1 year, 1 month after surgery and pregnant! Advice!?

[smellslikecoffee 43]

I haven't been on this site in a while...feels good to be back and reading all the success stories.

Anyways, It's been a year after surgery, and I'm pregnant! 11 weeks along, to be exact. It was definitely a SUPRISE! But happy about everything now

I have a few questions...when should I tell my surgeon?! I'm really afraid to call and tell them, and I don't know why !! I've had some morning sickness, and have only thrown up 1 time. And it was stomach acid ewwww. I feel nauseous when I don't eat, so I'm snacking every 2 hrs or so to keep my stomach full. I don't feel like I need an unfill, but I'm curious about everyone else! I guess I'm scared to see doctor because I have not lost weight like I should and now, here I am with a pregnancy! I feel like a Lapband failure.

Also, I'm going with a midwife, and not an obgyn. I plan on having her baby at a birthing center, naturally. I hope everything will go smoothly so my wishes for baby can happen. This is my first baby!

If anyone has advice on when to see my Lapband surgeon, or any info on midwife and the band, that would he great!

[terrydumont46 1,954]

since i am to old to have a baby i cannot advise on that. i will advise on what i would do. first. tell your surgeon, it doesn't matter if you haven't lost wt. right now your concern should be only about the baby. i am not against mid wives but remember she doesnt have the medical background to deal with your lapband. and perhaps your surgeon knows of a good midwife that he can recommend that he works closely with. i would think that a partial unfill would be done. you need to be able to eat more because the baby will take what it needs nutritionally and leave you what is left and with the band filled it may not be enough. but how exciting for you, a baby!!!! congrat's and here's to a healthy and safe delivery.

[kimk1999 450]

First of all congratulations!! I'm happy for you. Getting pregnant is one of my main reasons that I got the band... Fertility issues, etc doc said I need to lose weight... Anyways, surgeon should be notified ASAP. If you're not vomiting they may not take out any fills but you need to make sure you're getting enough nutrients for the baby. You might need a slight unfill so you can eat more. I'd still suggest an ob doc for at least the pregnancy part (monitor yours and the baby's health) and then use a midwife for the delivery. Good luck and keep me posted.

[kll724 3,055]

No advice, just wanted to wish you happy New Year and happy baby! Congrats!Many ladies ahve goen thru this so hopefully some can give you their advice on the subject! Karen..aka..kll724

[Suzyfit 8]

I only had a slight defill if 1cc when I was 9 weeks pg....I'm 32 weeks tomorrow and so far have gained about 22lbs! I started off quite small so the weight I've gained is mostly baby I think and SOME of my chocolate and ice cream cravings......lol.....I was heavier with my first 2 so I will probably give birth at about 149lbs (where I started my other 2 pg's off at.....was before my band surgery).....Congrats on your pg and I also I suggest an OBGYN instead of a Midwife.......They can monitor you and baby to make sure your gainining enough as well.....Good luck honey!!!!!

[ErinMarie 186]

Don't feel like a failure! Life is a rollercoaster!

I called my lapband doc right away. I was scared to death they would do a complete unfill, but he left it up to me. I decided to take out half of my fill bc my insurance at the time didn't cover my lapband appointments and I was swelling and had a hard time eating. Your doc may or may not want you to have some or all of your Fluid out, but I would hope that if you aren't having any issues then he would leave it alone. I think I was 10 or 11 weeks when I got my partial unfill. I would NOT have gotten an unfill if I could have handled it though.

And good for you for wanting to go natural! I saw a midwife too, but I had to see a dr first so they could remove my 'high risk' status for having weight loss surgery. Depending on where you go, you may not have a choice, but my place was really cool about what I wanted. They did do a full nutritional panel (15 vials of blood) on that first appointment though just to make sure I wasn't deficient in any Vitamins or whatnot. I gave birth in a baby/natural friendly hospital. I think as long as you aren't deemed high risk (by the dr's office or your insurance) you should be fine. My lap band never got in the way of my pregnancy whatsoever.

Congrats! Feel free to msg me for any questions

Edited January 13, 2014 by ErinMarie

[whitneytij 2]

I found out I was pregnant in Nov. 2013, after being banded Feb. 2013, so I was only 8 months post-op. I notified my surgeon immediately, and they told me I should be fine unless I was having a lot of morning sickness, then I would possibly need a partial unfill. During my first OB appointment, when I told her I was banded, she immediately recommended that I get 1/2 Fluid removed, which I did (it was about 3ccs removed). I had lost 85 lbs in the 8 months before I became pregnant, and now I'm 14 weeks along and have gained 15 lbs even though I am sick ALL THE TIME. I am not upset in the least about gaining weight. I feel as though I look funny, because I still have a lot of loose, flabby skin on my stomach, and I am bummed that it will probably hide my baby bump. But I know my baby's in there, somersaulting around like the best of them! I am hoping to have a natural birth, but I read a lot of pregnant women who have had WLS end up having c-sections, but I hope that's mostly people who have had the more invasive surgeries like gastric bypass. I wish you the best with your pregnancy!