losing weight after baby

slorbets · March 2016

Currently I have been within my recommended weight gain, however I have been gaining throughout my entire body (hips, butt, thighs), yet barely have a bump. I often feel like I look more fat than pregnant. A friend of mine is due about a month after me, however all of her weight seems to be strictly in her belly and she looks obviously pregnant. I understand that everyone gains weight differently, however I am wondering if any STM's have had a similar experience? If so, was it a struggle to lose the extra weight after baby? I worry that even if I gain the recommended weight, I may struggle to lose it afterwards because it is distributed throughout my body, rather than just in my belly.

sboston06 · March 2016

Weight loss stinks no matter where you have to lose it from. I have lost a significant amount of weight twice in my life (45 lbs and 80 lbs) and have used Weight Watchers both times. The reason I've had to do it twice is because I've gone back to bad habits. I will definitely use WW again to lose baby weight when the time comes. They really teach you healthy habits and put a strong emphasis on exercise and healthy living as opposed to quick fixes. I have gained weight all over and a lot in my bump this pregnancy, which I kind of expected even as a FTM because it's how I've carried weight in the past. Try not to stress about the weight gain now...you have enough to worry about!

jen11797 · March 2016

I think weight loss is a very difficult struggle no matter the circumstances, but remember two very important things:
1. After you have the baby, it will take a couple of weeks for your swollen uterus to shrink. They estimate that you look about as you did at seven months pregnant, so don't be surprised or discouraged by that.
2. As the saying goes, "It took nine months to put it on, give yourself nine months to take it off".
Weight distribution may be different after having a baby (I actually prefer mine after baby to how it was before, so don't assume this will be negative). If you are able with your specific health requirements in pregnancy, try to be active and eat generally healthily. Establishing health is super helpful. We are lucky to be having summer babies so that we have good weather for walks with baby.

Respect your body and the strength you have, treat it well, and it will likely reward you by reaching a healthy weight.

Kellyj103 · March 2016

@sboston06 just curious, did you go to actual meetings or did you just do the online program? I am thinking of signing up for it but I wanted to know what works for people. I'm suppose to be in a wedding in February so I'm hoping I can get in shape by then. I don't necessarily have to be at my pre pregnancy weight just a weight where I feel comfortable

BettyRu · March 2016

I gained about 35 lbs with DD... On track for more this time. I lost about 25 within a week of giving birth then didn't really think to much about it, but the weight came off with bf/pumping. Everyone is different, but your body is made for this, so as much as you can, don't worry too much about it... (I'll remind myself the same)

sboston06 · March 2016

@kellyj103 - the first time (in 2007/08) I went to meetings. I was the youngest person there but I really liked the camaraderie and my leader was very supportive. The most recent time (2013-15), I did the online program because I now work a rotating schedule couldn't commit to a regular meeting time. Honestly it worked just as well for me. I love the tracking app, the blogs and community parts of the site. I tried hard to develop relationships with the people there, so I felt like I was accountable to someone other than myself. I have done South Beach, Atkins, Hydroxycut, Jenny Craig and many other diets over the years and WW is just what works for me.

Everyone is so different in regards to weight gain and loss. My sister put on 50 lbs with her first pregnancy and just now got down to her pre-pregnancy weight (5+ years later). My cousin had a baby 3 weeks ago and is already lower than her pre-pregnancy weight. So I figure it's a crapshoot either way and not worth worrying about til the time comes.

LilLambie · March 2016

Try not to compare yourself to other pregnant women. I'm barely showing- as my sister kindly told me I just look like I had a big burger for lunch. She's been finding photos of all her friends at the same stage of pregnancy and they are a lot bigger then me. I'm tall so he's got a lot more room to hang around before he needs to pop out compared to a shorter person.

Even though I don't look bigger I have still put on 5 kgs (which I think is about 12ish pounds- not sure on the conversion). I'm still fitting into my pre-pregnancy pants because my belly is so small. I think the weight is the baby, the extra blood and my ginormous boobs.

