Post Baby Bod. How are is it really to get it back

[moonstone523]

Happy to be preggers, of course I am. :heart:

But I'm curious how hard will it really be to get my pre-baby bod back.

Can you mamas shed some light on this?

[babybchbum]

I hear it depends, some people have great success others not so much. I have pooches where I previously didn't but I would't give up my son for my pre baby bod.

[mrschelseap09]

You were in excellent shape before you got pregnant. Believe it or not, the baby weight comes off pretty quickly. As long as you don't eat like you are eating for two, you shouldn't have a problem.

I bounced back within a month or two. My downfall was while I was nursing. I was eating like crazy and then when I quit nursing, I gained 10lbs.

[tashaandsage]

Well everyone is different, but you have continued to stay very active and eat well, so you will probably have no problems. For me, the first time, the weight just fell off, due to breast feeding, to the point I was getting asked if I had an eating disorder. I lost an extra ten pounds and dropped two pant sizes. I gained some back after I quit nursing, but stayed the smaller pant size. The weight was slower to come off the second time- I was hungrier as well as older (35). I have lost all the weight and then some, however I am in no way as good of shape as I was when I got pregnant with Maisy. I was working out 5-6 days a week, and with 2 kids, that hasn't been feasible. I'm trying to really get back into it, because I know I'll gain some when I quit breast feeding.

[mrsjason]

Well, I have had a hell of time getting the weight off. I am still working at it 2.5 years later. However, which it's a huge however, I have an autoimmune disease that makes loosing weight virtually impossible.

Two weeks after I got home from the hospital after having Macy I weight 140 lbs. Two months ago I weighed 140 lbs. Sucks considering I didn't eat too terribly bad and I did work out (albeit not consistently) during those 2.5 years. I never had real motivation since I never saw any results.

Now they have me on medication and I am starting to see results! It's a great feeling! I am down to 131 lbs and my short term goal is 125 lbs with the hopes of making it to 120 lbs, which was my pre-pregnancy weight.

Even if I get back down to my goal weight, I don't think my body will be exactly the same. My lower belly is umm.......different. I don't know if I will be able to get that back.

[sara76]

It's hard to say. I think you will go back quick because you are tall and lean, and you are eating responsibly. I personally am finding that nursing is making it harder to get back, but I still love it, thinking about the day we stop already makes me sad and I don't plan on stopping for another 6 months. Then I'll be able to say better. One thing I do notice with my body is when I'm on my bike in low gear, or even walking in the restaurant while carrying heavy plates, I still have tightness and discomfort in my pelvic area. Not sure if that is because of the pregnancy or the c section, or if it will ever feel likd it did before again. It's not like I can't take it, just def different than before and not just because of my fitness (or lack of).

[amellis2]

I am still holding on to 34 of the 37 lbs that I gained. I wasn't able to nurse (I suspect this has something to do with PCOS - it screws with Prolactin as well as FSH, LSH, Estrogen, and Testosterone.)

I also "wasn't allowed" to go out and exercise when I was with my mom. I wasn't allowed to do anything.

If you are nursing you burn 20 calories per oz of milk made.
You also stayed active during pregnancy, so you should be fine.
As for me, I would like to start going to a gym 3 times a week, but I don't when or how.
I want to be at a healthy weight before I get pg again. That give me 4 years to lose 60 lbs.

[jen812]

I gained 40lbs. I started weighing 104 & am currently at 126. I was underweight to begin with, according to BMI. I'd like to be 110. BMI says I should be 120. So far I haven't had any trouble dropping the weight.

The belly pouch is slowly going away too.

[lovethesun]

I managed to lose all the weight I gained (30 pounds) a few weeks after having DS. I was also BFing which helped out a ton!! When I was BFing though I ate a ton because I was always hungry. Now since stopping BFing I have gained about 10 pounds. So I am up 10 poudnds from my pre-pregnancy weight. My body is no where near what it was before I got pregnant. Not like I had a rockin body or anything but things have changed. My hips are wider and I have this belly/waste that is flabby. I wish it would go away. I am trying to work exercise into my routine and then I am going to focus on eating better. I figure one thing at a time. I would not change a thing because I love being a mom and love DS so much but its just frustrating and depressing when I look in the mirror. Sorry to be such a Debbie Downer but I want my old body back, haha.

You probably will bounce right back since your in great shape are are continuing to exercise. I am sure you will be fine. ;D

[etteyam]

I'm with Tasha. With my first one, the weight fell right off with breastfeeding and some exercise. And I was eating like a cow then and not mostly healthy stuff. I was back to pre-preg body/weight at 6/7 months. This time around, it's different. I'm only 5 lbs away but my body configuration is different. My hips and rib cage are wider, I have a little pooch in my lower belly. I've started eating healthier and increasing my workouts, so hopefully that will help take the last lbs off. I've stayed active throughout both of my pregnancies.

