I have some questions for you women who have already had the sleeve and had kids after the surgery.

My name is Vanessa and I am 36 years old and I have always wanted to have kids but my doctors always said that is not safe to have kids because of my weight. I was 550 lbs. May 2016 and now I am 456 lbs. May 2017. I am still trying to lose more weight. In September I hope to have my sleeve surgery. I want to have a baby but I am not sure if it is safe to get pregnant right away or a couple of months after surgery or 6 to 12 months after surgery? I would love to hear everybody's helpful advice and comments please!!

I really want a baby and I feel like my clock is ticking! I have all these crazy feeling and emotions about wanting a baby or babies!! Am I losing my mind or going crazy?!

From what I have seen over the years, most docs want you to wait until you are done losing weight and stable before getting pregnant, as the minimal nutrition we get during weightloss conflicts with the nutritional needs of the developing fetus. Many docs recommend using two forms of birth control during the loss period to avoid this conflict (and fertility tends to improve rapidly (and surprisingly sometimes!) as the weight comes off.

The first thing they told me when I passed the program for surgery was to talk to my OB about going on birth control. They said no babies for the first two years after surgery.

I waited two years post op. I'd definitely wait at least that long. I understand the desire to rush, but your body needs to find it's balance and adjust. Your weight needs to stabilize, and you need to get to a point where food, not supplements, keeps your labs up. It passes quickly!

I got pregnant easily and had a very healthy pregnancy because I was in such a good place. Even my prior diabetes (gone) and high blood pressure (gone) didn't impact the pregnancy. I'd waited long enough that my sleeve could accommodate the needs of the eating for two. And I gained a healthy amount of weight that I lost a few months afterward.

Be patient. One life change at a time!

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My program says 18-24 months. I'm actually freezing eggs before surgery just in case.