This is a big worry for me because my mum didn't lose her baby weight until my younger brother was 18- no matter how healthy she ate or how much exercise she did she couldn't shift it. I've also previously had an eating disorder so putting on weight is really hard for me.

I'm just trying to concentrate on growing a baby and will tackle the weight gain afterwards. If I obsess over it now, I'm likely to start restricting my food intact which is not healthy for baby. I've also tried to continue my exercise program which has been difficult because I still have morning/all the f**king time sickness. I'm doing what I can atm but overall it's something that I try to put it out of my mind as much as possible.

PhoebeJune1984 · March 2016

I gained a lot when I was pregnant with DD. Even though I was trying to eat healthy, stay active, etc....I gained pretty much everywhere. I was wider in my legs, hips and butt, and I had like 20 chins. It was horrible. In the end, I had gained 75 pounds, hitting 225 pounds on my 5'6'' body, and then they pumped me with another five pounds of fluids while in the hospital. In the few weeks after having DD (maybe the first 4 weeks?), I had lost almost 60 pounds between her, the placenta, and tons of fluids. My body just really likes to retain water apparently! And of course when you are swollen, they always say to drink more water. I still had 15 pounds that I needed to lose, and I did that with exercising (I used Beachbody programs because I liked them) and eating healthy. My current pregnancy is different, I ate like crap the first trimester because of nausea, but now I am eating healthier....swapping out little things here and there for healthier versions, and trying to avoid a lot of sodium (since I swelled so bad last time). I have gained only in my belly/boobs for the most part, and have gained (total in 23 weeks) the same amount that I gained in only the 1st Tri with my DD. I am tracking my food on My Fitness Pal, and staying within a healthy range. That just goes to show that every pregnancy is different....even if the pregnancy is on the same mother!

Don't put too much pressure on yourself. I have a friend that has been pregnant twice, throwing caution into the wind during her first pregnancy (no exercise, eating whatever, etc) and gained 60 pounds. Her second pregnancy, she worked out every....single.....day, ate clean and extremely healthy, and still gained 50 pounds. Even though she still gained more than she wanted, she said that her body just feels so much better post-baby after her second pregnancy, than her first, she feels because of the 30-45min of exercise she did a day throughout her pregnancy. Now that my nausea is gone for the most part, I am hoping to start at least walking a little bit every day. Not only to burn a little bit of calories, but I am hoping that I have more energy and don't feel as sluggish as I do right now.

whataboutscience · March 2016

I gained 37 and lost 25 by the time I was home from the hospital. Then I proceeded to gain 15 over the next year while breastfeeding. I was so much hungrier than when I was pregnant and I've had multiple friends end up with supply issues trying too hard to lose weight, so I didn't worry about it.

slorbets · March 2016

Thanks for the support ladies! I know I am probably worrying over nothing...I just fear that I will have a harder time shedding the baby weight in comparison to mamas who only gain in the belly area..but I guess I can worry about that later

arhodes6 · March 2016

I have gained about 25lbs and I am guessing I'll be around 40 by the end. I have a similar story as @sboston06 because I lost 80lbs over a few years and has just hit my goal weight when I got pregnant. I am a little stressed over losing the weight after baby, but I am trying to keep my eye on the prize and not stress over weight loss.

My plan for when I can work out again pp is to do the p90x3 videos. They are 30 min long and helped me lose 25lbs and 8% body fat in 90 days. They are hard as hell, but I can do anything for 30 min. Plus I can do that in the morning before DH goes to work. It sounds like a great plan now, but we will see what happens when little man gets here. Who knows if I'll even care about my weight for a while! I might want those extra 30 to sleep

KJ1416 · March 2016

Everyone seems to be different with the weight loss. You'll find some women that lose it all right away and fit back in their clothes and others that it takes a while. I've even had a couple of friends that couldn't lose anything while breastfeeding, and once they stopped the weight just went away.