[sara76]

You ladies who are gaining weight after breast feeding are scaring the living shit out of me! I'm still up 25 pounds from my pre baby weight and I've been pretty much EBF besides giving her a tablespoon of food here and there after 4 mos. I just can't seem to lose any more and I'm starving like I'm not getting nearly enough food most days. If I stop nursing today and gain 10 pounds it's like I'm 9 months preggo again! Nooooooo!!!!
::runs away screaming::

[jennifer8080]

Weight wise I lost it all really quick. Like within 2 weeks. My belly was still flabby though. I never really bothered making an attempt to tone up though. I knew that I would be TTC again in the near future and had too many other things to worry about, when no one really sees my stomach anyway. I was in pre-pregnancy clothes by 5 days postpartum. Breast feeding definitely gives you an advantage! I just count out a lot of the sweets and stuff after she was born and tried not to overindulge. I ate A TON when BFing. More than when I was pregnant. I just tried to be healthy about it.

[mrsmew]

I gained somewhere between 35-40 lbs during pregnancy. Now I'm 12 weeks after giving birth and have lost all but 3 lbs of the baby weight without any effort (aside from exclusive breastfeeding, I suppose). I haven't started working out yet and I eat a lot of crap, to be honest. Well, not a lot because there's not always time to eat a lot, but when I do eat, it's not usually the healthiest foods. I'm trying to change my habits but I'm still trying to figure things all out (what I can make, what I have time for, etc) so it's been slow-going.

Even though I'm almost back to my pre-preg weight, I feel like my body is just different. I still have a pretty lumpy pooch-belly (it's super hot, let me tell you) and I feel like my hips are wider. These two things combined means I still can't fit back into my old jeans and shorts, so I'm still wearing maternity shorts (for shame!) or loose dresses because I can't bring myself to buy new stuff in my new size - I'm hoping I won't be this size for long. Also, my belly is a stretch-marked mess (that started at the end of my pregnancy) and after giving birth I got some tiny stretch marks all over my hips and thighs.

That's my experience, for what it's worth. Of course, I also wasn't great about healthy eating during pregnancy (all I wanted was CARBS) and I didn't work out regularly other than walking, and as I mentioned I'm not really doing either of those now either. Given your pre-preg fitness, healthy habits and exercise, I'd imagine you'll come out of pregnancy better than I did.

[jennifer8080]

My hips didn't go totally back. Some of my clothes were more snug, not because of weight, but my wider hips. I don't think there's any way to change that though. Boo!

[amellis2]

I've heard about wearing a wrap for a few days around the hips (to help the ligaments remember where they are supposed to be), but I don't know how well it actually works.

[fivemutts]

Ugh. Breastfeeding didn't help me at all. I'm hoping when I wean in a couple of months I can lose a little more.

I fit in my clothes within a week but was up 13 pounds. I I'm a very healthy clean vegetarian eater and it was no different after my soon was born. I finally had to cut calories to a pretty low number and start boot camp in order to get down to four pounds up.

I was also super active while pregnant, ran until right months, worked out six days a week and ran a half marathon so I really just thought it would be easier.

[moonstone523]

Jun 21, 2012 21:27:18 GMT -5 fivemutts said:

Ugh. Breastfeeding didn't help me at all. I'm hoping when I wean in a couple of months I can lose a little more.

I fit in my clothes within a week but was up 13 pounds. I I'm a very healthy clean vegetarian eater and it was no different after my soon was born. I finally had to cut calories to a pretty low number and start boot camp in order to get down to four pounds up.

I was also super active while pregnant, ran until right months, worked out six days a week and ran a half marathon so I really just thought it would be easier.

Nooooooo! Me no likey.
I guess this just shows that everyone is different and exercising through pregnancy doesn't mean it will be easier to lose afterwards.

[mrsshawanab]

I gained a little more than 20 lbs by the end of my pregnancy (I'm only 5' 1" though so I'm pretty petite in general). A month later, I have now lost all of my pregnancy weight plus another 5 lbs ish. I did continue to exercise and I worked -- teaching high school on my feet all day -- until a week before I gave birth, which I think has helped me bounce back faster. I am now waiting to get the all clear from my OBGYN to get back to working out because although my weight has dropped, I still feel flabby and want to get back into action!
It definitely is different for everyone though... I have friends who lost weight really quickly and friends who just never did. It is what it is, it's all about feeling good about yourself anyway and being healthy.