will this weight come off?

jb2rn

This is mostly geared towards second time moms, but feel free to comment if you are feeling the same.

I was average weight pre-pregnancy (5'1" and about 118lbs). I ate healthy, but wasn't a huge exerciser. I actually was just getting into and loving Zumba right before I got pregnant.

In the first and early second trimester, I had textbook weight gain. I was even a little below at first.

Now things have changed - I think because I left my job in June for us to move to Germany, and I just didn't realize how many calories I burned at it! Because my eating isn't all that different than before. I am currently 28 weeks and have gained 19-20lbs.

My goal was 25 lbs gain for the entire pregnancy, and I see I won't make that.

I worry because I am 35, the weight is NOT going to come off and that freaks me out. So, if this is your second or beyond, did the weight come off after baby was born? Was it very difficult? I am one that it's difficult for me to gain (my weight is very stable, doesn't yo-yo), but it's also difficult for me to lose.

Punter2009

I worried as I gained 50lb with my second and it took a while but I lost it in about a year through breastfeeding and light exercise.

I lost alot initially through the birth, fluid loss and then fully breastfeeding. It slowed down a bit after a few months, but I was about normal by the time i fell pregnant this time. 

Im 28 weeks this week and so far have gained 24lb. It stresses me but im confident Ill lose it. I just bought a treadmill My body just explodes with pregnancy. 

As soon as I have the baby I go back to normal healthy eating.  

txex1996

This response is less about baby weight and more about weight gain when moving abroad.

When I moved to The Netherlands 6 years ago, I put on 10 pounds. I could not figure out why, because I was eating right and walking or biking everywhere. Ultimately, I was gaining muscle mass.

If your German experience is anything like mine where cars and such are not the norm, take your weight gain with a grain of salt. If you are gaining baby weight plus the muscle involved in living a European life, you will likely go over your anticipated gain. This does not, however, mean you are gaining too much. You are just adapting to a new lifestyle.

jb2rn

txex1996:

If your German experience is anything like mine where cars and such are not the norm, take your weight gain with a grain of salt. If you are gaining baby weight plus the muscle involved in living a European life, you will likely go over your anticipated gain. This does not, however, mean you are gaining too much. You are just adapting to a new lifestyle.

thanks. I wish it was muscle! In June and July, we lived in a hotel so it was due to more carbs (I don't like the food here so I ate bread) and less activity.

Now, we are in our house and yes, I am walking much more. So I hope the weight will come off, especially when I am pushing a stroller in the snow

elainej

I was 35 with baby #1. I gained 30 lbs., and lost 26 with pretty minimal effort (and I don't lose weight easily).

yankeebear

I was 38 when I had DD and I gained 40 lbs.  I am petite like you (5 foot 3 in.)  I had no problem losing the weight.  I did breastfeed exclusively for 6 months and I lost all of the weigh and more.  And I never dieted because I was always ravenously hungry.  (DD was a total milk junkie!)  After I stopped nursing I put a few pounds back on but nothing too bad. 

Good luck!

varkeyr

Yes you can lose a lot of it.  I gained 40 lbs with my first. I was underweight  and I lost much of it.You just have to remember that it did not get put on over night so it will take time coming off.

Peppernut

It'll come off.  One week after I had Melisende, I was already down 20 pounds, and I have been losing at a pretty good rate...  I have only been walking and trying to keep up with my yoga, and breastfeeding, AND toddler-chasing, and really the weight is coming off by the bucketload.  I was a little worried toward the end, but now I am confident that I'll be in my pre-pregnancy clothes in another couple of weeks.  I'm already wearing my "fat" pants instead of maternity pants.  I'm 43.

georgia3

I started at exactly the same weight (154) with both of my pregnancies, gained 45# with each (light exercise, eating what I wanted to), and lost all of it in 6 months each time exclusively breastfeeding.

I've gained 20# at 25 weeks and will probably be right around the same as my previous at delivery time.  I'm a little more concerned about the 45# this time because I am nearing 40 and my metabolism is probably not what it used to be. . .

Ah well, totally worth it

Steph_NJ

I was right about where you are with #1. I was 35 (delivered 3 days before my 36th birthday), 5' 1" and 116 pounds. My weight had always been stable also, very gradually putting on about a pound a year and not doing much exercise or anything to get it off -- hitting the gym about once a week. I gained 27 pounds during my pregnancy. At some appts I'd gained a lot and others not much, so don't worry too much about how you're doing, it could vary for you too.

The weight came off quickly. I was back in regular pants 2-3 weeks after I delivered, just a little "squishy" in the ab area. I think it was mostly fluid weight that I lost. 

18 months later, I weigh around 111 pounds. I'm still breastfeeding. My body isn't as tight as it's always been because I haven't been exercising much at all. I suspect that some of the weight loss is from losing muscle. My arms are in great shape from picking LO up though .

little__bit

Oh yes!  It depends on the person of course, but my came of pretty easily.  I credit breastfeeding for most of it.