help with your plus size pregnancy

Half of all women of childbearing age are plus-sized, wearing a size 14 and above.

There have been recent alarming reports of the dangers of being pregnant and overweight. “It’s not true,” says Brette Sember of Buffalo, one of the authors of a new book on plus size pregnancy issues. The book is co-authored by Dr. Bruce D. Rodgers, a Maternal-Fetal Medicine Specialist, at the Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics at the SUNY Buffalo School of Medicine and Bio-Medical Sciences. “It is absolutely possible to be plus-sized, have a healthy pregnancy, and feel good about yourself. Yes, plus-sized women have some risks that are slightly elevated, but women of all shapes, sizes, backgrounds, and histories have different risks during pregnancy — no one is risk free. We need to focus on supporting and helping plus-sized expectant moms rather than scaring them.”

Here are some tips the book offers to help plus-size moms-to-be stay healthy and enjoy their pregnancies:

1. Find a health care provider you trust who treats you with respect. It is essential that you find a health care provider who is size-friendly and does not categorize you as high risk or subject you to unnecessary tests just because of your size. Evaluate how size-friendly the office is before you decide to commit to that provider.

2. Get good medical advice. It is essential to discuss any prenatal tests with your health care provider and understand exactly what your risks are. Your health care provider can help you make sense of the risks and concerns you’re dealing with.

3. Find maternity clothes that make you feel good about yourself. Plus-size maternity clothes do exist! Dressing in clothes that emphasize your pregnant belly tells the world your joyful news and helps you feel proud of the wonderful baby growing inside you.

4. Love your body. Plus-size pregnant women are gorgeous and shapely and their bodies deserve just as much admiration and respect as other pregnant bodies. Pampering yourself and adopting a positive mentality about the important work your body is doing will go a long way to helping you feel good about yourself.

5. Get support. Join an online support group for plus-sized moms, such as the one at www.YourPlusSizePregnancy.com, and find out that you truly are not alone. Keeping it all inside will only make you feel worse. Lean on others and let them help you feel good about yourself.

Sember, a plus-size mom herself, wrote Your Plus-Size Pregnancy: The Ultimate Guide for the Full-Figured Expectant Mom to help women because she says there is very little information, support, or resources for this audience. On her website she states that, “If you’re plus-sized, you already know how hard it is to find clothes that fit and feel good, and to find a health care provider who treats you with respect. You know how hard it is to keep up your self-esteem and deal with weight. These difficulties are compounded by pregnancy, trying to conceive, or nursing. But they shouldn’t be.”

The book, which has received good reviews from readers on Amazon.com and is available there and elsewhere, is filled with quotes from real plus-size women about their experiences during pregnancy.