STM- how much weight did you lose after delivery?

Valm999 · December 2014

I keep hearing that you lose 20-25 lbs just after delivery and wondering if it's true? How much weight did you lose after leaving the hospital and how long did it take you to get to your pre pregnancy weight.

LaBellaVida · December 2014

I lost between 20 to 25 lbs after delivery.

I only gained 15 lbs my last pregnancy.

My first I gained 45 or 50.

My second I gained 30 lbs.

It was true for me.

southernyankeegirl · December 2014

The general rule is that it took you 6-9 months to gain all this weight, so you should expect 6-9 months to be able to safely lose it with healthy eating and exercise.

You typically leave the hospital looking 6-7 months pregnant, and your uterus shrinks over the following weeks, which reduces that pregnant look.

Especially if you have IV fluids at the hospital, it will take a few days for water retention to go down. You also have 25% more blood when you give birth than you did when you got pregnant, so that weighs something, too.

Also, your boobs will be huge at first. If you breastfeed, they'll likely weigh a few pounds more than pre-pregnancy until you wean.

Usually doctors suggest waiting a few weeks to a month, depending on the delivery and amount of healing needed, before resuming fitness and diet. And if you are breastfeeding, you'll have to make sure you still eat enough.

Just be sure to take care of yourself first and foremost - your body is doing an amazing thing, growing and birthing your child! Be kind to it as you try to fit back into your pre-pregnancy jeans.

Trek3 · December 2014

I gained over 50lbs with my first, and only lost about 10-15 after delivery. I stayed at that weight for about 5 months, then the rest slowly came off and I was at my pre-pregnancy weight just before she turned 1 year old.

With my second, I gained around 40 lbs, again lost 10-15 after delivery, and was below pre-pregnancy weight before she was 6 months old (I had a very restricted diet due to her food intolerance).

robsbabygirl08 · December 2014

Just like every pregnancy is different, so is every post-partum. If you gained a ton of weight due to water retention, secondary to pre-e than chances are you will lose weight quicker than someone who gained their weight from bagels (that's my vice

). With DD I gained 18 pounds and lost all of it within 2 weeks, but I peed nonstop. With this one, and all the carbs I have enjoyed, I don't expect to lose it near as fast. It's a different type of weight gain.

MusicFanatic · December 2014

Most do not lose 20-25 at delivery. More like 12, from what I read. I did lose 25 very quickly, BUT my doctor says a lot of my weight gain (which was a bit over 50 pounds) was swelling from my pre-eclampsia so what I lost isn't really a fair number, it was a crap load of water weight. I still have 20+pounds until my pre-pregnancy weight. Not concerned. Remember it takes an entire pregnancy to put on the weight, it will take TIME to take it off. It doesn't typically just fall off when you leave the hospital. And I wouldn't pressure yourself to lose it. Also, everyone will lose it at a different rate- we're all different people.

robsbabygirl08 · December 2014

MusicFanatic said:
Most do not lose 20-25 at delivery. More like 12, from what I read. I did lose 25 very quickly, BUT my doctor says a lot of my weight gain (which was a bit over 50 pounds) was swelling from my pre-eclampsia so what I lost isn't really a fair number, it was a crap load of water weight. I still have 20+pounds until my pre-pregnancy weight. Not concerned. Remember it takes an entire pregnancy to put on the weight, it will take TIME to take it off. It doesn't typically just fall off when you leave the hospital. And I wouldn't pressure yourself to lose it. Also, everyone will lose it at a different rate- we're all different people.

Andplusalso, you have a gorgeous little lady to show for it

southernyankeegirl · December 2014

Also, weight is a tricky metric. You might get yourself back into those jeans but your weight is always more than pre-pregnancy. Or you might get to the same weight but still not be able to wear your pre-pregnancy clothes. Our bodies change.

You will be able to regain fitness levels. Just try and be sure you are kind to your body - I know as women it's hard sometimes to embrace our physical flaws, but it's worth trying to understand that our value isn't measured by a pant size or a number on a scale!

