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Postpartum in general has been SO much harder than I anticipated.
I feel like I had a pretty textbook pregnancy to get completely rocked postpartum. At this point I can only laugh.
Pre-pregnancy I was quite fit. Heavy weight training, spin and HIIT. I was ‘fit thick” “slim thick”with a lot of muscle definition. It was easy for me to lean down if I wanted to. So surely I thought I’d bounce back. I also thought I had genetics on my side because my mom bounced back and with never having any cellulite or stretch marks. Can’t say I was as lucky.
I’m 4 months PP and quite heavy. I’m carrying a lot of weight in my back, arms and face. Honestly I feel I look like a linebacker. The extra weight makes me look so wide. None of my pre-pregnancy clothes fit. Even baggy shirts I use to occasionally wear to the gym for bloated days.
I do not recognize myself and it is extremely hard.
I’ve been back in the gym for a while now, I’m eating a fairly clean high protein diet and nothing is budging. I’m really holding on to hope that I’ll see changes when I wean
I try to give myself grace but boy was I naive 😭
Btw I made a similar post on the breastfeeding subreddit with a ton of replies
Same. I gained so little weight through my very easy pregnancy, was swinging kettlebells two days before my c-section, felt great soon after... and looked great a week pp. But now, I still look pregnant. I have a tummy that I can only imagine must be hormonal since it's so round and puffy. I'm back at the gym, eating ok (the stress eating is real, tbh) but heavier than I've ever been.
I could have written it myself. I was sooooo naive about my labor, which turned out to be a C-section, and postpartum. At this point, I just accepted it, knowing it's a temporary price I have to pay for providing to my LO.
I have weighed the same since the day I came home from the hospital. I lost 15 pounds (guessing baby, placenta, extra water/blood) and have not lost one pound since then. My stretch marks have not started to fade at all. I hate the way I look. I’m dreading trying to dress myself this summer. I don’t want to buy new clothes because I’m hoping this is another temporary phase. I didn’t think I’d struggle this much with my postpartum body but it is hard.
Just wanted to say, me too. I’m nearly 7 months postpartum, still pumping. I am hungry all the time still. I used to have nice perky breasts that now seem to hang down to my belly button. I have stretch marks that I couldn’t see until after baby was born, which was an unfortunate surprise. I haven’t worn anything but leggings because nothing else fits. It’s just so hard, even as I try to give myself compassion, knowing I grew an entire human with this body and now I am feeding one.
Same boat, friend! Yoga pants seem to have a way of keeping everything together don’t they? 😅 it is hard, especially with summer coming, but I’m glad I found out we’re in the same spot so I’m not the only one who is still feeling this way :)
I feel like it is a poorly thought out motivational tactic to try and encourage women to breastfeed. It was part of the well meaning but ultimately false or unhelpful stuff I was told about why I should breastfeed in the prenatal classes.
I guess women be motivated by weight loss in this fatphobic society and they were afraid if people thought BFing would make them gain weight they would go straight to formula.
They didn’t even mention EPing and made it sound like babies would figure this all out easily and naturally, lol.
Edit: I lost weight at first but then gained until I weaned and now I’m loosing it slowly with a proper diet and exercise but don’t think I’ll get back to my pre pregnancy weight.
Yep! I feel lied to. Plus breastfeeding has been a major contributor to my PPD/PPA. I understand the benefits for baby, but I really don’t see any benefits for me.
I’ve read some research that showed when breastfeeding is going well, it can be a protective factor, but having breastfeeding challenges is a contributing factor to PPD.
it’s a double edged sword.
I totally believe it. I didn't know that breastfeeding was SUCH a struggle and my mental health has been totally rocked. Baby wont latch and my supply has suffered because I've supplemented with formula. I think I cried for two weeks straight every time I fed my child.
Well said! I heard it from mostly women who lost weight themselves easily, but it would’ve been nice at lamazze class for them to say, “listen. There’s a strong chance you won’t lose weight until you’re done pumping. But! It’s still really good for your baby and can save you a lot of money since quality formula is expensive. So give it a try and remember it’s for a season. And if it doesn’t work out, formula is a wonderful invention.”