My personal experience: I gained 50 lbs with DS. I got bigger all over too. At 4 months post baby I made myself stop wearing maternity clothes and I bought some bigger sizes. Every time I tired to cut back eating or workout a bunch my supply went down. As a working mom I had so little time that I stopped working out (not a great choice). By 9 months post baby I was back to my original weight, but much less fit.

You'll get there afterwards, but we'll all have our own unique story. Don't stress too much about it now, just try to making healthy choices.

john5111 · March 2016

I gained a lot with my son...prob close to 40-50 pds and within a couple weeks I was skinnier than I was pre baby.. from breast feeding etc. I am sure I wont be so lucky this time around....Ive heard its harder to lose the second time. Heres to wishful thinking!

MrsRo731 · March 2016

What @PhoebeJune1984 said. I gained about 50 lb with my first; with a 5' frame that was a lot for me. However, sometimes no matter what you do you will gain. I gained all over and retained a ton of water. By 41 weeks (when I had DD) I was so puffy from the water retention. I didn't do much to lose the weight after giving birth because, similar to @KJ1416 I noticed supply problems if I tried to limit my food intake and count calories. Even after gaining 50 lb, most of it came off without any effort. I started this pregnancy about 10 lb heavier but most of that was because I was not eating well or exercising.

Just concentrate on eating well and doing the best you can, mama. Check out the thread about slow weight gain, too for support.

MDmomma1217 · March 2016

I gained a total of about 45 pounds with my daughter. My goal was to get back to my pre-pregnancy weight (150) within 6 months but due to breastfeeding my weight loss was slow. As soon as I stopped breastfeeding when DD was 13 months the weight came off. I also did a lot of walking which helped and I ended up going down to 135. This time around my pre-pregnancy weight was the same (150) but I haven't gained as much weight as the first time . With DD I carried lot of weight on my hips and this time I'm all stomach so it will be interesting to see this time how my body responds to weight loss after baby.

PugsandKisses · March 2016

Just a reminder, even if you get down to your PP weight and wear the same size, your body WILL br different. Not better or worst, just different.

rnyland1 · March 2016

after about 9 months after my son was born, everything went back to it's normal size and my pre-pregnancy weight. While I made it to my pre-pregnancy weight, and even lost an additional 5ish lbs. past that, I will say that my abs were never the same -- overall just a bit squishier. I plan on taking some core classes this time and maybe some piyo or something like that to help with that issue this time around. It's probably going to be harder this time. But I'm thinking personal fitness will be like a mental escape for me from the madness of home life. I didn't do a specific diet last time, but I might this time. In the past I've done weight watchers which did help me lose about 20 lbs. But due to my petite frame (I'm only 5'3'') it seemed very restrictive and I was allotted very many points, and they only added up to about 1100 calories A DAY which lets face it, is redic. I just want to focus on more veggies/protein and less carbs/sweets this time around...perhaps incorporate some more vegetarian recipes.

LadyFleck · March 2016

I loved WW! I've always been successful while using it and will probably join again while nursing. I use the online version as the in-person meetings are just repetitive.

With DS, I gained about 25lbs and was down to pre-pregnancy weight at about 5 weeks postpartum. And I continued to lose steadily without much care for diet or exercise. HOWEVER, when I stopped breastfeeding, I ballooned up 20lbs bc I continued to eat like a nursing mother while not nursing. BAD IDEA!

