Feeling down about weight after pregnancy

C

casia

Member
My sweet baby boy is 6 weeks old today.

Throughout my pregnancy I was very active, as I have been my whole life. I ran, did Cathe videos, and much more through 7-8 months of pregnancy. I gained 35 lbs. I was looking forward to a lot of that coming out at birth, but I still have 22 lbs. to take me back to my prepregnancy weight.

I don't expect it to come off overnight, but I am just not myself like this. I have healthy eating habits, and I started working out again at 4 weeks postpartum. I am feeling sad because my body is so different and it feels like the weight isn't going to come off. In fact, I've put on a few pounds since leaving the hospital. To only be down 12-14 pounds 6 weeks after delivery--when the baby weighed over 8--is depressing, and I worry that my body or metabolism has changed in such a way that I will never be able to lose the weight in a timely manner, especially with limited time compared to pre-partum.

I am wondering if anyone went through anything similar? Will the weight loss "step up" anytime soon? Right now it isn't budging. I know it's ony 6 weeks, but I'd hoped to see *some* improvement after 2 weeks of working out, and a healthy lifestyle in general all along. I wonder how bad I'd feel about myself and what sort of shape I'd be in had I NOT been so active throughout my pregnancy!

Have a great week. Thanks for reading!
 
Hi Casia,

With my first daughter I definitely felt the same way as you, but my issue was trying to remain consistent with my diet and exercise. It took me a year to lose that weight. But...

With baby #2 I find that the weight is coming off much easier. I would say that by 8 weeks potpartum I had lost 30 of the 40-something pounds I gained. I breast fed my daughter and I know that contributed to the speed of the weight loss. Two weeks isn't a significant amount of time and your body is going through all kind of readjustments. Give it time and remain consistent and you'll start to see those inches come off. I injured my knee about 3 months ago and wasn't able to work out during that time. Naturally, I gained back much of the weight I had lost and am starting over (I'm two weeks in at this point). I feel great and am starting to see some results.

So, it sounds like you are doing what you should - eating healthy and maintaining a conistent workout regimen. Try not to get down on yourself...enjoy your new baby and take it slow - don't overdo it!:7

Take care,
Trish
 
Thanks, Trish. It's hard for me because I've always been active and pretty thin. I am surprised to see the weight being so stubborn. I know 6 weeks isn't a lot of time, but like your 2nd pregnancy, I thought I'd have 20-25 lbs. off about now, naturally. :-(

It's so hard to be patient!! Especially when I've always tried hard to care for my health and now I feel like I look so sluggish, and because there are enough other challenges with being a new mom.

My sweet baby keeps me going when I get sad. Fingers crossed the weight will start coming off in the next few weeks.

Take care!
Cathy
 
Hi!

Are you breastfeeding? Sometimes that can complicate the weight loss picture: for some people it speeds up weightloss, for others it causes it to slow down or plateau. Either way, I've found that hormones play a big role, for me. It may take some time for everything to regulate, so don't panic about your metabolism! This is a big time of change for your body. It's only been 6 weeks and you're probably sleep deprived and off schedule - that can stall weight loss all by itself if your body is still trying to adjust to everything.

One of the common mantras is "Nine months up, nine months down." In other words, your body took nine months to get to the point that it was, so don't expect it to take less than that to get back to where you were. If you're eating right and doing as much as you can to stay active, I don't think it will take nine months, but it IS a good reminder of what you've been through: nine months of growing a baby. Be gentle to yourself - and patient :) It's not easy, I know, especially during the first months when sleep deprivation and hormones are are at their worst!

Stay as active as you can, eat right, get as much sleep as you can, and stay hydrated. And give yourself a big hug for getting through all of this :D

P.S. You might want to stop by the post-partum check-in. There are other women in the same boat with lots of support and advice. Even if you just lurk, you'll know that you're not alone!
 
Thanks for the info and the kind words.

Yes, I am breastfeeding, or trying to...we've run into a number of problems from thrush to tongue tie so I am doing my best. I thought, sheesh, if breastfeeding is supposed to help you lose weight, where would I be otherwise?! It's good to hear that that's not always the case, thanks.
 