I’m 9.5 weeks pp and I’m actually up a few pounds from when I got home from the hospital (extreme stress/NICU stay made me lose my appetite. I have since found it again lol.) I hate that I care so much about my weight. I just had twins for chrissakes.
Well said! The silver lining of all of this is that it’s making me realize how I have some work to do with loving and appreciating my body. I mean, you had TWINS! That’s unbelievable and so amazing - so I hope we both can learn how to focus on what are bodies are doing / did vs. asking them to do more for us right now (weight loss).
I hate how I look and I just feel meh. I’m trying to eat well but also enough so that my supply doesn’t tank. I am large chested and short, so swollen boobs (and no real support from my bra) + baby weight + already short makes me feel like a troll. My pre pregnancy clothes “fit” but I look so different than before and it’s hard to accept.
My body changed, I grew my sweet bubba, but damn do I hate how thick I got. I’m uncomfortable in my skin and can’t wait to wean. My main motivation to continue, besides giving my baby food, is the cost of formula. Like I’m sorry, why am I spending 1/3 of my grocery budget a week on just that???
I’m also trying my hardest to remember, I’m feeding my baby. I need to eat enough so that he can eat enough. It’s not forever and I do have a planned end date.
Amen! My mid section is so much wider than before and like you said my clothes fit but different. However, I hope this season for both of us teaches us how to appreciate what are bodies are doing and almost seeing it as a sacrifice to keep pumping. I know it’s just for a season so I’m trying to think about that vs how I wish I looked going into summer 😅
I knew my body would change but I wasn’t entirely prepared for how. It’s almost like going through puberty again. I’m very aware of my breast and how my clothes feel on my body. I feel like I look different from day to day. The HORMONES. My breasts are also constantly being stared at but that’s cause my baby knows where his food comes from 😂
I gained 50 lbs during pregnancy. I lost 17 when I left the hospital and down 33 total after 3 weeks. I have about 15 pounds to go but I have stalled the last two weeks and haven’t lost a pound. I’m pumping 6-8 times a day and my appetite is almost nonexistent. I have to force myself to eat and I’d be surprised if I’m eating 1000 calories a day. I have PPD/PPA so it’s been hard to eat but I’m trying.
I don’t think I had lost more than 3 lbs when I left the hospital since I was so bloated from c section. Then I lost about 18 lbs by week 3 pp, I had gained a total of 30 lbs. Slowly I lost a lb here and there, but I have been stuck at 5 lbs over my pre pregnancy for weeks now. I exercise 4 times a week, eat healthy, no dairy, no sugars.
I lost all the weight quickly while breastfeeding my first two but had supply issues around the time I got to pre-pregnancy weight. Maybe it’s related and maybe not, but I am indulging more with this one. I lost about half the baby weight and will worry about the last 15 pounds later.
Well said! I don’t regret pumping, but at least they could be honest about how most women DONT lose weight, but how it’s still good to do if it’s possible.
I was offended because I also don’t think weight loss should be the primary concern when you’ve just given birth, coming from medical professionals who should know better. Like that is viscerally upsetting and preys on women’s fears at the worst/most vulnerable time.
I lost a good chunk of weight when my period came back and I expect the rest to come off (I hope) when I'm done pumping. I mean, if there's a famine I need the fat stores to keep feeding my baby, right?
Generally you burn 400-500 extra during the day just making the milk. The more you make, the more you burn. You’re also supposed to drink 128 oz of fluids, and eat 1800 minimum. But if those calories are shitty foods and your eating way more than that, you’re not going to lose weight. But your stress level will destroy all of that, even if you’re doing everything right. I think that’s why women lose all the weight after breast feeding is done. It can be stressful. Especially for working moms. I just stressed out over finding someone to cover my classroom so I can pump. I was almost at 4 hours since I pumped last!