This time around, I will focus on a healthier diet and exercise routine while nursing and actively work on maintenance once I stop nursing. The only way I KNOW I'll be successful doing that is with WW, until I get back into good habits.

noelietrex · March 2016

I have been told and am of the belief that weight loss happens all over regardless. There is no such thing as "spot treatment", you can't actually lose weight only in the belly and thighs regardless. Your body will gain and lose it's own way and you can't force it to pick and choose which areas to lose weight in first. (Women who lose weight in the chest area first can attest to how frustrating this can be.) I'm probably a freak, but I'm excited to lose the weight and meet my PP body. I'm looking forward to going back to regular crossfit workouts and I've known several women who ended up looking better after baby than before and had an easier time gaining muscle mass PP. Idk if the women I know just ate more prepped meals post-baby because it was easier to be strict when going out and drinking less or if gym time became their me time so they worked harder or if breastfeeding just made it easier to hold on to muscle while letting go of fat, but something worked really well for them and I hope I get to be as lucky. You never know what you're going to end up with. I'd say don't make any assumptions based on how the weight is being distributed now- not having a specific "trouble area" and just being able to lose 10-15lbs all over might be easier and look better! Just do your best and forget the rest

lol P90X anybody?

Cosmic+Love · March 2016

Just want to echo the fact that your post baby body is going to be different, even if you lose all the baby weight. And it's a great thing! I gained about 25 lbs with my first and it came off pretty quickly with breastfeeding and walking. But, I ended up with hips that I never had pre-baby. Which was great because 1. I felt like Shakira and 2. you need a little hip for your baby to sit on.

lolomommy1 · March 2016

I just want to point out that a lot of times our body will store extra fat in hips and thighs in preparation for breastfeeding. That is what happened to me and I was also worried like you, but luckily I lost it fast and because my breast milk was so fatty, I actually got thinner then I was pre-pregnancy. I'm not saying this happens the same for everyone, but the body does hang on to fat for the breast milk, and will take from it when it needs it to nurture baby. Just try to gain the recommended weight and eat an overall healthy diet and trust your body, whether that means it looses it fast or might take a little longer, it's doing what it needs to for baby.

stephweinstein · March 2016

These are all great tips. I'd like to add that you shouldn't worry too much about this right now. If you're dedicated to losing weight after baby and getting back in shape you will. And if you're not ever back there again, that's okay too. I think you'll find that you will focus less on your weight than you expect. I used to be so concerned about weight but at this point in my life - healthy and fit are MUCH more important than being the slimmest. I recognize that it's different for each person but my mantra was - "Husband who loves me, child who loves me, lucky in life and love and the rest of it doesn't matter all that much."

onesassybishh · March 2016

what's the truth behind weight loss and milk supply?

born2run911 · March 2016

onesassybishh said:

what's the truth behind weight loss and milk supply?

Some people really seem to struggle to produce enough milk when they are dieting. I found that I was able to keep my supply up just fine with eating 3 proper healthy meals a day with snacks and staying well hydrated.

nopegoat · March 2016

I know everyone is excited to get their body "back" (PP have already mentioned there is a good chance it won't be the same no matter how much you lose). I'm just going to say be kind to yourself. There is a saying, 9 months to put it on, 9 months (+) to get it off. BFing and the stress of figuring everything out will have different effects on everyone. Be kind to yourself!!

MDmomma1217 · March 2016

born2run911 said:

onesassybishh said:

what's the truth behind weight loss and milk supply?

Some people really seem to struggle to produce enough milk when they are dieting. I found that I was able to keep my supply up just fine with eating 3 proper healthy meals a day with snacks and staying well hydrated.

@born2run911 Same here. If I didn't eat breakfast my supply was low for the rest of the day. I really made an effort to get in calories when I was breastfeeding so my supply was decent . Weight loss was very slow until I stopped nursing.

givemepenguinss · March 2016

I gained weight while nursing last time. I was so, so, so, SO HUNGRY. Hungrier than when I was pregnant!

mrsmommya · March 2016

I gained 60lbs with my daughter and retained water as well. 2 weeks after she was born I had lost 35lbs doing nothing. By 6 months I had lost all but maybe 10lbs when I finished nursing the rest came off.

stillcozy · March 2016

I won't be dieting just continuing what I am doing now clean eating with less cheats. I am a huge BeachBody fan and have had success in losing weight using their diets and programs before bfp and plan to go back to it

trucksntutus · March 2016

I've never really gone on an actual diet. I've always just eaten what I normally do and focus more on portion control, which is my biggest problem. Why does everything have to taste so good!? Anyway, I've never stuck to a real diet and don't plan to after she's born either. Just working out regularly and BF'ing I'm sure I'll get back to where I was. Not too worried about it.

