Pregnancy before and after weight loss surgery

The idea of weight loss surgery can be a scary one. Coupling this with concern about the effects of the surgery and worries about subsequently being able to carry a child, can make it worse.

On the other hand, if you already have a child and are thinking about bariatric surgery, you probably have a lot of questions. Hopefully, by reading this, in whichever situation you are in, we can help to put your mind at ease.

Pregnancy before weight loss surgery

Weight gain during pregnancy is perfectly normal, however, if you are somewhat overweight before having your baby, it may be particularly difficult for you to lose weight again after your baby is born. At this point, you may consider bariatric surgery.

There are several benefits of having weight loss surgery post-partum. Bariatric surgery can help you to achieve a healthy weight and improve your health problems that are exacerbated by your weight.

As a mother, having weight loss surgery and being able to maintain a healthy weight will benefit you and your children. It can be frustrating and upsetting trying to keep up with a child when you have a BMI of over 40.

If you have had your child via caesarean and are interested in surgery, it is usually safe to have bariatric surgery 2 to 3 months after having a caesarean. Despite the safety of the surgery at this point, the longer you wait after any kind of surgery, the easier the scar tissue is to deal with. Make sure you consult your surgeon as the safety can vary depending on the individual.

Pregnancy after weight loss surgery

You have no doubt put a lot of time and effort into losing weight after your surgery, so the idea of carrying a child and putting weight back on again is likely to be daunting. Pregnancy after bariatric surgery can be healthy and safe, as long as it is managed correctly by you and your healthcare provider.

If planning a pregnancy after your weight loss surgery, you should wait 12-18 months after surgery before you get pregnant. Our specialists would suggest that you make sure that your weight has stabilised first, and that your vitamin levels are all normal.

It can be a worry that as you are now eating less due to your surgery, you may not be eating enough to support the development of your baby, this isn’t the case. Your baby will take what they need from you, and not from what you eat. There is a possibility that you may need to eat about two hundred extra calories in your third trimester.

Now you have had surgery, how you eat is likely to have changed. Talk to the team at Streamline Surgical to gather further information to make sure you are eating and doing the right things during pregnancy.

Did you know that weight loss offers a fertility boost? Obesity is often a major cause of infertility and losing weight is likely to help you find out if this was the reason that you couldn’t get pregnant before.

Before or after pregnancy, weight loss is an excellent way to improve your general health, and to make sure that you’re there for your children in the long run.

If you’re interested in weight loss surgery and would like more information, please give Streamline Surgical a call on 0333 016 3030 or make an enquiry online.