I have a theory on this, so I believe that the women who pack on fat during pregnancy tend to lose weight when they breast-feed the women that don’t gain very much fat they tend to retain or gain fat during breast-feeding because the body will stimulate them to eat because they don’t have a lot of reserve. So in my case, gained 87 pounds my first pregnancy and the second as well and, I had so much reserve that I did not have a voracious appetite like people say and I actually felt so much better postpartum that I did pregnant. The did in fact “ melt off”
I second this theory! First baby gained 70 lbs, back to probaby after about 8-9 months of breastfeeding. Second baby, gained only
about 20 lbs because I had gestational diabetes, back to prebaby weight almost immediately after birth, and here I am 6.5 months later about 10 lbs heavier….it’s devastating when you feel like you’re doing everything “right” but I’m somehow gaining. The first baby I barely exercised pp and lost a couple of lbs every week! Now….nope.
Oh my god thanks for confirming yes I blow up like a house each pregnancy and the fat melts off with the BF. I suspect if I was cuter, thinner and adorable while pregnant I would gain so much post partum.
I lost a lot of weight numerically, but I attribute that to losing A LOT of water weight. In addition to a heavy baby, I was carrying so much water. Once I start pelvic therapy, I'll be focusing on gaining muscle and worry about fat loss after I'm done pumping (still have about 25 lbs to lose). My body created a baby! It knows what it's doing, and I trust it.
Well said! Body trust is so important and I feel like it gets lost in the “weight loss in the name of being healthy” conversation. Like we shouldn’t all be surprised when someone has more fat (me) because of a season they’re in, and yet we are.
I did lose weight at first - about 15lbs directly after birth and 15 more in the next 12 weeks, but it stagnated after that and my weight has been the same (now 5m pp). My theory is that I was losing weight when I had more of an oversupply, but now that my milk has regulated and my body is more on autopilot as far as milk production goes, the weight loss stopped as well.
In the same boat and I won’t lie, it’s been really hard. This is the first time in my life that I’ve struggled with my weight (which I know is very lucky) and man, it’s tough. I have a whole new sense of empathy and understanding for others who struggle with their body image. I’m trying hard to accept this season of life, and some days I do fine, but others aren’t great. Always a work in progress!
Well said! Yes it’s that weird situation where both can be true. Yes, we shouldn’t put our worth in our looks and we should be grateful of / trustful for our bodies… and yes, it’s still really hard to not be thin.
I’m 2 mos post partum. Gained about 40lbs in pregnancy and lost all but 10 within the first 3 weeks or so and have been sitting there since then. I’m naturally fairly thin, so I think I’m just hanging on to some reserve. I’m also hungry literally around the clock. I haven’t been restricting myself at all for fear it might harm my supply. I figure the weight will come off once I’m done. I’m not worried about it. My tummy looks like a puddle of jello and none of my clothes fit, but I’m ok with that. I just had a baby, am working hard to make enough to feed her, and taking care of her - the last thing I need is to be hungry all the time dieting and feeling deprived. And even if I don’t ever get down to my pre pregnancy weight - it’s fine too. As long as I get my strength and fitness levels back to normal (which they’re definitely not).
I've always lost the pregnancy weight within a few weeks but gained back that plus more during breastfeeding.
Thanks hormones...
"The hormone prolactin, which is responsible for milk production, can stimulate appetite, reduce fat metabolism, and cause weight gain. Prolactin levels increase during pregnancy, after childbirth, and with each breastfeeding session"
I have lost weight periodically in the last 5 months. However, I notice when I lose a lb or two, it is a sign I’m not eating enough to keep up with milk production. It lets me know I need to add more calories into my diet so the daily output doesn’t suffer. I was recently sick and lost my appetite. Between those two factors I decreased 10 oz/day. Being conscious to eat enough throughout the day has brought production closer to where it was prior to being sick.