It took me a little extra time too. With nursing I had to really do it slowly or my supply went south quickly, so I just took my time and worked at it as much as I could and within about 5 months I was below my pre-pregnancy weight (and I gained 40 pounds). Keep at it and stay motivated! Once your hormones get all regulated it gets easier!!
 
Thank you. It's so hard when you're using to being among the fittest, then all of a sudden the body has a mind of its own. Luckily, I do feel like I look a bit better than the weight alone would indicate, everyone seems to marvel at me "getting the weight off" but it's still there. 25 lbs. to go. Strategic dressing is helping, maybe! These maternity jeans aren't so bad! (Until I bend over and the big blue tummy band gives it away. :) )

I just came back from my first pp checkup. The nurse said there is a lot of fluid in the body, etc. and that takes awhile, so I am banking on a lot of this being water an hormonal.

In the meantime, I have my sweet bundle, Cathe, and this forum to keep my spirits up!
 
Hey There.
First let me congratulate you on your little bundle! I just had a baby boy 7 monthes ago and of course, I wouldn't trade him for anything in the world! LOL

Well...I was like you before pregnancy. I was very active, ran alot and did cathe. But when I was pregnant I gave it all up and gained 50 lbs on my 5'3" frame:eek: Everytime I went for my Dr's visit, I left telling myself that my eating wasn't that bad and that I should try to do some sort of activity but my back would hurt if I walked...and that would leave me in pain for 2 days.

I went to the hospital at 176 lbs, 4 days later I was 154 lbs and 2 weeks later I was 148 lbs and thats where it stopped. I thought b/c I was bf'ing I could eat whatever I wanted but that wasn't the case. At 4 weeks PP I started working out again and signed up for WW's online and thats when I started dropping the weight again and thats also when I realized how much I was actually eating! At 4 monthes PP I was down to my prepreg weight and can honestly say I wasn't hungry on WW's. There were weeks I wouldn't lose an ounce and then there were others I would lose 5 lbs.

As for your body shape...it may never be the same. My middle doesn't seem to be the same yet. I just stopped nursing last week so I am kind of hopig everything will return to normal soon. But then again, my friends tell me I am smaller then I was before...I don't think we see ourselves like others see us.

Anyway...good luck with the weight loss and keep us posted!
Lori:)
 
Good for you, it sounds like you made a lot of progress! Congrats on your son, also.

What concerns me is that I didn't leave the hospital with 20 lbs. off like you did, and everyone else I know. I am only down 14 lbs. at 6 weeks pp. I was very active throughout my pregnancy, going to prenatal classes and running until the 8th month. I thought that would make things easier for me now. I can only guess a lot of it is hormonal or something else that cannot be explained!

For what it's worth, I have heard that stopping nursing can help the body get back into the "look" you had. Hope that's the case for your peace of mind, but I'm sure like everyone else says, you look great!

Onward I march. :)
 
But you have to keep in mind that I went into the hospital almost 20 lbs more then you did:) You gained 35...while I gained 50:eek: ;)

I can see how you are discouraged BUT you are only 6 wees PP. Also Im not sure if you are aware of this but my friend who is a nurse told me that alot of peole gain weight after having a baby b/c the body is so use to distributing fluids to the baby and all its organs...and when the baby is born, your body still goes about its business, but there is no baby there anymore...so you kind of gain a bit of fluid until your body adjust. ( did that make any sense)? LOL

Like I said, I never did anything when I was preggo but felt like I should have. Now that its all over with Im wondering if I didn't do the right thing? Prehaps b/c my body wasn't use to any activity in the last few monthes, I may have shocked my body when I started working out again.

Your hormones are diffently all over the place right now. If you keep working out and eating right...the weight as to come off! Are you nursing?

Lori:)
 
Hi Lori,

Good info, thanks.

I have been trying to nurse, and pumping, but we've had a multitude of problems from thrush to tongue tie and more so I am not sure how much longer I'll be able to continue. I had yet another dr. appointment about this yesterday! I am sure all this stress isn't helping matters.

