thought was “normal” to be that far along, I should see my doctor to make sure I was still pregnant. They were not satisfied with the answer that I was visiting the doctor and received ultrasounds at all appointments. My sixth month I started having ringing in my ears , things would go black if I stood up to fast, and I was so swollen it was painful. My doctor didn’t think anything about this at first and it wasn’t until about 6 1/2 months that he noticed my blood pressure was abnormally high. I was admitted into the hospital and stayed for two weeks. I then convinced my doctor that with medicine and my husband by my side I would be more comfortable at home in my own bed. I was released with blood pressure med’s, orders to check my blood pressure 3 times a day, and complete bed rest. My doctor also explained to me at that time that I had protein build up in my urine and that my organs were not functioning the way they should anymore. He told me that to let the pregnancy progress any farther would be a danger to the baby and my health. I was scheduled for a cesarean that would come two weeks later. The day of the surgery/birth I was terrified. I was going to the hospital childless and pregnant and coming home not pregnant and with a child. The cesarean was one of the easiest things I had to deal with the whole pregnancy. I was taken back at 10 that morning and was up by 9 that night. At 6 the next morning I was walking around the hospital and could use the bathroom on my own. The nurses told me before that my daughter would probably be NICU. That was not the case, she came out small but healthy and screaming her arrival. When we were released 3 day later, the doctor told me she was in better health than me. I however was in denial about the weight from the pregnancy itself and having toxemia. I gained right at 100 lbs. I was shocked, to go from people saying they couldn’t believe I was pregnant to later being so swollen the nurses were giving me looks of pity. Two days after walking out of the hospital I had lost 50 lbs, and lost more slowly the following weeks…..I gained almost all of it back. I went from 130 lbs to 230 on delivery day, to and now I average around 165 -170 depending on the week of the month. I am not happy with it ( I still have a lot of body image issues!!!), but I am learning I can change it and accept myself at the same time ( I just tuck that loose skin in my jeans, LOL :P ). Here are pics of me now (standing up and laying down)2 years after, one around a month ( about 7 months along) before the delivery ( white shirt), and one at 4 weeks pregnant (red shirt). I have stretch marks from shoulders down, loose skin, and a beautiful daughter! When I first had my daughter I would think to myself, for all the stretch marks I have, my daughter has beautiful smooth baby soft skin. I think it was a even trade.