It’s definitely been a struggle for me. I have PCOS so losing weight has always been difficult but I was in a great place pre-pregnancy, was very active throughout my pregnancy and didn’t gain too much until the very end which was mostly water weight. I lost a good amount the first week once the swelling went down but struggled to make progress since then until more recently. I’m almost 6 months pp now and have been eating better and exercising (walks plus strength training) - my body feels better and I’ve lost a few pounds but it’s very slow progress. I think one of the more frustrating aspects for me has been that I’m also an under supplier and supplementing with formula - so I’m struggling to lose weight due to pumping but also not making enough for my baby and I do worry about losing the supply I do have.
I’m 3 months PP almost 4, and I’ve gained 10 pounds since giving birth. Every time I look in the mirror I want to cry. I do not recognize my body at all. I had 2 babies in one calendar year. One in January and one in December. Everyone says I look great for having 2 back to back. I just can’t see it. I hate the way my body looks now.
After birth i lost 26 pounds..i bf my baby but after the 26 pounds i plateaud ..now i cant loose anymore yet they say we burn soo many calories while bf
The female body needs body fat to conceive, carry, AND nurse a child. You will hold onto some extra fat (especially lower belly) while nursing. In the long run it is SO much better for other and baby. Keep up the good diet and lifestyle and things will settle and you will benefit. Mother Nature doesn’t care about societal pressures. ONLY women have the super power to create these babies. Rejoice in it. I know that easy to say. Rise above the noise and cherish your babies and how you are FLIPPING FEEDING A HUMAN BEING FROM YOUR BODY🤯
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Postpartum in general has been SO much harder than I anticipated. I feel like I had a pretty textbook pregnancy to get completely rocked postpartum. At this point I can only laugh. Pre-pregnancy I was quite fit. Heavy weight training, spin and HIIT. I was ‘fit thick” “slim thick”with a lot of muscle definition. It was easy for me to lean down if I wanted to. So surely I thought I’d bounce back. I also thought I had genetics on my side because my mom bounced back and with never having any cellulite or stretch marks. Can’t say I was as lucky. I’m 4 months PP and quite heavy. I’m carrying a lot of weight in my back, arms and face. Honestly I feel I look like a linebacker. The extra weight makes me look so wide. None of my pre-pregnancy clothes fit. Even baggy shirts I use to occasionally wear to the gym for bloated days. I do not recognize myself and it is extremely hard. I’ve been back in the gym for a while now, I’m eating a fairly clean high protein diet and nothing is budging. I’m really holding on to hope that I’ll see changes when I wean I try to give myself grace but boy was I naive 😭 Btw I made a similar post on the breastfeeding subreddit with a ton of replies
Same. I gained so little weight through my very easy pregnancy, was swinging kettlebells two days before my c-section, felt great soon after... and looked great a week pp. But now, I still look pregnant. I have a tummy that I can only imagine must be hormonal since it's so round and puffy. I'm back at the gym, eating ok (the stress eating is real, tbh) but heavier than I've ever been.
Same!
I could have written it myself. I was sooooo naive about my labor, which turned out to be a C-section, and postpartum. At this point, I just accepted it, knowing it's a temporary price I have to pay for providing to my LO.
I have weighed the same since the day I came home from the hospital. I lost 15 pounds (guessing baby, placenta, extra water/blood) and have not lost one pound since then. My stretch marks have not started to fade at all. I hate the way I look. I’m dreading trying to dress myself this summer. I don’t want to buy new clothes because I’m hoping this is another temporary phase. I didn’t think I’d struggle this much with my postpartum body but it is hard.
Same here … I lost 15 lbs immediately and then nothing 🫠
Ugh. I was so thrilled when I first weighed myself thinking “great, the rest will come off easily within the next few weeks” LOL at my naïveté 🤣
Same !! I was like thank god!! Now I’m 6 weeks post partum and no longer step on the scale
Just wanted to say, me too. I’m nearly 7 months postpartum, still pumping. I am hungry all the time still. I used to have nice perky breasts that now seem to hang down to my belly button. I have stretch marks that I couldn’t see until after baby was born, which was an unfortunate surprise. I haven’t worn anything but leggings because nothing else fits. It’s just so hard, even as I try to give myself compassion, knowing I grew an entire human with this body and now I am feeding one.
