Postpartum weight loss

[Anonymous]

Looking for some advice and the experience of others.

I had baby #2 about 10 weeks ago. Pre pregnancy I am very petite/fit and work out daily. I continued this with both pregnancies. With #1, I gained 35lbs and it was gone within four weeks. With #2, despite doing nothing differently, I gained close to 60lbs.

I had a c-section this time (first one) so am slowly trying to incorporate some gentle postpartum workouts and add rigorous stroller walks daily. I found that about 50lbs came off very easily, but I seem to have plateaued with a little more than 10lbs left to go for a while now.

For me, this is about more than weight - I am uncomfortable in my body, my clothes don’t fit, I don’t feel my best etc. looking for advice on how others have managed in similar situations. Thanks!

[Anonymous]

Are you breastfeeding? For some people the body holds on to the last bit of weight until you wean.

That said, if you're eating well, getting exercise, and the first 50 lbs dropped off easily, you don't really have to change anything. Just keep up a healthy lifestyle and you'll get there even if it takes much longer than you would like. I know it's frustrating but you're still in the fourth trimester and your body isn't going to react exactly how you expect because your hormones are still all over the place. All you can do is make healthy choices and give yourself some grace.

[Anonymous]

Honestly, buy yourself some new clothes that fit and make you feel good. Those 10 pounds may stay bc our bodies are meant to change, but you don't need to feel uncomfortable in your clothes. It sucks, but the mental energy spent fretting over those few pounds is not worth it.

[Anonymous]

Focus on nourishment first - second pregnancy depletes your reserves so much. If you don’t replace them with good food, your hormones will never recover and you’ll have all kinds of health issues.

And buy some larger clothes so you feel more comfortable, of course!

[Anonymous]

10 weeks!? Come on now.

It sometimes takes longer to lose weight postpartum - it did for me (both times).

Please don’t be so hard on yourself!

[Anonymous]

Just ten weeks ago? I wouldn't be so hard on yourself. Plus if you're breastfeeding, you're likely to hang on to those 10 lbs. for the time-being.

You may lose those last ten pounds, but after two babies, and a c-section, your body might be different. You'll weigh the same, but things will have...shifted.

For now, buy some new clothes, get in activity when you can, eat healthy.

[Anonymous]

Agree with others. You just lost 50 pounds in 10 weeks. You just had major abdominal surgery. It's not at all uncommon for the last few pounds to take a little bit longer to come off, if at all. Buy some new clothes that you feel good in.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:10 weeks!? Come on now.

It sometimes takes longer to lose weight postpartum - it did for me (both times).

Please don’t be so hard on yourself!

+1

You’ve lost 50 of the 60 pounds!! Give it a hot minute.

[Anonymous]

Thanks all, OP here. I think I am being hard on myself because I had such an easy time losing the weight with my first and it felt nice to look like myself again after so much else had changed. It’s hard not compare experiences, even though they are different.

Thanks for your advice. I know it hasn’t been much time, but it’s just so hard to walk around in a body that not only isn’t mine anymore (yes to breastfeeding) but also doesn’t even look like me anymore

[Anonymous]

+1 to the posters who said that for many people, your body holds on to extra weight until you stop breastfeeding / pumping.

[Anonymous]

My experience was similar to you OP. I only gained about 30lbs with my first and I lost it all and then some in the first few weeks. With my second I gained more like 45lbs, it came off more slowly, and I have about 5 extra pounds that has never left.

It's disappointing when you're expecting the weight to just drop off, but you're older and you gained more, plus you have an older child so you probably are getting even less sleep than the first time. At 10 weeks you should just be focusing on your physical recovery and your mental health, not trying to lose the last 10lbs.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Thanks all, OP here. I think I am being hard on myself because I had such an easy time losing the weight with my first and it felt nice to look like myself again after so much else had changed. It’s hard not compare experiences, even though they are different.

Thanks for your advice. I know it hasn’t been much time, but it’s just so hard to walk around in a body that not only isn’t mine anymore (yes to breastfeeding) but also doesn’t even look like me anymore

I feel you, OP. I was there for awhile and it's frustrating. I would recommend getting some clothing items that flatter your current shape (but will still fit you if you lose the weight later) and keep in mind that you will have much more time and energy for dieting and exercise a year from now!

[Anonymous]

This is kind of nuts to me. With both of my kids I lost a big chunk of weight from like 4 to 7 months postpartum. With my first kid the weight was completely gone by 7 months, with the second it took about 11 months. Nursing the entire time. At 10 weeks I was nowhere near pre-pregnancy weight. I thought that was normal?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Thanks all, OP here. I think I am being hard on myself because I had such an easy time losing the weight with my first and it felt nice to look like myself again after so much else had changed. It’s hard not compare experiences, even though they are different.

Thanks for your advice. I know it hasn’t been much time, but it’s just so hard to walk around in a body that not only isn’t mine anymore (yes to breastfeeding) but also doesn’t even look like me anymore

One thing I thought about when I had my second - if I didn’t know society had such a pressure to be thin and snap back, would I think my stomach was unacceptable right now? Or would I think it was just how a stomach looks after holding a person for 9+ months?! I decided the latter and that if I didn’t know any better, I’d probably think it was sweet that we have a little reminder of what our body held and did. I also started to think how nice it is that our bodies are their softest during the months when our babies need to sleep on us and be held so much. It really seems meant to be and I’m sad I ever wasted a second thinking otherwise!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Thanks all, OP here. I think I am being hard on myself because I had such an easy time losing the weight with my first and it felt nice to look like myself again after so much else had changed. It’s hard not compare experiences, even though they are different.

Thanks for your advice. I know it hasn’t been much time, but it’s just so hard to walk around in a body that not only isn’t mine anymore (yes to breastfeeding) but also doesn’t even look like me anymore

One thing I thought about when I had my second - if I didn’t know society had such a pressure to be thin and snap back, would I think my stomach was unacceptable right now? Or would I think it was just how a stomach looks after holding a person for 9+ months?! I decided the latter and that if I didn’t know any better, I’d probably think it was sweet that we have a little reminder of what our body held and did. I also started to think how nice it is that our bodies are their softest during the months when our babies need to sleep on us and be held so much. It really seems meant to be and I’m sad I ever wasted a second thinking otherwise!

This is a wise and lovely perspective. I find society’s obsession with the bodies of new moms/“snapping back” to be actually disgusting.