Does having a baby ruin your sleeve and weight loss?

[Comfy_Blue 285]

Sorry to be so blunt, but I am still in the losing phase (about 5 months out) and I was wondering what would happen adter a pregnancy. Does the sleeve stop working? Like now, i feel restriction and i have lost 76 lbs. if i get oregnant down the road am i going to go back to 245lbs and not be able to lose again? I want to start trying with my husband at the year mark but I am also very afraid i won't lose the weight or after having the baby my sleeve will somehow have stretched out and not work anymore. I've come so far! I want a baby but don't want to go back!

[LumpySpacePrincess 594]

I had to sign a form stating that I agreed to not intentionally get pregnant for a minimum of 2 years after the surgery.

That said, no, your sleeve will not stop working as long as you don't increase your portions. The amount we should eat at 2 years post-op is more than sufficient to support a fetus. I would also add that while pregnant you shouldn't change your diet up much. Pregnancy cravings might get to you, but if you indulge too much you probably will gain back a lot of weight.

[Comfy_Blue 285]

Thanks LSP. I'm not planning to get pregnant yet, but sometimes things happen. I'm not using birth control because I don't like the side effects and I can't help but wonder what would happen if I get pregnant earlier than expected, especially if it's before the 18 month mark my surgeon gave me.

I want to have children but don't want to gain all my weight back. Thank you for making that possiblity a lot less scary.

If anyone else has an opinion/experience please chime in!

[jlw1324 18]

I had my sleeve in October and got pregnant only 2 months post op! Talk about an "Ooops" moment!! I am currently 27 weeks and have lost 50 lbs since getting pregnant (108 total since I had my sleeve done). Eating was a challenge in the beginning but is a little better now. I haven't gained anything so far but the weightloss has slowed down/stalled. I eat throughout the entire day to get everything in. This pregnancy is much easier than my 2 pre sleeve.

[ziggypbang 272]

Comfy, I had surgery the month before you and discovered yesterday that I am pg. We used birth control consistently, but its not 100% effective, clearly! The only times I've been pregnant in the past were when we actively tried, but I think this weight loss made me more fertile! So do be on guard if you're not using birth control. There is an entire forum dedicated to sleeve pregnancy and I just started reading it yesterday and I feel encouraged. Women seem to do very well with their pregnancies after sleeving, even if its earlier than planned. I do plan to increase my calories, and journal all my food so the docs can review it. Best wishes!

[AbbieRoad 26]

I was a year out when I found out I was preggo. I'd lost 120lbs, still had about 35 I wanted to lose. I got preggo, stopped all diet/artificial sugars, replaced my turkey stuff with "real" red meats, and lost 10lbs my first trimester! Not due to nausea or vomiting, just increased metabolism. Then I had the stomach flu during my 2nd adn lost another 5lbs (whoops) docs weren't worried. I'm 36w now and due soon - and I'm still 5lbs less than where I was when I started this pregnancy! I am thinking once I push this baby out, estimated 7lbs, plus the Water, the placenta,.... I'll be down another 10lbs probably. I'm feeling pretty good about that!

honestly, I ate what I wanted this pregnancy. I listened to my body, ate what I craved!

So, this sleeve has been great for my pregnancy! Baby is healthy, I am healthy!

[ashelaine 382]

I was a year out when I found out I was preggo. I'd lost 120lbs, still had about 35 I wanted to lose. I got preggo, stopped all diet/artificial sugars, replaced my turkey stuff with "real" red meats, and lost 10lbs my first trimester! Not due to nausea or vomiting, just increased metabolism. Then I had the stomach flu during my 2nd adn lost another 5lbs (whoops) docs weren't worried. I'm 36w now and due soon - and I'm still 5lbs less than where I was when I started this pregnancy! I am thinking once I push this baby out, estimated 7lbs, plus the Water, the placenta,.... I'll be down another 10lbs probably. I'm feeling pretty good about that! honestly, I ate what I wanted this pregnancy. I listened to my body, ate what I craved! So, this sleeve has been great for my pregnancy! Baby is healthy, I am healthy!

