Stress and sleep deprivation

maryorpwood

Okay, guys, I really need some help.

I had a baby over a year ago, and have been trying to lose the weight I gained while pregnant since she was about 2 months old. Well, a year on, and I've not lost a single pound.

The biggest issue I have is that my daughter has a very rare medical condition, and has to eat every few hours, otherwise she becomes extremely unwell. She ended up in a critical condition in PICU a couple of months ago after catching a 24 hour stomach bug, so it's not something we can afford to take lightly.

Unfortunately, her condition means that I'm up feeding her at least twice a night, and, if she hasn't eaten well that day, it can be as often as every 30 minutes. Basically, we've been stuck in the newborn stage for over a year. And, after nearly 15 months of about 4 hours of interrupted sleep a night, I'm exhausted.

I know that both stress and sleep deprivation hinder weight loss. I even know what specifically is the issue in my case. I crave carbs and sugar after rough nights, and I'll pick at whatever (high calorie, high carb) food my daughter leaves after her many, many meals. I'm hoping that logging food will make me more aware of what I'm actually eating and reduce my calorie intake, I just want to find the energy to be able to exercise more at the same time. All I can manage at the moment is going on a 5 mile walk 2-3 times a week.

Does anyone have any tips on weight loss and exercise during periods of stress and exhaustion?

LyndaBSS

First thing, please accept a warm hug from me for you and your precious child. ❤

Is there anyone who can help you so that you can get longer periods of sleep?

Stress and exhaustion both can make you retain water. So that's working against you already. I actually wouldn't want to see you exercise much due to the lack of rest. I might be wrong, though. Let's see what others think.

Maybe some moms here can help more than I can.

Five0Six

Please note that as a mother of a small child, you are getting in way more exercise than you think. Getting up multiple times a night, chasing after your daughter, etc is burning more calories than you might think. While I don't have any practical advice, I can say that what you're going through sounds immensely difficult and you should take all the time and rest that you can get.

catalina2day

Hello lovely lady, it is not easy what you are doing, being up all day and night.First of all, love yourself the way you are! Take it easy, logging your calories and just taking your baby in the stroller for a walk should help you towards getting fit. Prioritize your mental health being , and being out, socializing and get some sun should help. Try having a support person, family or friend to take over sometimes your baby care. And don’t look into that magic weight loss within a short time frame, do more like a 1 year time. It will work better. Wish you all the best!

NovusDies

Your situation sounds incredibly tough. Would it be safe to assume that you are not gaining weight either? I can't guide you but knowing whether or not you are currently weight stable might be useful information to someone who can.

Take care.

kshama2001

All I can offer is sympathy. I crave high calorie carbs when I am sleep deprived too, but it happens far less often for me.

I guess your best bet is training yourself to eat differently. Easier said than done, I know, and not something I have mastered myself.

Mindfulness will help

ps - can you take your daughter with you on shorter walk more often?

maryorpwood

NovusDies wrote: »

Your situation sounds incredibly tough. Would it be safe to assume that you are not gaining weight either? I can't guide you but knowing whether or not you are currently weight stable might be useful information to someone who can.

Take care.

My weight fluctuates by 5-10lbs, but, on average, I haven't lost anything since she was 2 months old, so in just over a year.