My Pregnancy After Weight Loss Surgery: Two Healthy Babies!
September 18, 2017I had the Duodenal Switch in 2012. I am a busy working wife and the mom of two little boys, ages 3 and 1 year old. I love to spend time with them, and living a healthy lifestyle is a priority of mine. I'm happy to be able to share that as a post-op you can have a healthy pregnancy after weight loss surgery. Many women wonder about a pregnancy after weight loss surgery but it is possible. I'm grateful that I'm now a mom of my two healthy sons because of my Duodenal Switch.
Every day is a gift to be treasured.
Pregnancy After Weight Loss Surgery
I feel it is important to talk about and help others through my journey. Let me start from the beginning.
In 2010, I was diagnosed with PCOS and got to a place where my weight was unhealthy. I am 5'1" and weighed 235 pounds. My husband and I wanted children but it felt like it was out of reach. I had a checkup with my OB regarding becoming pregnant. My OB encouraged me to seek out a consult with a bariatric surgeon.
After a great amount of research, I found Dr. Keshishian in Glendale California. After consulting with Dr. Keshishian, he advised me that the Duodenal Switch would be best for me for many reasons. It would help me to lose weight, keep the PCOS under control and be able to become pregnant and have a good setup for a healthy pregnancy. I felt confident in Dr. Keshishian's care and two months later I had my Duodenal Switch surgery.
The Day That Changed My Life
December 26, 2012, is my surgiversary but it was the day that changed my life and the life of my husband forever. After my surgery, I began to lose weight and hit my goal weight at six months. I lost 105 pounds and was able to maintain it for seven months.
I am asked a lot if I was cleared by my doctor first. The answer is yes. I was closely monitored by my bariatric doctor and I hit my weight loss goal and maintained it. Since I had maintained it and my vitamin levels were good, I was cleared to get pregnant.
After being cleared, the very next month, I got pregnant with my son in 2013. My pregnancy was closely monitored by my OB and bariatric doctor to make sure we (we, as in me and my baby!) were both getting all the nutrients and vitamins we needed. Labs were done often and I ate every two hours to make sure I ate enough protein every day.
I gained a total of 18 pounds with my first son. By the following day after giving birth, I was back to my pre-pregnancy weight. My pregnancy was not without hiccups but the result was a healthy baby weighing 6 pounds, 15 ounces and born at 38 weeks. I had pre-eclampsia and was put on bed rest due to my blood pressure at 27 weeks. This issue runs in my family and was not related to my surgery in any way.
WLS and Staying Healthy
I believe my WLS actually helped me stay healthy. After my first son was born, life went back to normal and my eating capacity remained small.
Fast forward to 2015, and I became pregnant with my second son. As with my first son, I got pregnant fast. I actually didn't know I was pregnant because I didn't feel any different. One day, I was a little dizzy and I joked “Either I'm sick or pregnant” and laughed. In fact, it turned out that I was pregnant with my second son. My pregnancies were totally different just as my two little boys are.
With my second son, I actually got puffy after, retained water and resulted in a rare diagnosis of Preeclampsia postpartum. Once figured out and addressed then I snapped right back. With my second pregnancy, I gained a total of 10 pounds and was put on bedrest for preterm labor at 32 weeks. I did my best to get him to term. My second son arrived at 39 weeks and 4 days and weighed 7 pounds, 4 ounces.
Yes, I had hiccups and challenges with both pregnancies but I now have two handsome healthy boys.
Would I do it over again? 1000%! My boys are my world and I am so thankful for them. But I didn't do it alone. I would not have gotten through it all without my husband, doctors and making nutrition and hydration my priority. Pregnancy is possible post-WLS and many women do it and so many of us have healthy babies. WLS saved my life and allowed me to make two lives.
 | ABOUT THE AUTHOR With determination and her family's love and support, Heidi Brown has lost 105 pounds. Having the Duodenal Switch (DS) made it possible for Heidi to expand her family. Since having weight loss surgery she has also had two amazing little boys. |