YaMrWhite · December 2014

I don't know and I don't care. I don't think I stepped on a scale until I was cleared for exercise again. All I cared about was baby in my arms

mali3 · December 2014

Maybe im confused by the question - but 20 lbs doesnt just fall off when you deliver your baby... It takes time, and you may even gain weight depending on how you deliver! I went up and was my highest AFTER i delivered the baby because of all the fluids i had in me. It took me about 6 months to get to my prepregnancy weight. You will have your baby, enjoy that and dont worry about the weight falling off right away

AlfiesMOM · December 2014

I gained 30 and had about 15 to lose after I got home. I lost 5 very very quickly and another 5 over the first three months. The last 5 which I loving referred to as the ice cream I ate every night took me another 6 months to lose. I am hoping to not hang-on/ even gain those last five this time!

atrinh11 · December 2014

I wouldn't even think about what you lose from delivery. It is what it is, and it will be different for everyone. I honestly have zero idea how much I lost after delivery with my son. It never crossed my mind to get on a scale when I was caring for a newborn. I definitely still looked somewhat pregnant for at least a couple months. The weight comes off slowly but surely.

I will say, I gained 45lbs with my son. I was almost back to pre-pregnancy weight just before he turned a year. I will say, I didn't do any serious workouts or diets or anything. I really think I just lost the weight over time because of breastfeeding. My problem was, once he was weaned at about 13 months, I started gaining weight again because I wasn't burning those breastfeeding calories anymore. It was at that time that I got serious about a good workout routine and more sensible diet. Then I made it back to probably a little less than I was pre-pregnancy. And then I got pregnant with this one and was too sickly and exausted to keep up any kind of good workout routine. So the cycle starts over...

stephchris0321 · December 2014

I gained 13 pounds during my first pregnancy and lost about 18-20 pounds within the first week after having DS. With that being said, a few pounds stayed on me over the next 6 months because I was used to eating an extra 300 or so calories each day (being pregnant) and I didn't change my eating habits immediately.

robsbabygirl08 · December 2014

And it's @babystandish for the GIF win! Ha ha

4littlebears · December 2014

With my first 2 I never really lost all the weight and I gained 30-40lbs with each, a lot was fluid from hypertension. With my last child, I was only 5 lbs over my pre pregnancy weight at the birth so I was under immediately after (This was largely due to the insane morning sickness I suffered in the 1T, just like this baby now). At 32 weeks now, I'm still well below pre pregnancy weight (again, because of the morning sickness in the 1T) but I've started gaining it back recently.

Moral of the story: every pregnancy/woman is different. And you'll very likely have some water retention after the birth, especially if you get IV fluids or antibiotics during delivery. I left the hospital after my first, and I couldn't even fit into my maternity pants from all the swelling!! The weight will come off, just be healthy and don't worry that it won't match your expectations right now. And yes... expect to still look 6-7 months pregnant at discharge! Your ute can't shrink THAT fast.

[Deleted User] · December 2014

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Maebb · December 2014

With DS I gained about 30 lbs and lost 20 in the first two weeks after delivery. The last 10 were a lot harder to lose.

Valm999 · December 2014

Thank you for the feedback. My question stems from curiosity about how true some of the pregnancy myths are and what everyone's experience was like. I did gain quite a bit of weight during pregnancy but for the first time in my life I have zero body image issues and love my pregnant body. After pregnancy my first priority will be my son and also being healthy as I stopped working out during pregnancy due to severe back pain+ enjoyed a little too much carbs and sweets lol but it is very important to have realistic expectations of myself

snowbaby1214 · December 2014

All of it within hours, but I'm really Kate Middleton.

No, it took about 1 year after #2 and #3 (#1 and #2 were 51 weeks apart)

Jellybean707 · December 2014

I gained 60lbs and lost 10lbs right away. I lost another 40lbs over the next 18 months or so. I was still up 10lbs when I got pregnant with this LO.

shannjohnston · December 2014

Similar to other PPers, I did lose about 20-25lbs in the first week, but I had ridiculous swelling. I remember seeing my ankles again after that first week and almost crying from joy.

The rest of the weight I lost at a rate of about 1lb/week for the next 6 months or so.

Like @southernyankeegirl mentioned, even though I was back to my pre-pregnancy weight, my measurements were not the same. I had to woman-up and do some serious Cross-fit bootcamp to fit back into my wool work pants again.

SpaceGirlSpiff · December 2014

I think 11-12 pounds? Meh

ellasmama18 · December 2014

With both of my girls I lost 20 lbs by the end of the 1st week. Gained 30 with #1 and 20 with #2. Your body will still be quite different for awhile though.

BackseatDriver · December 2014

I lost about 10 I think. After 2 weeks I was down 30 lbs (what I gained during pregnancy). I lost an additional 15-20 lbs with BF (below pp weight) over the next couple months.

TXUltraRunner · December 2014

If you don't lose all the weight and have washboard abs before you leave the hospital you are failing at life

GromMom · December 2014

To be honest I think I only lost 1 lb after leaving the hospital. I had an IV and they pump you full of fluids, plus I had swelling post partum and bigger boobs. That easily took up most of the weight of the 7 lb 5 oz baby plus placenta. Don't worry about the scale, it'll come off, and if you choose to breastfeed it will come off pretty easily, unless you're one of those unlucky people who keep fat reserves until they wean.