oneliloaktree13 · March 2016

stillcozy · March 2016

hallgire said:

I've never really gone on an actual diet. I've always just eaten what I normally do and focus more on portion control, which is my biggest problem. Why does everything have to taste so good!? Anyway, I've never stuck to a real diet and don't plan to after she's born either. Just working out regularly and BF'ing I'm sure I'll get back to where I was. Not too worried about it.

That must be nice...

mandyjulie · March 2016

hallgire said:

Just working out regularly and BF'ing I'm sure I'll get back to where I was. Not too worried about it.

Not trying to be a dick, but seriously, good luck with that. Working out regularly? Yeah that in itself can be a tall order once you have a baby. Baby + sleep become more important. And BFing may cause the weight to cling. Cool you don't plan on starving yourself and aren't getting worked up over it though. Just trying to temper expectations.

givemepenguinss · March 2016

Why are we talking about this right now?

DobbysSock · March 2016

kdm06c said:

I know everyone is excited to get their body "back" (PP have already mentioned there is a good chance it won't be the same no matter how much you lose). I'm just going to say be kind to yourself. There is a saying, 9 months to put it on, 9 months (+) to get it off. BFing and the stress of figuring everything out will have different effects on everyone. Be kind to yourself!!

I just want to reinforce @kdm06c 's point about being kind to yourself - I didn't even feel ready to actively tackle the weight loss until DD was around a year old. I lost most of it just through the birth, shedding all the water weight, and being busy, but I started DD's pregnancy about 20lbs overweight so still had a lot of progress I wanted to make. My weight distribution did change a lot - I had pants that didn't fit even when I was my pre-baby weight, because my hips/butt changed. I have bras I'll probably never wear again because my boobs got bigger.

Also be prepared that breastfeeding only helps some women lose weight, not all women. Some women find that breastfeeding hinders weight loss and they only start to lose the weight once they wean, even if they're exercising and eating well. Be gentle on yourself, love your body for what it's done/doing for your baby, and realize that you have lots of time to work towards your goals.

Also - I know everyone is different, and I know how we feel about our bodies is the most important thing - but from my personal experience and every one of my close girl friends, even those who feel/felt their bodies were less attractive, every single husband/partner is either as attracted or more attracted to their wife/partner than before the pregnancy.

LDSJM123 · March 2016

I was 10 years younger last time I had a baby, I'd be an idiot if I thought that it'll be as easy to shed the weight as it was last time. I can dream, but I know better. My plan is to focus on portion sizes with the 21 day fix (adding the appropriate amount of calories for breastfeeding and no shakes though, woof) and working out with my husband. I'm keeping my goals manageable and realistic.

jolydan · March 2016

I'm planning on letting my baby completely finish "cooking" before I start worrying about PP weight loss... Isn't there enough things to stress about before ?

BostonBaby1 · March 2016

Meh. Honestly, I'm just concerned about having a healthy baby and I'll tackle the weight loss after that.

Weville · March 2016

My focus for foreseeable future is healthy baby, healthy me. I'll worry about the weight loss later, I'm not going to stress about it, especially now

cpocks · April 2016

Ugh what will happen will happen. I hope I'm lucky and shed it quickly but like everyone has said baby and sleep will take precedence! I will workout once a day as my husband will let me but haha who the heck knows I may want the sleep more lol

whataboutscience · April 2016

Sleep definitely comes first. I was a zombie for months. Honestly, with BFing, I don't know how women do it. When DD was sleeping through the night, working out in the AM before she got up would have been terribly uncomfortable and messy. Sometimes I worked out right after I nursed her in the middle of the day, but that was only when I had someone to watch her. It didn't happen often and I just found it very difficult to take care of myself and a nursing baby.

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