Getting weighed

It’s just protocol. You might be able to opt out of it, tell them you don’t want to check your weight every single appointment but it’s something they track for your health and the baby’s health. You won’t have to when you go to the hospital to give birth, as far as I know. I know I didn’t have to either time I gave birth.

I’m sorry they’re doing this and it’s making you feel rubbish. You can decline to be weighed, you have to consent and seeing as they already have your weight they can work with that. I was a ‘high risk’ pregnancy for a raised BMI. Got weighed at the first booking appointment and that was it. My weight was never mentioned again and was never weighed again. I don’t know anyone else that was weighed at every appointment that had a raised BMI either. I certainly would have kindly told them to piss off if they wanted to weigh me when I was in labour. There may be chats around it if a c section was considered but I ended up with an emergency c section and again not once was my weight mentioned. My BMI was 36 for reference.

@Jami thank you! My BMI is a lot higher than yours but I am very short. I think the whole BMI thing is outdated anyway. Yeah you’re right, last thing you want to do in labour is get weighed 😆 they have it on my record so don’t see why they need to keep doing it, I have a few more weeks to go and a couple more appointments so hopefully they just leave me be x

Thing is there’s no point weighing you throughout because your weight will change but how much is uterus, how much is baby, water, placenta ect they won’t know. They should at least explain to you why they weigh you so much so you can understand. I don’t see the point once they have your baseline weight. All the luck for the birth you want in the coming weeks ❤️ and remember if you don’t want a weight just ask them why they’re doing it and decline if you wish. Or tell them you don’t want to see or hear the number if they insist. ❤️

@Jami thanks lovely xx

You can decline if you wish. You don't have to do it

Decline. They absolutely should not be weighing you every appointment. They weight you ONCE and that is if you accept the screening for edwards, patow's and down's. There is literally no other reason to weigh you, especially as there is no adjusted BMI for pregnant people so it makes 0 sense.. x

I was only weighed in the first appointment and noone mentioned anything after that again. I only got weighed once after that but I initiated it because I wanted to see the anesthetist and my consultant said it might help if I had gained weight during pregnancy (lo and behind i had gained 30kg by 36 weeks 😭😂)

@Saff what do you mean no adjusted bmi? I’ve noticed on my notes that they continue to adjust my bmi? So it’s went up by 3 throughout my pregnancy. I assumed it was normal to weigh because I have hyperemesis but they’ve not actually told me why they’re doing it

@Monika ah bless you, is that because you were having a c section? I’ve put on 8kg and I’m nearly 36 weeks so really don’t think it’s that much of a concern to justify getting weighed each time

@Annie I know I just find it awkward!

The c section at the time was a possibility so I wanted to sort of ease my anxiety around it. I really didn't want it but ended up with one anyway 😅 but anyway, I do think getting weighed at every appt is quite over the top and unnecessary. I'd say maybe you can ask why you're being weighed? Maybe it'll be more beneficial than outright declining if you understand their rationale

@Monika yeah I definitely am after reading that this isn’t the norm 😆

What I mean is that there isn't a specific BMI calculation for pregnant people and their gestation. No it isn't normal to weigh. I had GD in my first and nobody ever weighed me despite losing 2 stone x

@Saff ah I see, so really there is no point in them doing it then🙈

You can also ask them not to show you your weight, and just look away from the scale. I was super meticulous about logging my weight to ensure I wasn’t gaining too much weight during pregnancy. So I wanted to know what I weighed

I remember bring 19'4... Stepping on that scale... and thinking ooooh gooosh... the judgement

I think it depends on where you live and the facilities protocol. This is my third pregnancy, and while I am at my heaviest and they weight me at every apt, they did that as well with my first too also. I looooathe it, and usually make a “this is the worst part of these appointments” joke and step on backwards so I don’t see it.

@Cait for me after reading these comments I’m gonna ask and/or refuse. I only see it necessary maybe if they need to use anaesthetic during labour? But they also have my most recent weight anyway 🤷🏻‍♀️ seems pointless

I’m on baby number 3 and there hasn’t been an appointment where I haven’t been weighed. My weight was also a way for them to track how my HG was doing as I tend to struggle immensely the first 17 weeks of pregnancy.

Honestly just don’t look, I told my midwife that I understand my BMI is super high, I am aware they need to weigh me and record it but please can they not tell me what it is unless there is a specific issues. I just don’t look at the scales and not once have they talked to me about it after I said that to them

@Hannah do they not write it on your notes though? EVERY interaction I have on my badger notes begins by saying BMI this amount so can’t even ignore it. Don’t even understand why they need to write it when it’s not even relevant. E.g going in for reduced movements

I was weighed every appointment - was especially rubbish when I found out my 'healthy' BMI friend never got weighed after her booking app. They never once measured my bump either like they did hers - i get why with already having a belly, but I did still have a growing bump lol. They explained they wanted to monitor weight gain as I was overweight already they didn't want me to gain too much - what would they have done if I did 'gain to much' - wire my jaw closed? Just seemed pointless. My weight throughout pregnancy didn't change so thankfully it wasn't something that was greatly discussed. After I give birth I was actually 2st lighter than I was when I got pregnant. All that fluid, baby, placenta counts!x

@Ruby exactly, but it’s also normal to gain weight when you’re pregnant no matter what you weigh because as you say, it’s literally the weight of the baby, placenta etc. I know people who were slightly overweight and put on 5 stone + during pregnancy and no one battered an eye lid. But if you’re classed as “obese” you’re made to feel guilty for putting on ANY weight when it’s out of your hands 🤷🏻‍♀️

So I’m a bit interesting as my community midwives use badger notes but my hospital/consultants use paper orange folder. Honestly I don’t really go back and read the notes much on either badger notes or the folder.

I only got weighed at my first appointment. I've not been weighed at any of my appointments since then. I have my 26 week appointment Thursday so I'm guessing I will be weighed again then. But you have every right to decline.

@Kelly thankfully I have no more appointments as getting induced in 8 days. They can piss off if they want to weigh me when I go for my induction 😆

😂 that's made me laugh. Good luck with your induction lovely. I hope everything goes smoothly for you.