Good luck!

ECATX · December 2014

I'd say 10, but I also have had no swelling with either pregnancy (so no water weight to lose). I gained around 30 lbs with DD and will probably gain 30-35 lbs this time. With DD, I was actually surprised how quickly the weight just came off over the first 3 months because of breastfeeding, but I know I was lucky (and I may not be this time). I think I was back to my pre-pregnancy weight (or less, even) by 6 months, but like others have said, my measurements were all different.

tripletoe · December 2014

Ha. 2 days after I had DD I was down 3 lbs, and she weighed 8! I had been pumped so full of fluids during my induction, I was crazy swollen for about a week. Then I peed and sweated like never before and I was down 33 lbs at about 3 weeks pp. My body shape on the other hand took a lot longer to tighten up. I never lost the last 5 lbs before getting pregnant this time. Just because the weight may fall off, your body might not look the same

FitmomJess · December 2014

I blew up like a balloon last time - swollen hot mess. I gained 40 and lost 20 within 2 days of giving birth. Then I lost about 10 in 2 months and had to work my ass off to lose the next 10 lbs over 6 months.

GirlWithAnchors · December 2014

I lost weight my whole pregnancy the first time.

About 40-45 pounds total after my twins were here. BUT I was over weight to begin with and I put myself on an extremely strict healthy diet. I ate a ton just very carefully, and I exercised everyday. I was worried because I wanted my kids to be healthy and I wasn't.

This time around I've dropped 10 pounds by 6 months, now I've gained 8 pounds (at 8 months) but I'm not as healthy lol plus not as much time to exercise cause toddlers.

Don't worry about your weight too much, enjoy your baby! Just eat healthy and SLOWLY do LIGHT exercise.

jneden · December 2014

I lost 13 at delivery and then an additional 7 in the week following delivery. I had gained 34 pounds during the pregnancy and lost the additional 14 by the time DD was 3-1/2 months. I was breast feeding and working out though. There's no normal. Don't stress about it and just give your body time to heal.

aerotigergirl · December 2014

With my first, I gained 55lbs. And I was down 30lbs at my 2 week post-partum checkup. I eventually took off the rest with a healthy diet and exercise.

Again.... you may get back to a number on a scale that was your "pre-pregnancy" weight... but your body may have also changed shape after growing another human. Be kind to yourself. Unless you're a celebrity. In which case, stress out about getting a perfect body back (and fast) because that's what everyone else in the world is going to expect from you.

Trek3 · December 2014

emmyg65 said:

saiven said:

I don't know what I weigh now. I don't care.

I won't know what I weigh after delivery. I don't care.

It's unlikely I'll know what I weigh 6 months after delivery. I still won't care.

This. We don't even own a scale. The only reason I know what I weigh is that I went to the midwife yesterday and had to weigh myself.

I have no idea right now either - we have a scale but the battery is dead.

I would like to know, just because I am curious how much I have gained and to see how it comes off. I don't really care about the number otherwise.

mom2case · December 2014

Gestational diabetes fluctuations changed things a bit for me.

Pre-baby, I weighed 130.

Day before she was born, I weighed 143.

Day after she was born, I weighed 128.

4 months later, I weighed 110.

So I guess you could say I lost 33 lbs. I caught a stomach bug shortly after that which knocked off another 5 lbs.

jmcmoe · December 2014

I gained 55lbs with my first and was down 30 in the first week (and about a zillion stretch marks appeared!) I ended up losing 35 more by the time DS was one but I nursed him until then and also are healthy/exercised...then I got pregnant again haha and I think I'm up to about 40 lbs this time so far...and by pictures I can tell some is water weight for sure...so time will tell! I'm not too worried about it.

kk2under2 · December 2014

I think it depends on how much you gain! I had a friend only gain 11 pounds and she delievered at 34 weeks.
I went ten days overdue and gained about 40 pounds and lost weight quickly at first then slowly over six months with lots of crossfit, eating on track and breast feeding!

MNgirl326 · December 2014

I gained 18 pounds with my son. I lost all of it by the time DS was a week old. In fact, after a few weeks of BFing. I was 10 pounds lower then PP weight. YAY!

BUT then my supply tanked and I had to start eating more calories to try and up my supply but it didn't work. So I put on 20 pounds by the time LO was 6 months old.

So..yeah.