Funny what you say about the activity...I was thinking the same thing. My body just has a high tolerance for exertion! I also wonder if that is why my sweet pea is so alert and awake so much of the day for a newborn. He doesn't cry, he just wants to be up and moving around. Thank goodness for the swing...gives me 10 min. to get a bowl of cereal or start the washer now and then. It's cute that he's so "with it." Keeps me very, very busy, though! :)

I did SO many lunges and squats Mon. night, and I definitely feel it. It's so nice when you have that "inspirational" amount of soreness, like you can really feel the muscles firming up quickly. I thought my belly looked a tiny bit different, too. Even if it's psychological, who cares! :) I can't wait to hit the gym this evening. My husband is leaving work a tad early so I can go. Now that going to the gym must be a carefully orchestrated outing for me, I look forward to it much more than before, when I was without baby and had all my time to myself. I have to plan 2 days in advance so my husband can be home, so it's like, hey girlie--you'd better go and you'd better give it your all!

Have a great day!
Cathy
 
See...you are a saint! I probably would have thrown nursing right out the window if I had any problems. One of my friends went through the same thing and Im not sure how she handled all the pain. I never had one hitch with nursing and I was a little heart sick last week when I decided to give it up but I knew he wasn't getting what he needed from me anymore so I did what was best for both of us. Now that he doesn't NEED me anymore...he wants me! When someone takes him from my arms he starts whining and looking back at me with his arms out...to cute!
When I was preggo I also remember looking down at my legs,thinking, who owns these legs? All I could see was dimples and fat...where had my toned legs gone! haha You will be surprised though and how fast it all returns, I was. It wasn't over night but with in a few monthes, I thought I was looking the same as before.
Enjoy your night at the gym!
Lori:)
 
I definitely agree with the "nine months up, nine months down" philosophy. My son is now 2 1/2, and two or three nights before his 9 month mark, I slipped on my pre-preg. jeans with ease and I bet the neighbors heard me exclaiming! I'm not going to lie, it is HARD. Especially with everything else going on -- breastfeeding, weird eating habits, weird workout schedule, hormones, etc.
 
Cathy,
Hang in there!! That weight will come off, and I also echo what others have said about giving it 9months.

I gained 40-50lbs during each of my pregnancies and have been able to lose the weight with all. My 3rd is 7months old now and I've lost 38 pounds so far, and want to lose about 4 more to be totally at my prepreggo weight. My muscle tone is so much better and I'm able to fit into a lot of my old clothes.

I think it's common for our bodies to change in shape after pregnancies, but that doesn't mean that you can't regain your fitness and lose the weight. Hope that makes sense.

Also, I honestly think the first 3 months post partum are the most difficult psychologically with body image issues and dealing with hormone changes and weight loss. That's not too mention the lack of sleep and adjusting to being a new mom!! So, please don't be too hard on yourself and give it time. I KNOW it's hard to be patient but your hard work will pay off. Amazing what the body can do!

Sorry to hear that breastfeeding has been so hard for you, but I do empathize. I had a very emotionally trying experience with breastfeeding and was very depressed about it with my first two. I tried very hard to nurse my first two kids and was unable to (similar problems that you faced) and ended up switching to formula. With my 3rd, I just started out with formula because I had such difficulty in the past. I applaud your efforts and hope you can be successful with it. If not, don't beat yourself up about it, and know that there is really good formula on the market. I think for many women it just comes naturally, others are able to do it after a greater amount of effort, and some of us just have too much difficulty.

Best of luck to you!! And, CONGRATULATIONS! Feel free to join us in the postpartum check in if you'd like:)

Stacey

Ryan born 1/2/07
Emma born 4/27/03
Alex born 9/7/01
 
Lori-

NO kidding about the legs! I always look at them and wonder about all the dimples and lumps and the way they spread like my cat's belly when he's relaxin'!

Very cute about your son. I love your photos, btw!

:)
Cathy
 
Stacey-

Thanks for writing! I appreciate your breastfeeding empathy. It's too much to get into here, but I am sure you know where I'm coming from and that's really comforting. It's been a big source of anxiety--like a new mom doesn't deal with enough other stuff.

Congrats on your weight loss and 3 children.

Have a good weekend!
Cathy
 
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