We’re so happy you’re here
Big Fat Pregnancy &
Birth Masterclass
February 5-9, 2024
We have been right where you are
We Know You Feel Lesser Than Sometimes
Have you been told you need to loose weight to get pregnant by your doctor or healthcare provider? Have they blamed your fertility challenges on your weight without tests or confirmation?
Have you been dismissed, spoken down to, or had a provider outright traumatize you? Are you worried about being a fat birther, a fat parent or a fat patient to these kind of providers?
It’s no secret that weight bias is a prevalent issue in healthcare. Plus-size birthers often encounter judgment and stigma during pregnancy. Many plus-size individuals have experienced condescending attitudes from healthcare providers.
Fear-based information can lead to unnecessary anxiety during pregnancy. Choosing the right healthcare provider is crucial for a positive pregnancy experience.
Big Fat Pregnancy & Birth Masterclass
February 5 – 9, 2024
You No Longer Have to Feel This Way
Together We’ll Empower Your Pregnancy
Empower Your Pregnancy is a foundation of knowledge for fat folks who are newly pregnant and navigating finding a care team or those trying to conceive and thinking about the hurdle of finding quality care.
It is vital that we understand the language and ways fat bodies have been, and are currently oppressed. Understanding how stigma and abuse can be present in prenatal care prepares you, should you encounter it on our own journey.
Anti-fat bias within prenatal care settings significantly impacts experiences, safety, and outcomes for pregnant people in larger bodies. We want to assist you to approach your pregnancy with knowledge and assurance, rather than fear. We’ll address these issues head-on, helping you with tips to find a healthcare team that treats you with respect and dignity.
We’ve designed this masterclass to empower plus-size birthers to embrace their pregnancy journey with confidence. Together, we’ll shatter stereotypes, dispel misconceptions, and pave the way for a more inclusive and supportive healthcare experience.
We’ll help you begin to understand the process of finding a supportive provider who respects your unique needs. By the end, you’ll begin to build the confidence to search for a healthcare team that champions your journey to a healthy pregnancy.
February 5-9, 2024
more details about the
big fat pregnancy and birth
master class
DAY #1 | Unlocking Confidence
How Confidence During Labor Lowers Pain
In this empowering session, we delve into the crucial link between confidence and pain during labor. Autonomy and advocacy take center stage as we guide participants through understanding the necessity of confidence for a smoother labor experience. This day is designed to provide tools to bolster self-assurance.
DAY #2 | Breaking Down Anti-Fat Bias
Recognizing and Affirming Your Anger
Addressing the pervasive issue of anti-fat bias, this day focuses on validating your lived experience. Participants explore the inherent wrongness of discrimination and arm themselves with information to challenge these biases.
DAY #3 | Debunking Myths About Fat Birth
You Are Not a Statistic
Dispelling a prominent myth surrounding fat birth, this session emphasizes the uniqueness of individual stories. Participants discover research and statistics that showcase outcomes based on biased measurements and isolated analyses.
DAY #4 | Building a Community
Finding Support and Cheerleaders
Recognizing the importance of a supportive community, this day explores the need for shared experiences and identities during pregnancy. Surrounding ourselves with other fat pregnant folks fosters a sense of belonging and empowerment.
DAY #5 | Becoming Empowered
Being an Active Participant in Your Journey
Empowering participants to be active decision-makers in their pregnancy journey, this session highlights the power individuals possess in shaping their birthing experience. By emphasizing self-assurance and the ability to make informed decisions, the goal is to bridge the gap between provider and participant.
even more details about the
big fat pregnancy and birth
master class
I felt so alone starting my conception journey, built on the decades old externally enforced narrative in my brain that getting pregnant was going to be super hard because I was fat. I was told at such an early age that this was my fate.
My body was already doomed. Already broken. Already wrong. The rest of my life, I continued to be surrounded by messages and horror stories that even if I did miraculously happen to conceive, it would be a terrible pregnancy filled with complications. The outlook on a delivery was even worse, loaded with interventions and most likely a c-section.
When I got pregnant, I did not have any pregnant friends, let alone fat pregnant friends, and I had no idea what I was doing. The overwhelming amount of information online that confirmed all the things I believed about my body was reaffirmed website after website.
I didn’t believe it was possible to have a positive pregnancy experience as a fat person and I thought I was doomed to complications and a whole lot of judgment. I wasn’t even sure it was safe to birth in my body at the size I was. I was nervous, alone, uncertain and about to embark on a 9 month journey of growing a human. I was terrified.
Sound familiar?
If so, I’m here for you!
The good news is that almost five years later from when I found myself pregnant, I have birthed two beautiful humans, intervention and complication free, at home in a birthing tub.
Which was my dream, but definitely doesn’t have to be yours! The point I’m trying to make is that fat people have other, much more positive paths that most of us have never thought of, let alone thought possible for us! And it happens all the time. Most pregnancies, not just fat pregnancies, are not complicated horror stories.
Big Fat Pregnancy has worked with fat folks one-on-one to help them troubleshoot biased providers, practice dialogue for difficult conversations, and been beside clients as they victoriously roared their babies earthside just the way they dreamed!
We have spent countless hours reading research papers, learning about fat activism, being in community with fat folks, and networking with other pregnancy professionals!
And with all that knowledge and experience, we are here to show you that not only was a fat positive birthing experience possible for Christina and so many of our clients, it is also possible for YOU too! Not only is a fat positive birth in a fat body possible, it can be safe and joyful too!
And just how do we plan to show you this?
Each day focuses on a foundation of introducing anti-fat bias in prenatal care, a specific topic highlighted above, and definitely room for you to get answers to your specific questions, so come to one or all!
Mark your calendars and don’t miss this unique opportunity to gather knowledge, share experiences, and grow your fat+ pregnancy community. We look forward to being in conversation and community with you!
See you there!
Christina & Emily