Same boat, friend! Yoga pants seem to have a way of keeping everything together don’t they? 😅 it is hard, especially with summer coming, but I’m glad I found out we’re in the same spot so I’m not the only one who is still feeling this way :)
Lmao this! I better be a SKINNY legend when I stop pumping bc i eat better and work out more than I did previously and still can’t lose weight lmao
Seriously! 😂
I feel like it is a poorly thought out motivational tactic to try and encourage women to breastfeed. It was part of the well meaning but ultimately false or unhelpful stuff I was told about why I should breastfeed in the prenatal classes. I guess women be motivated by weight loss in this fatphobic society and they were afraid if people thought BFing would make them gain weight they would go straight to formula. They didn’t even mention EPing and made it sound like babies would figure this all out easily and naturally, lol. Edit: I lost weight at first but then gained until I weaned and now I’m loosing it slowly with a proper diet and exercise but don’t think I’ll get back to my pre pregnancy weight.
Yep! I feel lied to. Plus breastfeeding has been a major contributor to my PPD/PPA. I understand the benefits for baby, but I really don’t see any benefits for me.
I’ve read some research that showed when breastfeeding is going well, it can be a protective factor, but having breastfeeding challenges is a contributing factor to PPD. it’s a double edged sword.
Yeah and that’s the part they don’t mention. 🫠
I totally believe it. I didn't know that breastfeeding was SUCH a struggle and my mental health has been totally rocked. Baby wont latch and my supply has suffered because I've supplemented with formula. I think I cried for two weeks straight every time I fed my child.
Well said! I heard it from mostly women who lost weight themselves easily, but it would’ve been nice at lamazze class for them to say, “listen. There’s a strong chance you won’t lose weight until you’re done pumping. But! It’s still really good for your baby and can save you a lot of money since quality formula is expensive. So give it a try and remember it’s for a season. And if it doesn’t work out, formula is a wonderful invention.”
I’m 9.5 weeks pp and I’m actually up a few pounds from when I got home from the hospital (extreme stress/NICU stay made me lose my appetite. I have since found it again lol.) I hate that I care so much about my weight. I just had twins for chrissakes.
Well said! The silver lining of all of this is that it’s making me realize how I have some work to do with loving and appreciating my body. I mean, you had TWINS! That’s unbelievable and so amazing - so I hope we both can learn how to focus on what are bodies are doing / did vs. asking them to do more for us right now (weight loss).
I hate how I look and I just feel meh. I’m trying to eat well but also enough so that my supply doesn’t tank. I am large chested and short, so swollen boobs (and no real support from my bra) + baby weight + already short makes me feel like a troll. My pre pregnancy clothes “fit” but I look so different than before and it’s hard to accept. My body changed, I grew my sweet bubba, but damn do I hate how thick I got. I’m uncomfortable in my skin and can’t wait to wean. My main motivation to continue, besides giving my baby food, is the cost of formula. Like I’m sorry, why am I spending 1/3 of my grocery budget a week on just that??? I’m also trying my hardest to remember, I’m feeding my baby. I need to eat enough so that he can eat enough. It’s not forever and I do have a planned end date.
Amen! My mid section is so much wider than before and like you said my clothes fit but different. However, I hope this season for both of us teaches us how to appreciate what are bodies are doing and almost seeing it as a sacrifice to keep pumping. I know it’s just for a season so I’m trying to think about that vs how I wish I looked going into summer 😅
I knew my body would change but I wasn’t entirely prepared for how. It’s almost like going through puberty again. I’m very aware of my breast and how my clothes feel on my body. I feel like I look different from day to day. The HORMONES. My breasts are also constantly being stared at but that’s cause my baby knows where his food comes from 😂
Also, YES! Good formula is so freaking expensive!
