I had gastric-banding to have a baby

Taryn Johnson cradles her baby boy in her arms, looking just like any other proud mum. However, the road to motherhood has been a long and painful one for the first-time mum, who was told she might never become pregnant — because she was too fat.

After drastic surgery to curb her ballooning appetite, Taryn became a mum this year, and she says all the pain and heartache has been more than worth it.

“I’d definitely encourage other overweight women who are trying to fall pregnant to explore the idea of surgery,” says Taryn. “Talk to other women who have had it, then just go for it. It’s so worth it.”

Taryn, 29, and her partner Dave McGarvie, began trying for a baby four years ago, but after two miscarriages and month after month of unexplained infertility, her doctor sat her down for a brutally frank discussion.

“The doctors ran through lots of possibilities for my problem, but the main one was my excess weight. It was heartbreaking and I blamed myself for the miscarriages. I felt so guilty that my weight was stopping me having a baby…”