Talk to Us About Your Post-Baby Body!

Bump Liz · January 2013

We want to hear from new mom Bumpies about how your body has changed (physically and mentally) since welcoming your baby!- Do you feel stronger, more empowered? Or are you a stranger in your own body?
- Are you amazed at what your body was able to do giving birth?
- How does your post-baby body compare to your pre-baby body?
- Are you trying to shed the baby weight ASAP or letting it happen naturally?

The more specific you are with your answers, the better! We want to hear it all? Post here or email us at community@thebump.com.Thank you!Bump Liz

mrsshawnavanb · January 2013

I definitely feel more empowered but at the same time I look in the mirror at my fluffy new body and wonder if I'll ever look like I used to.

Before going into labor, I was so nervous about how hard it would be and was pleasantly surprised that it wasn't nearly as bad as I had expected.

My post baby body is curvier which in some ways is nice but my stomach is far from the flat pre-baby belly I once had.

At first I was letting it happen naturally. I BF so that did help a bit but I also gained over 60 lbs during pregnancy and I have about 25 lbs that just doesn't want to go away so I've recently started working out 3 days a week and have dropped 6 lbs. Still some work to do, my goal is to be back to my pre-baby weight by May.

hdine22 · January 2013

I have on and off days.

I think it is amazing that my body was capable of creating and birthing a child, but then I look in the mirror and wonder where I went.I definitely don't recognize myself.

Like PP said, I gained about 55lbs during my pregnancy and I have 30lbs left to lose. I am still breastfeeding as well, but I haven't budged in months. So, I am really working hard this past month to shed the extra weight. I am so envious of those women who can just play the waiting game and it naturally falls off!

How does post-baby body compare to pre-baby body? Lots of stretch marks. Everywhere. Thighs, backs of knees, boobs, hips. My boobs look awfully stretched, almost flapjack-like. My stomach is poochy, and everything in that mid-section area seems wider. It saddens me a lot, but then I look at my son and smile.

Hopefully these Jillian Michael's DVD's work their magic on me!

kdjudd · January 2013

Since I gave birth I have more confidence in what my body is capable of. I was stretched to my physical limits while growing my baby for nine months, I labored in agony for 27 hours only to spend three hours pushing out a rather large baby, and then my body healed and turned into my new "normal." What an amazing process! I am amazed at what my body can do!

My post-baby body is wider in the hips, striped on my stomach, and I have a little more skin to go around, but I'm learning to accept it. All of these changes are merely my battle scars. They tell a story of great sacrifice.

I haven't been rushing the weight loss process. I'm simply trying to take this opportunity to learn how to eat healthier and exercise more. The weight loss is just an added bonus!

thespianlawyer · January 2013

- do you feel stronger, more empowered? Or are you a stranger in your own body?

I definitely feel more empowered. I used to stress about every little pound. Now I'm perfectly happy within a 5 pound range.

- are you amazed at what your body was able to do giving birth?

Yes. I was induced, and it took 3 days in the hospital before my baby came out, but I was still able to do it without a c-section. Every day I look at my baby and can't believe she grew inside me and I popped her out!

- how does your post-baby body compare to your pre-baby body?

Honestly, I'm one of the lucky ones. I was back in my pre-pregnancy clothes at 3 months. My belly is not as toned as it once was, and I certainly don't have the muscle strength and flexibility that I used to have (I was a professional ballerina a lifetime ago), but I'm working at getting it back one day at a time.

- are you trying to shed the baby weight ASAP or letting it happen naturally

I was very lucky in that the baby weight all came off naturally. I was at my pre-pregnancy weight by 4 months. Now I'm enjoying being able to eat extra servings due to breast feeding. I almost feel guilty bc DH gained sympathy weight during my pregnancy, but now I've lost all 30 pounds I gained, and he hasn't.

aadewitt · January 2013

Shortly after having LO I felt so strong and thought it was amazing what my body could do (I also avoided mirrors...) but 6 months later, I am feeling a bit more ashamed, that I haven't dropped the baby weight yet. There are days where I don't give a rip, but then I have days where I just want to wear something cute and feel like me again.

brennarobbie · January 2013

- Do you feel stronger, more empowered? Or are you a stranger in your own body?

After pushing out an almost 8 pound baby and surviving the first 7 months of his sweet little life, I feel like I can do anything!! This has been the most fun ride of our lives. Even the sleepless nights for his first 8 weeks...I now know I can still function on very few hours of sleep. I have become a more patient person as well as a more creative person (trying to come up with different ways to entertain a 5 month old is hard!!).

- Are you amazed at what your body was able to do giving birth?

I planned to have a natural, intervention-free birth and I achieved my goal! I am speechless when I look back and think of the labor and birth process. It was tough work, but in the end and looking back, they were the most beautiful 13 hours of my entire life. And I'm so thankful that everything has returned to normal for the most part - it makes me excited to do it again with #2 in the future! )

- How does your post-baby body compare to your pre-baby body?

Definitely flabbier...my tummy is not where it once was. I feel like my weight re-distributed itself in different parts of my body! For example my thighs used to be bigger and my love handles smaller, but now my thighs are smaller and my love handles grew exponentially!!! ;o) I do feel pretty good though, and eating a healthy diet has helped keep me motivated to exercise.

