Over 30s Moms - is it really possible to get back the pre-baby body?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I had a baby at 38 and look exactly the same as I did before getting pregnant--about 7 lbs above my ideal weight, no stretch marks, boobs the same.

Yes it's possible, and probably has a lot to do with genetics, at least in my case.

...and having only one baby.

I find there is a BIG difference when you go through pregnancy more than once. Ballooning and going up and down reeks havoc on the skin.

17:03 here and I didn't look terrible after my first (only 9 pounds). It is the cumulative stretching out, I think.

[Anonymous]

It's amazing how much permanently stretched and damaged skin is removed from a tummy tuck. And the muscle repair that happens. No amount of dieting or working out will fix these injuries.

[Anonymous]

to answer OP's question: no.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Tummy tuck and lipo are the only way. Your body muscles and fat deposit was changed due to the baby and pregnancy hormones.

speak for yourself! Having 2 kids really kicked my ass into working out and eating well. I have NO loose skin or stretched out skin and have body fat percentage at 18%. I would say I looked sub par for about a year after having my second.

[Anonymous]

^^Like PP, having kids really motivated me to work out more and with good results. I'm definitely a work in progress, but the nice thing is, once you are our age and have kids, you look hotter in comparison to others because not many others are interested in eating well and exercising.

The other thing, is having kids and getting older have given me a sense of self confidence I never had even as a "hot" woman in my late teens and early 20s. I think that makes me more attractive.

[Anonymous]

there answer is "sort of"- I lost all 40lbs in the first year post baby. But my boobs are flat and sagging, luckily they were small to begin with so not in horrible shape. At this age you MUST include more weight training and high intensity training. Just walking won't cut it. Sagging skin/stretch marks are a more a function of genetici luck. I would strongly you suggest a trainer and crossfit.

[Anonymous]

Every body is different. I'm 45 and have two kids. In the best shape of my life physically but more importantly emotionally. Read Brene Brown if you have not already. I think it should be required reading for all new moms. A confident healthy mom is beautiful. Period.

[Anonymous]

I am 44. Gave birth naturally at 35 and one month after I turn 38.

I am the same weight as I was pre-baby---same weight as I was in my 20s...even though I gained 50 and 45 lbs. respectively. I have always been very athletic and I have always worked out 6 days per week since my early 20s. Weights, bootcamps, marathons, spinning, pilates, running...you name it.

I am not exactly the same even though the fat is gone and the muscles are hard again. At 44--there is a tiny bit of loose skin on my abs which wasn't even there after my 2nd kid. I think this is age-related---but also wouldn't be there if I hadn't had the prior pregnancies. IT's prob. most noticeable to me alone--but I am a perfectionist.

Depending on delivery method, skin tone, genetics and amout of hard work in exercise and fitness...maybe' is my answer. I definitely have slightly larger rib cage..and slightly wider hips (not due to fat).

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I am 44. Gave birth naturally at 35 and one month after I turn 38.

I am the same weight as I was pre-baby---same weight as I was in my 20s...even though I gained 50 and 45 lbs. respectively. I have always been very athletic and I have always worked out 6 days per week since my early 20s. Weights, bootcamps, marathons, spinning, pilates, running...you name it.

I am not exactly the same even though the fat is gone and the muscles are hard again. At 44--there is a tiny bit of loose skin on my abs which wasn't even there after my 2nd kid. I think this is age-related---but also wouldn't be there if I hadn't had the prior pregnancies. IT's prob. most noticeable to me alone--but I am a perfectionist.

Depending on delivery method, skin tone, genetics and amout of hard work in exercise and fitness...maybe' is my answer. I definitely have slightly larger rib cage..and slightly wider hips (not due to fat).

meant 'exactly the same weight',,,not 'exactly the same'. Big difference!!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:^^Like PP, having kids really motivated me to work out more and with good results. I'm definitely a work in progress, but the nice thing is, once you are our age and have kids, you look hotter in comparison to others because not many others are interested in eating well and exercising.
The other thing, is having kids and getting older have given me a sense of self confidence I never had even as a "hot" woman in my late teens and early 20s. I think that makes me more attractive.

Ha! This is so true.

[Anonymous]

I'm 39 and have had 3 kids.

Honest answer for a person w/ 3+ kids -- I don't know. I think probably not without some "help" b/c of the extra skin. I think I look *almost* as good as I did pre-kids in my late 20s after a LOT of hard work (think hard core exercise and dieting). But my stomach - while flat - is definitely "looser".

I'm still working on it though so we shall see if the skin grows a bit tighter on its own. I'm in better shape though than pre-kids. I also lucked out and never got stretch marks.

FWIW - I did not have the loose skin problem until after I gave birth a third time.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I'm 39 and have had 3 kids.

Honest answer for a person w/ 3+ kids -- I don't know. I think probably not without some "help" b/c of the extra skin. I think I look *almost* as good as I did pre-kids in my late 20s after a LOT of hard work (think hard core exercise and dieting). But my stomach - while flat - is definitely "looser".

I'm still working on it though so we shall see if the skin grows a bit tighter on its own. I'm in better shape though than pre-kids. I also lucked out and never got stretch marks.

FWIW - I did not have the loose skin problem until after I gave birth a third time.

PP here, who's mostly back to shape after two kids: the bolded above is what I'm afraid of. I've lucked out and not gotten stretch marks with the first two, who knows what the third will hold. Thankfully I have some time to get back in better shape until we start TTC number three. We'll see. Cutting back on breast-feeding and running with the double jogging stroller is starting to make a difference, so I'm optimistic!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I'm 39 and have had 3 kids.

Honest answer for a person w/ 3+ kids -- I don't know. I think probably not without some "help" b/c of the extra skin. I think I look *almost* as good as I did pre-kids in my late 20s after a LOT of hard work (think hard core exercise and dieting). But my stomach - while flat - is definitely "looser".

I'm still working on it though so we shall see if the skin grows a bit tighter on its own. I'm in better shape though than pre-kids. I also lucked out and never got stretch marks.

FWIW - I did not have the loose skin problem until after I gave birth a third time.

PP here, who's mostly back to shape after two kids: the bolded above is what I'm afraid of. I've lucked out and not gotten stretch marks with the first two, who knows what the third will hold. Thankfully I have some time to get back in better shape until we start TTC number three. We'll see. Cutting back on breast-feeding and running with the double jogging stroller is starting to make a difference, so I'm optimistic!

Cutting back on breastfeeding so you can look better?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I'm 39 and have had 3 kids.

Honest answer for a person w/ 3+ kids -- I don't know. I think probably not without some "help" b/c of the extra skin. I think I look *almost* as good as I did pre-kids in my late 20s after a LOT of hard work (think hard core exercise and dieting). But my stomach - while flat - is definitely "looser".

I'm still working on it though so we shall see if the skin grows a bit tighter on its own. I'm in better shape though than pre-kids. I also lucked out and never got stretch marks.

FWIW - I did not have the loose skin problem until after I gave birth a third time.

PP here, who's mostly back to shape after two kids: the bolded above is what I'm afraid of. I've lucked out and not gotten stretch marks with the first two, who knows what the third will hold. Thankfully I have some time to get back in better shape until we start TTC number three. We'll see. Cutting back on breast-feeding and running with the double jogging stroller is starting to make a difference, so I'm optimistic!

Cutting back on breastfeeding so you can look better?

Sigh. Really?

[Anonymous]

It's ok to cut back on breastfeeding. Breastfeeding is not the be all end all of motherhood and I wasn't able to lose weight until I weaned. (New poster here). Can we NOT turn this thread into a milk war thread?