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March 2015 Moms
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Body issues

chelsco13chelsco13 member
in March 2015 Moms
I didn't get stretch marks until the last month I was pregnant and I didn't realize how bad they were until after I had my LO. I try to be happy with my body and love that I was able to carry and give birth but I'm having a very hard time being happy with my body. My stomach is very flabby like a lot of lose skin and I have stretch marks. Does anybody have any tips or advice on how to tighten or lose more "baby" weight?
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Re: Body issues

  • KD32412KD32412 member
    @chelsco13 You planning on having more kids soon? For me, I was like, "meh" after my first, cause I knew I would be having #2 soon after. Maybe after my third I'll care more, but so far I don't. Breastfeeding really helps with weight loss. I know MANY women who were skinnier post baby because of the breastfeeding and running around. Unfortunately, some women can't get back their pre-baby bodies, especially the tummy area.
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  • chelsco13chelsco13 member
    @KD32412 I do plan on having more kids just not anytime soon.
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  • LorabeanLorabean member
    I am struggling with this too! I just started Tracy andersens post pregnancy video and once I master it I will go on to her more advanced programs. Also I am obsessed with my Fitbit and take long walks with my baby. I just keep reminding myself that health it took 9months to put on the weight and it won't come off overnight. As far as the stretch marks, (I have them all over my stomach!) I put oil and cream on them, and am hoping with time and weight loss they will not be as heinous! Good luck and try to stay positive!
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  • LcastoLcasto member
    Oh man, I am going through major body issues right now.. I felt better about my body 3 weeks postpartum than I do now. I am no longer BFing and I know that has a lot to do with the stall in weight loss, but I'm also still so hungry!! I attribute that to the birth control which I'm stopping.. But man. I hate that I hate my body so much! I don't care about all my stretch marks.. They're ugly but I'm proud of em (after 6 years of infertility). The flab and being unable to fit in any of my clothes is super frustrating and messing with my head. Just trying to work out when I can and eat right... Between an 18 month old and a 2 month old, it's proving to be very tough though.
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  • Erika161Erika161 member
    It's definitely tough dealing with the aftermath of pregnancy and childbirth on our bodies. My breasts are covered in stretch marks and I can only imagine what they will look like once I stop breasfeeding. My stepson came up to me yesterday and jiggled my tummy and asked my why it's still so squishy - thanks buddy!

    I just keep telling myself that it's only been two months - the weight will come off, the stretch marks will fade and even if my body is never quite the same, I made something pretty amazing with it.
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  • myjessesgirlmyjessesgirl member
    I didn't get stretch marks until the last month, too. And when I discovered them, I must say I was pretty upset. My husband has been really supportive, and I believe he genuinely means every word! But I still feel uncomfortable. I have been lax in my eating until this week, when I started watching what I eat. Not dieting so much as making healthier choices. And since I'm BFing and taking walks regularly, the weight is coming off. I actually want to get back to my prepregnancy weight (although maybe not prepregnancy body, which might be gone forever) before I try getting pregnant again in the future. There are a ton of resources online from Fit Pregnancy and other places that have exercises to target the belly. And as others have said, it took nine months to grow these amazing babies, and it may take that long or longer to reverse the effects that had on our bodies. Good luck and hope you find something that works!
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  • SharLovesAlexSharLovesAlex member
    I was very thin pre-baby (size 0). I didn't get any stretch marks (thank goodness), but I do have this extra skin around my middle that I'm not happy with. Of course I gained weight and that hasn't all gone away, so I am pretty unhappy with how I look, too. Though I don't think I want to be a size 0 again, I find myself looking at my rounder face and bigger thighs/belly and being very unhappy with them. I read that in the 3rd month of BF you're supposed to lose more weight. I'm trying to eat better and go for walks in the evenings. I also bought a tummy girdle online that's supposed to help your tummy post-pregnancy. Sorry I don't have any advice for you, but at least you know you're not alone!
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  • akj166akj166 member
    It's a constant struggle for me as well. I was a very fit size 4, worked out everyday. I'm trying to incorporate my workout while on MAT leave to include the LO. I am taking a baby barre class where you wear the baby while working out. I'm walking 4 miles everyday with the stroller and I'm trying my best to eat healthy even though I'm BF and starving constantly!
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  • Christina80xoxoChristina80xoxo member
    Ok. So I'm a big girl now. Before I had my first, I was a size 10.( I'm six ft tal) After I had her I was a size. 18!! I totally let myself go. My tummy was obviously never the same, but it wasn't all squishy anymore about six months after I had her. With this one I was a. 14 when I got pregnant. My clothes go on, but don't really "fit" :) it takes a long time for our bodies to recover. We went through a lot!
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  • aframe77aframe77 member
    Im starting to discover the "breast feeding makes the weight melt off" myth is total bullshit. At least in my case I haven't really lost much weight since I left the hospital. I've got about 10-15 pound to go and it's frustrating to not see the number on the scale go down. A friend told me about a half marathon training schedule for beginners. I was intimidated at the idea of running a half marathon (I'm NOT a runner) but decided I needed a goal to get me motivated. The first couple of weeks were tough, but I'm starting to feel healthier and feel better about my self-image (even though Ive hardly lost any weight). I also have two other girl friends training for the same event and we run together sometimes. Having a goal and a support group has been a big help for me.
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  • adelemsadelems member
    @aframe77 some women actually find breast feeding prevents them from loosing weight as fast, but not all together. It's like their body purposely slows down its metabolism so it can better produce milk. Do you find you have s good supply?
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  • aframe77aframe77 member
    Yes, I seem to have plenty of milk. I am thankful for that:)
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  • adelemsadelems member
    This is #2 for me. We had four years in between these babies. I would say it took two years for me to feel like I had my body back to its pre pregnancy glory haha. But it was definitely basically normal again by about 6/8 months. I didn't heavily exercise but i did stay active and exercise when I could. My stretch marks were all but invisible by two years as well. But I dropped to my pre pregnancy in a hurry .. By around 8 months I had actually gone below it. I ebf too and my daughter didn't start solids until almost a year (she just wouldn't!)

