Post Partum Weight Loss - What are your experiences?

After 1 year post delivery, have you reverted back to pre-pregnancy weight?

  • Yes - and was breastfeeding

    Votes: 51 51.5%
  • Yes - and was not breastfeeding

    Votes: 14 14.1%
  • No - and was breast feeding

    Votes: 25 25.3%
  • No - and was not breast feeding

    Votes: 9 9.1%

  • Total voters
    99

FTMummy

Registered User
Hello fellow mummies! I would like to ask from your experiences whether you have managed to revert back to pre-pregnancy weight after 1 year after the delivery. I'm in month 10, post partum and still have 10lb to 15lbs left and have become a little concerned at the lack of progress. I exercise regularly and eat healthily, but do not breastfeed. I know, I know...lots of people say don't worry you will .... but I can't help myself. :treadmill
 
hi there

well my experience is that i lost the weight quite quickly. it's been just under 3 months since i had my baby girl, though i am breastfeeding so it helps to lose it much quicker. the problem i have though is the loose bulge around my middle. im much too tired to go to the gym and can't help snacking as i get so hungry quickly from all the feeds i do. i will have to start watching my diet as i am eating way too much snacky food as opposed to nutriious snacks.. especially sweets which i never liked before my pregnancy days.

just keep at it.. i'm sure your body will lose the weight in due time.. keep up the exercises, and eat healthy!

:bounce:
 
breastfeeding doesn't help everyone lose the weight... i was lighter after i gave birth than when i got pregnant....had horrible morning sickness and lost 20 lbs in the first 15-20 weeks of pregnancy....

after my boy arrived, i breastfed as much as possible... while i was doing this, i was starving all the time, and subsequently put on more AFTER the birth than before....

it's been 9 months now and i'm slowly taking it off again... my problem: i want to have another baby next year. i HAVE to take this weight off now, or else i'll look like a WHALE by the time the next one arrives!

good luck everyone!
 
Hey! Thanks for sharing. I feel the exact same way as you, Carang - I must lose this weight now otherwise I'll feel a little off next year if and when the next one comes. But even though I feel this way, a small part of me thinks - who cares...there are better and more important things that come out of the whole pregnancy experience (i.e., the baby :missingto ) to really worry about a few extra pounds. But then again, it would be nice to at least attempt to be a yummy mummy. :wow: lol . (kidding!).
 
Exclusive breastfeeding requires around an extra 500 calories a day. To burn of the equivalent number of calories a non-breastfeeding mother would need to swim 30 laps or ride a bicycle for over an hour.

Some mothers find they feel hungrier when breastfeeding and so eat more than they normally would. 500 calories is about 10 apples or half a slice of chocolate cake.

It is difficult to eat an extra 10 apples a day so a mother getting her extra calories from apples is likely to lose weight while breastfeeding.

It is very easy, however, to eat a whole slice instead of just half a slice of chocolate cake so a mother getting her extra calories from chocolate cake is likely to gain weight while breastfeeding.

If you are breastfeeding gradual weight loss of about one pound per week, while consuming about 1,500 to 1,800 calories per day, will help you to feel good and have the energy you need to care for your baby. The composition of your milk really does not vary much with your diet. (Mothers in famine conditions can produce milk that is nutritionally perfect for their babies.) However, your health may suffer if too many of your own reserves are used to provide milk. It takes a lot of energy to care for your baby so be sure to take care of yourself by "eating to hunger" and "drinking to thirst."

Good luck with your weight loss,
SARAH
 
well... i wasn't eating chocolate cake... more like peanut butter sandwiches!

i was SOOOOOOOO hungry, i couldn't think straight....

anyway, like i said, it's starting to come off now that i'm not BF anymore and i'm watching what/how much i eat very very carefully!
 
goodness.....30 laps / treadmill for over an hour..... well, looks like it will take a bit more time for me. I go to the gym 2 or 3 times a week for about 45 minutes and eat healthily.... :treadmill thanks anyways! have a good one today...
 
I'm not a sporty person, and have no idea where and what to do. Two weeks ago I bought a DVD produced by a private hospital, demonstrated by a physiotherapist. I've been following the aerobics exercises for 30 mins or more if I have the time. They're easy to follow. I've lost only 2 pounds so far, especially I ate more during the first few days. The greatest gain is I've got rid of the fatigue I've been feeling for years since my child was born. The demonstrator lost 117 kcals and 50% fat of the kcals during her 30 min demonstration. It's only $40, can do it anytime. Btw, I've got no commission but I just love this DVD. :dance:

Carang,

Sorry to hear about your morning sickness. Have you tried ginger tea or ginger candy? I had had excessive stomach acid when I was pregnant, but no morning sickness. I always felt hungry and felt a little sick at times, and I ate ginger candy and soda crackers to solve my hunger. I managed to control my weight until the last month of my pregnancy. I also cooked bird's nest which solved many of my little problems.

Mammalicious,

As for loose tummy, my friend advised me to wear a corset immediatey after childbirth for a month. I didn't because mine wasn't loose, but big. I've been trying tummy massaging in a beauty salon. My tummy has flattened a bit. But be careful when choosing a beauty salon, many of them just keep on pressing you for money.

Btw, I've observed that many moms (esp. working moms) with two children are thin, heavy workload and not enough sleep. When your child turns 1 and starts walking, you'll feel the difference.

Good luck everybody. :gl:
 
Yeah, I am working full time, been doing it since my baby was 4 months. She is about to turn 9 months. I have lost more weight than I had originally. I am breastfeeding, but not to the same extent as I was 3 months ago.
I still nurse her every night, so maybe it's the night wakes that helped me lose the weight. Gosh, I am now wearing clothes I had not been able to fit more than 5 years ago. Though my body shape has changed a little. I worry that when I stop BF, I may gain back all the weight, or that if I keep losing and become too thin - become undernourised - as I plan to have a second soon. I am supplementing to make sure that I am not undernourished. I don't think I am over-eating or under-eating. I eat whenever I am hungry, I don't exercise! Though I should. :banana:

I think as long as you eat healthily, you should be able to regain your weight. I don't normally snack so that also helps.......but I do love my food!! :haha:
 
I exercised (weight lifting and cross trainer) until the week before my baby was born and I managed to lose all my baby weight within 6 weeks. I was also very hungry all the time as I was breastfeeding exclusively, but I think the biggest factor is what you eat. I am still breastfeeding (my daughter is 11 months old), I only started exercising (Pilates) last week and I haven't put on any weight, in fact I'm still about 4 pounds less than when I first got pregnant. So for me, it's wasn't the exercise, but my diet and breastfeeding that made the biggest difference, although taking your baby for a walk every day is a good routine to get into (and exercise is great for improving energy and a positive outlook on life).

My advice is eat healthy and drink lots of water. If you are craving sweets eat fruit with the skins on (when applicable), or have a bowl of oatmeal with raisins or other dried fruit. Eating fiber rich foods, such as 100% whole grain breads and cereals, brown and/or wild rice, is a great way to feel full and helps your body stay running properly. For salty cravings eat rold gold pretzels or low fat popcorn rather than chips or fries. Even the way you cook makes a big difference. Use a small amount of olive oil when necessary and steam or bake rather than fry fish, veggies and chicken.

I too am looking at getting pregnant again in the next few months and I think that gaining a healthy amount of weight during pregnancy really helps in getting back in shape quickly. I gained 22lbs my first pregnancy and I was able to do that by eating healthy (like described above) and eating more often throughout the day.

Good luck!
 

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