- Are you trying to shed the baby weight ASAP or letting it happen naturally?

I was another one who dropped the baby weight immediately. I was back to my pre-pregnancy weight at 3 weeks out. However, my body does NOT look the same as it did pre-pregnancy. I've slowly eased back into exercising. Now I take walks with my husband and baby about 3-4 times a week. We put little man in the Ergo carrier when we walk, so that adds 14 pounds to my workout! ) I would like to lose a little weight, but I'm not in a hurry...maybe I'll be more motivated when March rolls around and we're closer to swim suit season!

kpearse99 · January 2013

I absolutly feel stronger and more empowered! It's amazing what the female body can do, and that we have this incredible ability to create and foster life!!

I'm a little bit let down that my body didn't do what I thought it was capable of doing during labor. After 30 hours plus 3 hours of pushing, I ended in a C/S because DS just wouldn't come down any lower. That being said, I'm amazed at how well my C/S went and how easy my recovery was. In that aspect, I am amazed at how quickly my body recovered.

My post baby body is actually pretty darn comparable to pre-baby! I was surprised to find out that my motabolism is actually faster than it was before baby. I have a flat tummy and no muffin top!! I'm not too thrilled at how "the girls" look though, they could sure use a little pick me up!

Thanks to my motabolism kcking it into high gear, I really didn't have to work hard at losing the baby weight. I gained 35 lbs with DS and lost almost 40 at 7 months PP. I was back in my regular clothes by 4 weeks PP.

I am counting my blessings and hoping that I'll bounce back this quickly after number 2....whenever that may be!

forestdancer · January 2013

Bump Liz:
We want to hear from new mom Bumpies about how your body has changed (physically and mentally) since welcoming your baby!
- Do you feel stronger, more empowered? Or are you a stranger in your own body?
After, also beating ovarian cancer and loosing an ovary. I was amazed what my body could go through. In the begining fighting off some post partum I was weak. There are days where I feel empowered after all I been through but there are days that I look at old pictures and feel like a stranger but then I look at my baby and i'm remind how amazing life is with her here now.
- Are you amazed at what your body was able to do giving birth?Its amazing what the body goes through, still crazy how all that happens and then eventually goes back to normal. - How does your post-baby body compare to your pre-baby body?My pre-baby had less weight and sometimes I look a pictures and see the difference and it upsets me but My husband loves me and my kids love me thats what matters.
- Are you trying to shed the baby weight ASAP or letting it happen naturally?I'm not trying to loose it ASAP but I am trying to eat better and when winters over get more active!! I want to be healthier for me and my baby!

The more specific you are with your answers, the better! We want to hear it all? Post here or email us at community@thebump.com.Thank you!Bump Liz

telyn · January 2013

I fall into the stranger in my own body category.

Giving birth was the weirdest experience of my life. It was so out of body for me. I was in total control- the monitors never really worked on me so I decided when to push-how long to push- how long to rest, etc, but I have never felt more out of control. I just felt this pressing need to give birth- there was nothing conscious out about it it was just a drive, a gut reaction, an instinct to give birth. My personality is cerebral. My job is intellectual. I am not a woman of emotions, but intelligent thought had no play here. It was kind of awesome and kind of scary just letting my body take over while my mind just sat and watched out of my eyeballs.

The afterwords-from a physical stance, is challenging. The pains, the bleeding, the healing, the emotional drain of breastfeeding, coming off the hormones- all of that is still hard. I'm still dealing with it. I still get surprised at limits on my range of motion- like jumping up and down..when did that start to hurt like that? I'm still trying to come back to myself physically. Still trying to remember how to walk without a baby inside me, how to stretch, how to run. Sex is another big hurdle to cross. That's when the weird body is the worst. EVERYTHING responds differently now. It's so weird, but fun as hubby and I try new things together.

The baby weight was lost quickly since I breastfeed and went back to work at 8 weeks (no paid time off here in Alabama). To make time for pumping and still get home before bath time I don't eat lunch and only occasionally make time for breakfast, so that's how I'm back in my college clothes. I'm holding off hardcore working out because right now, breastfeeding works and it's so mysterious, the balance of it so ephemeral I'm afraid to work out and lose the milk before LO is ready. Just another weird thing my body just does now.

Stillharbor · July 2013

I used to dance ballroom and had worked really hard to become more flexible and toned. However, since delivery, even though I have lost almost all the weight, I don't fit any of my pre-preg clothes b/s I'm no longer toned. I feel like I don't even have the flexibility that I did before training for dance. I feel like between taking care of LO and work, I don't have time to do anything ME, which means trying to tone up, loosen up, etc...is soooo hard! Loosing weight from breast feeding just isn't happening. I also feel like I am different internally. TMI- bowel movements are different, the act of actually going feels different, my hips pop when I sit on the floor with my DD. I feel like I haven't had a good fitting bra since I got pregnant!! I'm still amazed that this little person came out of me and is growing so fast. Pregnancy was a breeze. Post delivery a little rougher than I anticipated. I was warned about PP depression, but not about the mood swings or that I couldn't explain why I was crying which just frustrated me even more and made me cry harder.

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