    this time around I think I stayed in better shape during pregnancy and actually feel a lot better about myself. I only re-aggravated my old stretch marks.

    Anyway, my advice is to keep moisturizing those stretch marks like crazy. Walk, jog, yoga, Pilates, do something active as often as possible. And then the biggest thing is to eat clean. Eat healthy and eat clean. Dieting necessarily good for you or healthy. It's the type of food you eat that helps the most. Lean meats, healthy fats, cutting out sugar and simple carbs. That all helps so much. And water, lots of water to help detox out the crap and help your skin heal. :)
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  • Christina80xoxoChristina80xoxo member
    @aframe77 I'm in the same boat ! I'm BF'ing and I am not losing either! I'm still 15 lbs more than when I got pregnant. Everyone keeps telling me it will come off, but I doubt it. At least not until I get a steady exercise routine
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  • secretbabasecretbaba member
    15lbs more than when you first got pregnant sounds like a dream. Here's the deal - in my industry I have to be in perfect shape. I was a size 0 before (toned and lean, not bony)band weighing about 120-125lbs. Now, I'm trying to get back into shape so I can potentially go back to work in June (self-employed so no maternity leave) and I found myself, 2 weeks ago at me 6 week check, at 147lbs. Thankfully I haven't got stretch marks, but the thought of my nice toned stomach being back in the next 3 weeks isn't seeming too realistic, and the worst thing is that if it was up to me, I wouldn't bother rushing so quickly. My body will come back, but unfortunately I can't afford for it to happen 'in its own time.'
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  • shirley4514shirley4514 member
    I literally went through the same thing. No stretch marks almost my whole pregnancy and then bam the last 2-3 weeks they started coming out of no where!! After I had my baby I saw my stomach and almost cried! They looked 100 times worse!! Mine are really red/purple and I don't know if it's that I couldn't see my belly when I was pregnant but I feel like I got more stretch marks after I had my LO. I feel really insecure about my stomach ESPECIALLY my flabby area. I've lost almost 20 pounds since I had my LO and my upper body is okay but my lower Stomach is so saggy! It's gross to me and I feel so bad about myself :(. Im Trying to eat better and exercise so hopefully I loose this extra flabby part. I can live with the stretch marks but I honestly hate the flabby part of my lower stomach... :(
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  • adelemsadelems member
    Just as an idea.. It doesn't "fix" anything but it may help you guys like it helped me feel better about myself when I at least have clothes on and I'm going out and stuff.. I've been using some shaping wear by yummy tummy that's super comfortable and easy to wear under anything. It helps "smooth" and "control" .. It doesn't make it go away for real but it helps make me feel like self conscious and unattractive. Worth a try I say. They are a little pricey but I decided I needed this little help with my self image and confidence and it was worth the money.
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  • jessicanne422jessicanne422 member
    I really don't mind my stretch marks I mean I've had stretch marks ever since I could remember because I was so chunky as a kid and then had a huge growth spurt lol but my advice would be,if you could go to the gym, take a family member with you,or a close friend someone who could push you to were you want to be.i know we all wish we could lose the baby fat over night but unfortunately it doesn't work like that /: but remember if you want it bad enough and you work hard at it you will achieve your old body back or even a better one then you've had before.dont give up!!
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  • gdamore11gdamore11 member
    I too found some stretch marks on my lower tummy after baby that I had no idea I even had!!! At almost 10 weeks PP, I still have some flab on my tummy that is driving me crazy. I have always had an athletic build, but was never tiny (size 4-6) so this is the first time I've had to lose a significant amount of weight and I'm nervous. I gained 37 pounds during my pregnancy, and at 4 weeks had lost 20 of them. I haven't weighed myself recently since my scale batteries died lol, but I'm self conscious about it still. I'm in limbo between maternity clothes and modifying my old clothes with those early pregnancy bands etc. It doesn't help that I don't feel cute dressed up since I only feel comfortable in a few things :(
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  • sarimurawehsarimuraweh member
    Wearing an abdominal splint every second for the first few months helps. Most mamas don't realize they have diastasis recti (a split down the ab muscles) crunches will only make them worse. Core workouts at first. And breastfeeding helps you lose weight EASIER, not faster! It burns calories but you have to eat a little more and limit intensity of exercise to save your supply. Shouldn't lose more than a lb a week BF'ing. You lose faster otherwise, just need to up the intensity since your not automatically burning 500 calories making milk :)
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