A Happy, Healthy Mom and Baby
Jennifer Pigott always wanted to have children. But infertility, a common side effect for people who struggle with excess weight, prevented her from having a baby naturally. Today, two years after having gastric bypass surgery with
Dr. David Lautz, she and her husband are about to celebrate their daughter’s first birthday. Makenna Lynn was born on August 17, 2018.
“We tried to have a baby for about a year. My physician told me that losing weight might help me become pregnant. That was when I attended an
Emerson info session and made the decision to have weight loss surgery. Dr. Lautz and the team at the Surgical Weight Loss Center were perfect. They really got to know me and were so supportive.”
Jennifer said that her main reason for having the surgery was to become happy and healthy. “If a baby was part of it – that would be amazing.”
Six months after the surgery, and having lost 85 pounds, Jennifer became pregnant. “I had taken so many negative pregnancy tests. It was an amazing surprise when I found out I was pregnant. The fact that I could become a mom was huge for me. We were thrilled to have a family.”
Makenna was born at Emerson Hospital. “I chose to give birth at Emerson because of my experience having surgical weight loss there. I would not have had her anywhere else. I can’t express how awesome everyone was.”
The surgeons at Emerson’s Surgical Weight Loss Center caution that pregnancy is not a guarantee after having surgery. However, data shows that fertility can increase after surgery and losing weight. Jennifer’s advice for people thinking about bariatric surgery is to stay connected with people who support your decision through relationships and social media. “There are so many pros to having the surgery. It can change your life for the better.”
Jennifer is loving life as a stay-at-home-mom. She has stayed healthy and exercises almost every day of the week — often with Makenna by her side or in a stroller.