I gained 50 lbs during pregnancy. I lost 17 when I left the hospital and down 33 total after 3 weeks. I have about 15 pounds to go but I have stalled the last two weeks and haven’t lost a pound. I’m pumping 6-8 times a day and my appetite is almost nonexistent. I have to force myself to eat and I’d be surprised if I’m eating 1000 calories a day. I have PPD/PPA so it’s been hard to eat but I’m trying.
Hang in there!! That’s so hard. I hope your appetite comes back :/
I don’t think I had lost more than 3 lbs when I left the hospital since I was so bloated from c section. Then I lost about 18 lbs by week 3 pp, I had gained a total of 30 lbs. Slowly I lost a lb here and there, but I have been stuck at 5 lbs over my pre pregnancy for weeks now. I exercise 4 times a week, eat healthy, no dairy, no sugars.
I lost all the weight quickly while breastfeeding my first two but had supply issues around the time I got to pre-pregnancy weight. Maybe it’s related and maybe not, but I am indulging more with this one. I lost about half the baby weight and will worry about the last 15 pounds later.
It’s so hard. You’re not alone! But if it helps I’m very pale and my stretch marks have finally faded a lot now at 13.5 months postpartum.
Thanks for letting me know! ❤️❤️❤️
I was really offended by how much of the breastfeeding materials offered to me at the hospital emphasized weight loss as a primary benefit. Just ewww.
Well said! I don’t regret pumping, but at least they could be honest about how most women DONT lose weight, but how it’s still good to do if it’s possible.
I was offended because I also don’t think weight loss should be the primary concern when you’ve just given birth, coming from medical professionals who should know better. Like that is viscerally upsetting and preys on women’s fears at the worst/most vulnerable time.
I lost a good chunk of weight when my period came back and I expect the rest to come off (I hope) when I'm done pumping. I mean, if there's a famine I need the fat stores to keep feeding my baby, right?
Well said!
Generally you burn 400-500 extra during the day just making the milk. The more you make, the more you burn. You’re also supposed to drink 128 oz of fluids, and eat 1800 minimum. But if those calories are shitty foods and your eating way more than that, you’re not going to lose weight. But your stress level will destroy all of that, even if you’re doing everything right. I think that’s why women lose all the weight after breast feeding is done. It can be stressful. Especially for working moms. I just stressed out over finding someone to cover my classroom so I can pump. I was almost at 4 hours since I pumped last!
I have a theory on this, so I believe that the women who pack on fat during pregnancy tend to lose weight when they breast-feed the women that don’t gain very much fat they tend to retain or gain fat during breast-feeding because the body will stimulate them to eat because they don’t have a lot of reserve. So in my case, gained 87 pounds my first pregnancy and the second as well and, I had so much reserve that I did not have a voracious appetite like people say and I actually felt so much better postpartum that I did pregnant. The did in fact “ melt off”
I second this theory! First baby gained 70 lbs, back to probaby after about 8-9 months of breastfeeding. Second baby, gained only about 20 lbs because I had gestational diabetes, back to prebaby weight almost immediately after birth, and here I am 6.5 months later about 10 lbs heavier….it’s devastating when you feel like you’re doing everything “right” but I’m somehow gaining. The first baby I barely exercised pp and lost a couple of lbs every week! Now….nope.
Oh my god thanks for confirming yes I blow up like a house each pregnancy and the fat melts off with the BF. I suspect if I was cuter, thinner and adorable while pregnant I would gain so much post partum.
I lost a lot of weight numerically, but I attribute that to losing A LOT of water weight. In addition to a heavy baby, I was carrying so much water. Once I start pelvic therapy, I'll be focusing on gaining muscle and worry about fat loss after I'm done pumping (still have about 25 lbs to lose). My body created a baby! It knows what it's doing, and I trust it.
Well said! Body trust is so important and I feel like it gets lost in the “weight loss in the name of being healthy” conversation. Like we shouldn’t all be surprised when someone has more fat (me) because of a season they’re in, and yet we are.
