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August 2015 Moms
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I want my body back!

jlo629jlo629 member
in August 2015 Moms
I was overweight before I got pregnant but I was "content" with my body. Then I got pregnant and was fine with how I looked and only gained 25 pounds. Since I delivered I have lost those 25 pounds plus an additional 10 pounds without really trying but I am just really struggling with my body image now. I am 5 weeks out and I have a ton of stretch marks on my stomach now and a pudge that just hangs there. I cannot wear dresses easily as I am bfing and I almost always wear dresses. My boobs are just milk machines now. My crotch is still recovering very slowly. I feel just 100% not myself in this body anymore which is odd since I was never rocking a great body before.

How are you ladies dealing with adjusting to your "new" body? Am I crazy having these feelings? I am so happy to have my little one and impressed my body made her and feeds her but just also want to feel more like me again....
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Re: I want my body back!

  • bumpuser10704024bumpuser10704024 member
    I'm with you. I've never been thin but ive never had a confidence issue until this baby. My first one I didn't bf, but I'm a pumping machine with this one and my while body feels deflated. Like every part of me is more squishy then before, but somehow I now weigh 5lbs less than before I got preggo. I keep comparing my breasts to tube socks. And the pouch above my section scar is disgusting.
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  • cseley321cseley321 member
    I had a c section and it totally wrecked my figure. It's like I have a layer of extra skin under my stomach. On top of that I gained way too much while pregnant, about 50 total. I've lost 20 and I'm 2 weeks PP.

    I was super upset when I saw my new figure but as the swelling has gone down, I'm getting more comfortable. I started wearing yoga pants and the PP girdle and they seem to be helping to reshape me some. Also I'm using bio oil for the stretch marks and it seems to be helping.

    As soon as I'm okay to start excecising, I'm going to do that as well. Hopefully everything will pop back into place.. but in the meantime, these steps have helped. good luck to you!
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  • candicejeff2013candicejeff2013 member
    I have a ways to go to get my body back! I'm 17 days pp and down 18 lbs but my butts not the same, my stomach is obviously soft and I'm afraid after breastfeeding my nipples will never be the same either lol !! I have confidence once we gain a few more weeks I'll have enough independence to workout again. But ya I def don't feel sexy right now ha
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  • bpwife&mamabpwife&mama member
    I was 125 pounds before I got pregnant and I loved my body. I hate it now. I'm really struggling with my body image as well.
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  • ChristyM87ChristyM87 member
    I gained 40 pounds while pregnant and now 4 weeks post partum I still have 15 pounds to go. I don't care about the weight but I want to be able to wear my old clothes and I can't do to my hips being bigger. Almost none of my pre-pregnancy jeans fit. I don't want to have to get another new wardrobe
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  • emmacake08emmacake08 member
    The CS shelf with the deflated pouch hanging over is discouraging. I can see why people with means have a tummy tuck. I also remind myself that I've seen fit moms whose stomachs do shrink quite a bit but I'm wondering how long that took?? This is why when I got pregnant 11 months PP I was relieved to have some months of liking my belly again as it filled with baby. Too bad that's not a continuing solution :-S
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  • shaunnar053shaunnar053 member
    I actually feel pretty great! The stretch marks don't bother me as badly as I thought they would... I'm kind of proud of them! I'm weird.. I know.
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  • CaliforniaDream87CaliforniaDream87 member
    I gained quite a bit that last trimester and of course I'm not happy with the way I look right now but I'm working on my body-that's really all I can do. Ive drastically cleaned my eating up and I've began light exercise. I think by giving myself small goals I won't be so down on myself. As long as you're making healthier strides be easy on yourself. You'll get your body back :)
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  • hjphillipshjphillips member
    I'm very conflicted. I already had wide, child-bearing hips pre-pregnancy, but it seems like they've gotten even wider now. I don't know if most of my old jeans will accommodate them or not. I do have a few pairs from my "chubby days" that fit me right now, but they aren't the most flattering. I have stretch marks everywhere, but the only place they actually bother me is on my boobs.

    On the other hand, my stomach is actually flatter now a few weeks pp than it ever has been. So I don't know how to feel.

    I guess I've decided that I just have to embrace my body and then work on slowly getting where I want to be.
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  • lrichhx05lrichhx05 member
    I'm definitely having issues with body image. Especially when I look at pictures of myself pre pregnancy. My stomach is squishy and I have quite a few stretch marks. I just feel like I'll never get back to the way I was and it's very discouraging. I need to start working out again!
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  • cseley321cseley321 member
    emmacake08 said:

    The CS shelf with the deflated pouch hanging over is discouraging. I can see why people with means have a tummy tuck. I also remind myself that I've seen fit moms whose stomachs do shrink quite a bit but I'm wondering how long that took?? This is why when I got pregnant 11 months PP I was relieved to have some months of liking my belly again as it filled with baby. Too bad that's not a continuing solution :-S

    Yeah when I saw this on myself for the first time it was everything I could do not to cry. It's already starting to get less noticable, but I had never even heard of this before seeing it on myself for the first time
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  • gmd88gmd88 member
    I'm struggling too but I'm trying really hard to be kind to myself. I'm 4 weeks PP from a c section and i also havethe shelf with a poofy belly. I gained a bit in my thighs and hips tooThe hardest thing is having no clothes that fit. I'm wearing my maternity clothes and I'm embarrassed about it. I spent so much money on maternity clothes though that I don't want to buy new clothes. I gained about 50 lbs with this pregnancy and I was in the best shape of my life before it. I do think it was kinda just necessary because PP I've felt completely different - I haven't been starving all the time. I think my body needed the extra food and I had so much pain I couldn't work out. Why beat myself up over it? I don't really think I could have done much differently. That beingsaid I will not step near a scale I think for 6 months I've decided. I stopped looking at the scale during the last 6 months of my pregnancy too. As a rule of thumb, Just try and be as kind to yourself as you would to someone else... easier said than done I know. :/ all we can do is try. I've started walking with LO when it's not too hot and it makes me sore. I can't imagine lifting weights soon... baby steps!
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  • lethannelethanne member
    jesselayne8 said:

    Some one remind me of how long it takes for my disgusting csection shelf to be gone???!!???

