Just gave birth and still feel so, so huge

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Totally normal. I wonder, though, why it was difficult emotionally to grow a baby. Seems like a normal process that is part of pregnancy.

The hormones and rapid body changes, combined with physical trauma, then add on lack of sleep and you're a mess.

I was in a bad accident as a teen and needed surgery and I remember feeling like I couldn't think straight for a bit after recovery. After giving birth felt similar, your brain gets foggy when you're physically recovering from things.

[Anonymous]

The hospital gave me a compression belly band thing after my c-section. I wore it almost 24 hrs/day for the first week (maybe longer). Definitely helped me feel more stable, and probably helped with the mental image looking in the mirror. My legs were incredibly swollen from all of the fluids pumped into me with the pitocin. I understood why it happened, but for me seeing my swollen legs was the hardest part of the first week. It does get better, just want to be another voice for the point that this is both normal/expected and can be hard to see in the mirror.

[Anonymous]

Give it time.

[Anonymous]

I held on to a bunch of weight for about 4 months after giving birth and then dropped below pre-pregnancy weight until I finished breastfeeding for both of my kids. It takes time and every body reacts differently. Be patient and kind to yourself!

[Anonymous]

Several DAYS? Do you have body image issues in general?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I literally look 7-8 months pregnant, with a huge pregnancy belly still. I always had this "light at the end of the tunnel" mentality towards my pregnancy weight gain, like "at least it will be over soon and my body wont have a huge protruding stomach". But it's been several days and my belly is still massive... I am starting to really dread the idea of summer and going out and realizing that this weight gain may very well stick around (I dont want to diet hardcore until I'm done breastfeeding). I would love to hear from others who have been through it. I was always small before pregnancy and this has been very difficult emotionally.

Don’t worry — I felt the same a few days out and now I’m 4 weeks pp and now down 25 pounds and feeling much better. Stomach isn’t completely flat like pre pregnancy but I look “normal” now in clothes. Would recommend compression leggings/ underwear/ bike shirts from belly bandit they have really helped with feeling more comfortable with my body when going out (to appointments etc).

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I experienced it too, but it always makes me so, so sad when women feel flawed somehow for not being pre-pregnancy weight size soon after having a baby. I just wish it weren’t part of the conversation at all. It will take time OP, I know it’s so weird and disorienting having a new baby and having gone through childbirth. You’re beautiful.

I feel irritated when people feel “so so sad” about women wanting to feel like themselves again. It’s ok to want to lose the weight you gained. You can desire to fit into your thousands of dollars worth of clothes you have sitting in your closet without having an eating disorder.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I experienced it too, but it always makes me so, so sad when women feel flawed somehow for not being pre-pregnancy weight size soon after having a baby. I just wish it weren’t part of the conversation at all. It will take time OP, I know it’s so weird and disorienting having a new baby and having gone through childbirth. You’re beautiful.

I feel irritated when people feel “so so sad” about women wanting to feel like themselves again. It’s ok to want to lose the weight you gained. You can desire to fit into your thousands of dollars worth of clothes you have sitting in your closet without having an eating disorder.

Well the point is you’re still yourself, you just grew a human.

[Anonymous]

It will change before you know it. It’s a big change and your body has a lot of work to do readjusting and rebuilding (you lose things like calcium from your bones in pregnancy). Be kind to your body and give it time. Down the road will be the time to push your body, not now. I agree you might like some of the Velcro body wraps for post partum - I did for a time. They seemed to help me feel some support from my abs immediately after birth.

[Anonymous]

Lol I'm 6 months post partum and still huge...

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I experienced it too, but it always makes me so, so sad when women feel flawed somehow for not being pre-pregnancy weight size soon after having a baby. I just wish it weren’t part of the conversation at all. It will take time OP, I know it’s so weird and disorienting having a new baby and having gone through childbirth. You’re beautiful.

I feel irritated when people feel “so so sad” about women wanting to feel like themselves again. It’s ok to want to lose the weight you gained. You can desire to fit into your thousands of dollars worth of clothes you have sitting in your closet without having an eating disorder.

Exactly. It's also okay to want to feel light and fit in your body, to feel the same sense of bodily awareness/identity that you had for the vast majority of your life (before getting pregnant)

[Anonymous]

I lost 45 lbs of water/liquid weight the first two weeks and then weighed less than I did pre-pregnancy. I also threw up every single day of my pregnancy and couldn’t keep down water. I had an IV for hydration and a pump for Zofran. So I don’t know if I gained any actual weight.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I experienced it too, but it always makes me so, so sad when women feel flawed somehow for not being pre-pregnancy weight size soon after having a baby. I just wish it weren’t part of the conversation at all. It will take time OP, I know it’s so weird and disorienting having a new baby and having gone through childbirth. You’re beautiful.

I feel irritated when people feel “so so sad” about women wanting to feel like themselves again. It’s ok to want to lose the weight you gained. You can desire to fit into your thousands of dollars worth of clothes you have sitting in your closet without having an eating disorder.

I also don't think people understand how much large changes to your body mess with your brain and your sense of presence and identity. How weird and not yourself you can feel after giving birth and how much you feel.like your body isn't your own during this whole process. And just how much giving birth changes your muscles. After my c section I struggled to walk standing straight up for a couple weeks. Having your core strength suddenly gone really messes with how you move and feel. It's easy to accidentally hurt yourself doing the exact same stuff you did just fine a couple months ago.

We put all this pressure on moms to feel certain ways and be happy and it really messes with your brain. It's okay to struggle with this stuff, it's a LOT.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I experienced it too, but it always makes me so, so sad when women feel flawed somehow for not being pre-pregnancy weight size soon after having a baby. I just wish it weren’t part of the conversation at all. It will take time OP, I know it’s so weird and disorienting having a new baby and having gone through childbirth. You’re beautiful.

I feel irritated when people feel “so so sad” about women wanting to feel like themselves again. It’s ok to want to lose the weight you gained. You can desire to fit into your thousands of dollars worth of clothes you have sitting in your closet without having an eating disorder.

I also don't think people understand how much large changes to your body mess with your brain and your sense of presence and identity. How weird and not yourself you can feel after giving birth and how much you feel.like your body isn't your own during this whole process. And just how much giving birth changes your muscles. After my c section I struggled to walk standing straight up for a couple weeks. Having your core strength suddenly gone really messes with how you move and feel. It's easy to accidentally hurt yourself doing the exact same stuff you did just fine a couple months ago.

We put all this pressure on moms to feel certain ways and be happy and it really messes with your brain. It's okay to struggle with this stuff, it's a LOT.

+1 in addition to the overwhelming pregnancy/postpartum hormones

[Anonymous]

You sound like my DH who thought the belly would just deflate like a balloon, lol. That's not how the human body works.