Breast is Best. There is no denying that a majority of the population knows breastfeeding is best for babies, but keep in mind the statement doesn’t say, “Breast is easy.” There are few research studies dealing with breastfeeding after bariatric surgery. What we know is what we have seen; healthy breastfed babies receiving milk from [...]

It is generally recommended that women avoid pregnancy the first 12 to 18 months after bariatric surgery because of the dramatic weight loss. Once pregnant, patients should be monitored to be sure appropriate weight gain is occurring. Prenatal care is coordinated with the obstetrician, the bariatric surgeon and dietitian (1). Energy needs You will need [...]

Franki Evensen’s excess weight had affected her fertility, but she hadn’t realized that until she lost 100 pounds and became pregnant. In 2008, she had her Roux-en-Y gastric bypass surgery with Dr. Daniel Smith. “I had not been on any type of birth control since 2003,” she said. At one time, she and her husband [...]

Jennifer Harrom of Fergus Falls wanted to have more children; brothers or sisters for her son, Colton. Some day, anyway. In fact, it was her obstetrician who recommended her for weight-loss surgery. At more than 300 pounds and exhibiting signs of diabetes, high blood pressure and thyroid problems, she had her gastric bypass with Dr. [...]

“Because of the dramatic weight loss following bariatric surgery, it is generally recommended that women avoid pregnancy until after the first 12-18 months or until their weight stabilizes,” according to a Bariatric Times article by Jane Alston and Giselle Hamad, MD, FACS, “Management and Outcomes of Pregnancy following Bariatric Surgery.” Unexpected pregnancies are a “unique [...]

April Earley of Fargo was told at age 18 that she would probably never conceive a child due to her weight and health issues. That wasn’t quite accurate. It did take more than two years for her and her husband to get pregnant with their first child, Carter. So she really wasn’t expecting to learn [...]

Betty Larsen’s experience and training makes her well-suited for bariatric medicine at the Center for Weight Management. After 18 years working as a Registered Dietitian with Altru Hospital in Grand Forks, ND, Larsen was looking for new challenges. That’s when she turned her studies and skills down a new path that led to her certification [...]