    This! I've lost what I've gained but things are not the same. I definitely need to tone up and lose belly fat and I also hope this will slim down. This is my second baby and my tummy is a lot softer this time around. I'm trying to remember Im only 4 weeks pp but it's hard.
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  • cseley321cseley321 member
    I've read 6 months for the shelf to tighten up but rarely will it go totally away. Not sure what others have experienced, but this is the general concensus I think
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  • jesselayne8jesselayne8 member
    Crystal321 said:

    I've read 6 months for the shelf to tighten up but rarely will it go totally away. Not sure what others have experienced, but this is the general concensus I think

    Mine went completely away the first 2 times but I just can't remember how long it took.


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    #1 born December 2011
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  • gulimzgulimz member
    I feel disgusting. I loved my pregnant body. This post pregnancy body with a brand new battle scar feels gross. I'm back to my pre preggo weight but it doesn't feel right. Still kind of swollen too and I've never been thin but I never had a stomach either. Now I have a stomach and I hate it.
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  • kelseyrayaykelseyrayay member
    You should see my body. Stretch marks everywhere. There isnt one place I don't have a stretch mark. And I have the shelf as well. On top of that I smell like a spit up rag/ dirty diaper. I'm at my sexiest! Let me tell ya! Ahh motherhood! Ain't it grand? ;)
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  • prpl11butterflyprpl11butterfly member
    I am honestly thrilled with how I look. I gained 40 to 50 lbs pregnant and looked HUGE. Now, I am (guessing since I refuse to weight until my appt) close to normal weight. I am not thrilled about my strech marks (all over stomach, thighs and arms) but when I chose to have a baby I chose to accept the lasting effects. (No offence to those of you who are struggling with image). My only fear is that the method of BC I chose next will cause more weight gain.
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  • honeydooohoneydooo member
    Pre-pregnancy, I was a gym rat and a Zumba instructor. I managed to keep working out until my last trimester and keep instructing until I was 9 months pregnant. I'm 4 weeks PP, and I haven't weighed myself yet (Not ready!) I gained about 30 lbs by the time I delivered. I feel like I've lost most of it through delivery and EBF, but I feel so poochy and doughy. I feel like I resemble a bowling pin. Some of my pre-pregnancy clothes fit but they fit awkwardly. I feel like sausage being stuffed back into the casing. Ugh! I can't wait until I get clearance to start exercising again.
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  • kettlekittenkettlekitten member
    I didn't gain a lot of weight with either pregnancy but my flab redistributed unfavourably... I have ended up with fatty sides! Like by my boobs on my ribs. It meant I had to give away anything I owned that was fitted around the bust, because everything became too tight. As for my tummy - I'm guessing I'll never wear my favourite G star jeans ever ever again :(
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  • GirlOnTheBeachGirlOnTheBeach member
    By the end of my pregnancy, I only weighed 8 pounds more than I did before getting pregnant. I've lost 25 pounds so far just breastfeeding and having the baby, but I still have the c-section shelf/pouch and I hate it. I'm 5 weeks pp and it's finally gone down a tiny bit, but not much. I also have dark stretch marks on my lower belly that make it look even worse. The numbness drives me crazy too and I can't stand wearing jeans right now because of it. If I could at least wear jeans, I could feel like that shelf/pouch was less visible through my clothes...
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  • samathornsamathorn member
    This is going to sound weird but I'm kind of sad at the thought that the dark line down my belly will eventually fade. I'm so proud of it! Proof i grew and birthed a baby! Don't worry ladies, it will get better with time! My epi and 4th degree tear have me feeling hopeless I'll ever be the same too but it comes with having our amazing LOs
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  • monieelmoremonieelmore member
    I have heard it takes 6-12 months to lose your pregnancy weight. I have also heard that if you lose weight too quickly postpartum (more than 1 lb a week), you can negatively affect your milk supply. I too miss my pre-pregnancy body, but I am trying not beat myself up over my current body just yet. Just enjoying cuddling my new baby and appreciating the fact that she is healthy and thriving!
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  • GooblinGooblin member
    Get a good wrap to wear! It really helps things go back to normal! I just had #4 9 days ago and and have been wearing one since giving birth and my stomach is way smaller and less saggy than the other three! I lather it with wheat germ oil before putting it on and when I take a shower i use salt scrub on my belly then re-oil before putting the wrap back on. It pushes up any fat I have on my back which is annoying but for now I have to focus on one thing at a time until I can start working out again :)
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  • crtandersoncrtanderson member
    edited September 2015
    I'm not sure I could feel worse about my body right now. We got married exactly one year ago tomorrow so I was in awesome wedding shape, and then we got pregnant pretty quickly - which we planned. I was exhausted and working the whole pregnancy, with extreme swelling and preeclampsia at the end, and could just not make myself work out with how horrible I felt - I ended up gaining just over 50 lbs pregnant and have only lost 20! I just got the ok this week to start exercising again since I'm 6 weeks PP, I'm just still so sore and feel so weak I know it's going to take some time to ease into it. I'm trying not to beat myself up and just enjoy this time with my baby, who seems to be growing so fast, but it's hard to feel this way about myself - fortunately I have an amazingly supportive DH who tells me I'm more beautiful than ever (it's just hard to believe him). I know it'll take time, I just really can't wait to get back to feeling like myself again!
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