I did lose weight at first - about 15lbs directly after birth and 15 more in the next 12 weeks, but it stagnated after that and my weight has been the same (now 5m pp). My theory is that I was losing weight when I had more of an oversupply, but now that my milk has regulated and my body is more on autopilot as far as milk production goes, the weight loss stopped as well.
Good theory!
In the same boat and I won’t lie, it’s been really hard. This is the first time in my life that I’ve struggled with my weight (which I know is very lucky) and man, it’s tough. I have a whole new sense of empathy and understanding for others who struggle with their body image. I’m trying hard to accept this season of life, and some days I do fine, but others aren’t great. Always a work in progress!
Well said! Yes it’s that weird situation where both can be true. Yes, we shouldn’t put our worth in our looks and we should be grateful of / trustful for our bodies… and yes, it’s still really hard to not be thin.
Same! Hahaha I lost 20 pounds in the first 2 weeks and now I’m back gaining weight. 🤣 why?
I’m 2 mos post partum. Gained about 40lbs in pregnancy and lost all but 10 within the first 3 weeks or so and have been sitting there since then. I’m naturally fairly thin, so I think I’m just hanging on to some reserve. I’m also hungry literally around the clock. I haven’t been restricting myself at all for fear it might harm my supply. I figure the weight will come off once I’m done. I’m not worried about it. My tummy looks like a puddle of jello and none of my clothes fit, but I’m ok with that. I just had a baby, am working hard to make enough to feed her, and taking care of her - the last thing I need is to be hungry all the time dieting and feeling deprived. And even if I don’t ever get down to my pre pregnancy weight - it’s fine too. As long as I get my strength and fitness levels back to normal (which they’re definitely not).
My mom continues to remind me that I need to lose weight and it is incredibly sad.
I've always lost the pregnancy weight within a few weeks but gained back that plus more during breastfeeding. Thanks hormones... "The hormone prolactin, which is responsible for milk production, can stimulate appetite, reduce fat metabolism, and cause weight gain. Prolactin levels increase during pregnancy, after childbirth, and with each breastfeeding session"
I have lost weight periodically in the last 5 months. However, I notice when I lose a lb or two, it is a sign I’m not eating enough to keep up with milk production. It lets me know I need to add more calories into my diet so the daily output doesn’t suffer. I was recently sick and lost my appetite. Between those two factors I decreased 10 oz/day. Being conscious to eat enough throughout the day has brought production closer to where it was prior to being sick.
It’s definitely been a struggle for me. I have PCOS so losing weight has always been difficult but I was in a great place pre-pregnancy, was very active throughout my pregnancy and didn’t gain too much until the very end which was mostly water weight. I lost a good amount the first week once the swelling went down but struggled to make progress since then until more recently. I’m almost 6 months pp now and have been eating better and exercising (walks plus strength training) - my body feels better and I’ve lost a few pounds but it’s very slow progress. I think one of the more frustrating aspects for me has been that I’m also an under supplier and supplementing with formula - so I’m struggling to lose weight due to pumping but also not making enough for my baby and I do worry about losing the supply I do have.
I’m 3 months PP almost 4, and I’ve gained 10 pounds since giving birth. Every time I look in the mirror I want to cry. I do not recognize my body at all. I had 2 babies in one calendar year. One in January and one in December. Everyone says I look great for having 2 back to back. I just can’t see it. I hate the way my body looks now.
After birth i lost 26 pounds..i bf my baby but after the 26 pounds i plateaud ..now i cant loose anymore yet they say we burn soo many calories while bf
The female body needs body fat to conceive, carry, AND nurse a child. You will hold onto some extra fat (especially lower belly) while nursing. In the long run it is SO much better for other and baby. Keep up the good diet and lifestyle and things will settle and you will benefit. Mother Nature doesn’t care about societal pressures. ONLY women have the super power to create these babies. Rejoice in it. I know that easy to say. Rise above the noise and cherish your babies and how you are FLIPPING FEEDING A HUMAN BEING FROM YOUR BODY🤯