I was at the same place as you . I had my son 5/1- I gained a whopping 1lb while pregnant( lost 15). I got pregnant weighing 149-150, I weigh 131 now

[Comfy_Blue 285]

THANK YOU so much ladies because I know my doctor said that I should wait to start trying two years from now, but I'm already 30. I don't want to WAIT until 32 because I know most people don't get pregnant right away. Plus my mother had fertility issues and she was 32 when she had me so...yeah.

[june13sleever 223]

I was 1.5 years out and in maintenance. I gained 70 pounds while being pregnany. 40 of which was water/baby, but 30 was from food. I never lost it. I am 12 weeks pregnant again. The first trimester I gained 12 pounds the last time. I literally ate all the time because if I didn't I was sick. This time at the 12 week marked I gained 1 pound. So hopefully I don't gain anymore weight/fat just baby and Water. Once you go into maintenance you can gain about 10% back (that is the average) that would have been 18 pounds. So when I drop this baby I am going to have to work hard to get back down to 180. I am 200 now. I was 160!!!! SIZE 6 and 5'11"! I was so skinny!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I am ok with being at 180. It will just take work. I still have super restriction. It is just the sliders foods...I can eat a whole entire bag of smart food popcorn! But meat...still can only eat a little. I just have to watch what I eat and work out! If I ever can with two kids!!!

[jacquelynn.mclean 103]

If this were a competition, I think I'd win. I messed around and got pregnant 2 WEEKS after surgery. Boy was I angry.

I ate what I wanted, but less of it. Sadly, it was not all weight loss friendly. But now that my babe is 4 months old, I'm struggling to keep my weight moving in the right direction. It sucks so bad.

My pregnancy wasn't planned at all, but I wish I had been closer to my goal weight. I still have about a hundred to lose.

[Chubtastic 21]

I'm worried about the same thing I'm not sleeved yet but I want more children just not before the 2year reccomendation. A family friend got pregnant right after her bypass and i Hate to say it but the kid seemed off and a little slow but this was like atleast 10+ years ago but I know nutrition deficiency is a real concern so I'm gonna try everything I can to avoid getting pregnant before the 18mo-2year mark bcp, condoms and pull out lol the hubs will not be happy lol

Edited June 13, 2014 by Chubtastic

[jacquelynn.mclean 103]

Get an IUD. No sense in making the hubs miserable too. Lol

But my doc said that having a sleeve wouldn't be that big of a deal as opposed to the bypass. I didn't gain any weight but the bub was over 8lbs.

If you can help it, don't get pregnant. It sucked having to be paranoid about my intake and wether or not the scale was moving in the right direction, etc.

[KBCollier 3]

I was almost 9 months post op and had lost 90 lbs when I turned up pregnant. I am now 16 months post op, 8 months pregnant, and still 104lbs down. I weighed 175 when I found out I was pregnant. I am currently 165. Baby is healthy and growing just like he is suppose to. I feel great. I'm so glad I had the surgery before having a baby. You will be just fine......

[squeaker31 65]

Thanks for this topic. It looks like experience varies greatly. I know maintenance will always be a challenge whether I get pregnant or not. But my biggest worry with getting pregnant too soon after surgery is that I will "waste" prime metabolism time or something.

I am not having any problems keeping food down or getting enough nutrition. All the way through to now (3 months) I have seemed to be able to eat more volume and types of food than others. So I'm not as concerned about baby but about continuing my success through and beyond pregnancy.

[KaseyLynn7 35]

I was 8 mos. out when I became pregnant. I Had lost about 60 lbs. I am currently 18 days from delivery and I have gained 37 lbs. My portions increased from like 1/2 of a sandwich to 3/4 but nothing too significant. My little one is growing huge. she has measured 3 weeks ahead and 98th percentile in size so they think she will be about 9 lbs! I was devastated when the weight kept creeping on but I know I can get it off.