Postpartum Body - feeling absolutely awful and gross

[Anonymous]

I'm coming on 2 months pp, and my body is just gross. I knew I would get bad stretched marks (it runs in my family and no amount of lotions/oils stopped those bad boys) and expected skin to sag, but I can't even look in the mirror somedays, I look gross.


Yes, I have heard the rants of you brought life into this world, some women are never able to have children, it's a blessing, etc., yes I get that. None of these change the way I feel. Just wanted to see if other women are experiencing this as well and how to mentally deal with this.

[Anonymous]

I’m a few weeks postpartum and I get so sad when I catch a glimpse of my tummy in the mirror before I get in the shower. Also didn’t realize my butt would turn flat and squishy too. My husband is so sweet and tries to make me feel better but I agree, I just feel gross!

[Anonymous]

You’re only 2 months pp. Stop looking in the mirror. It will get better with time (not back to pre-baby, but better). Give it at least 6 months.

[Anonymous]

Took me 1.5 years. Hang in there.

[Anonymous]

It’s cliche, but it took 10 months to put it on, and it will take at least that to take it off. I’m 5 years out from my youngest (10 from my oldest) and only now feel like my body belongs to me again. Exercise is huge for me — not necessarily for the physical changes, but for the mental changes. Gardening is another one (go figure - I’ve always had a black thumb before now). Find what works for you. The more I have felt in control of my pony, the more my body has morphed to reflect me once again. But it took a LONG time.

[Anonymous]

Pp here....not “pony”. Pretty sure that is a missed-autocorrect for “body”.....

[Anonymous]

Give yourself at least 9 months but really more like a year. Everything gets back to normal in about a year. Breastfeeding helps with weight loss.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Give yourself at least 9 months but really more like a year. Everything gets back to normal in about a year. Breastfeeding helps with weight loss.

+1

In my experience, I felt gross until all of a sudden, things got better. When I was in my late 20s, it was around 6 months, and in my mid 30s, around a year. Some women hold onto weight while breastfeeding and find that it falls off once they wean. I try to be especially kind to myself in the year postpartum.

[Anonymous]

I'm 5 months PP and also have a 10 year old son. At around 5 years PP with my son I had a crazy good body from super clean eating and working out. You'll can get there eventually, just be patient with yourself.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Give yourself at least 9 months but really more like a year. Everything gets back to normal in about a year. Breastfeeding helps with weight loss.

It doesn't with some women. I couldn't work out (clogged ducts). And I was RAVENOUS.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Give yourself at least 9 months but really more like a year. Everything gets back to normal in about a year. Breastfeeding helps with weight loss.

It doesn't with some women. I couldn't work out (clogged ducts). And I was RAVENOUS.

I lost ten lbs and got below pre baby weight after I weaned.

[Anonymous]

9 months postpartum and I feel the same way.

I'm pretty sure my body is holding onto some extra weight from breastfeeding, but the pandemic has also made it really hard to burn calories. I can't go to the gym, I'm not commuting on foot or bike and I'm basically just at home other than a daily walk with the baby. My body is jello and my hips feel enormous.

I'm trying to remember that it's not just the baby weight, it's also the pandemic. I expected by now I'd be getting exercise commuting, could work out at my office gym and just in general would be able to be more active. Not at all how I expected postpartum to be.

[Anonymous]

With DC1 - it took me 3 years to get back to a very good shape without any changes in exercise or diet. My friend went all in with eating clean and exercise and she looked great after 10 months. Another friends took around 1.5 years to get back in shape after moderate exercise.

You will like your body once again and things will get better.

What was actually a bigger adjustment for me was how sex felt different and it was harder to orgasm after having a baby. I had to explore how my body had changed and what felt good sexually. At one point I felt that I could never orgasm again or feel any sensation and that was pretty devastating. However, the sensations did come back but how I orgasmed had changed fundamentally.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Give yourself at least 9 months but really more like a year. Everything gets back to normal in about a year. Breastfeeding helps with weight loss.

It doesn't with some women. I couldn't work out (clogged ducts). And I was RAVENOUS.

I lost ten lbs and got below pre baby weight after I weaned.

+1 bfeeding is when I packed it on

[Anonymous]

I found this in recent topics, and I suspect this won’t be a popular answer, but I dealt with it by getting a tummy tuck. Wait until you’re done having kids. Wear spanx in the meantime. Yes, exercise, but that won’t firm up your loose skin.

I disagree with PPs. Waiting a year will help with the weight loss and stuff, but the stretch marks are likely there to stay. You might feel less gross overtime (less tired, stronger, better rested, etc), but these people who claim that after 8 months, their skin just magically tightened up and everything went back to normal have just forgotten what they looked like beforehand.