anyone else with postpartum weight loss issues?
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ps412
Posts: 4 Member
Hi Moms,
I am 3 1/2 months postpartum. I had a vaginal delivery complicated by very extensive tearing and I was unable to do much of anything for about 6 weeks. Because I was so exhausted for weeks from the pain, breastfeeding got off to a very bad start and I always had to supplement. Once I was feeling a bit better, around the 6 week mark, I did make a full fledged effort to exclusively breast feed but was never able to do it successfully, and ended up starting the weaning process for multiple reasons. I completely stopped BF'ing 2 weeks ago. Prepregnancy I weighed 113 lbs (I am 5'0"). I gained 35 lbs during the pregnancy and weighed 148 just before I delivered. In the first 6 weeks, I lost 12 pounds to 136-137 lbs and then it just stayed there for weeks. I never lost any weight while breastfeeding. Once I started weaning, I ended up gaining back a few pounds. Now I am 139-140 for the past 5 weeks and the scale won't budge! Since week 8, I started working with a trainer once a week and also do brisk walking 2-3 additional times per week. I eat about 1500-1700 calories a day. I am so frustrated with the lack of weight loss. My OB does not think this is normal at all but can't figure out what is wrong. I've had my thyroid checked multiple times and it is normal.
I am terrified that I will never be able to lose the weight! On all the forums I have searched, I haven't been able to find anyone who is holding on to this much weight at this time point. Anyone else with similar issues with postpartum weight loss (or lack of)??
I am 3 1/2 months postpartum. I had a vaginal delivery complicated by very extensive tearing and I was unable to do much of anything for about 6 weeks. Because I was so exhausted for weeks from the pain, breastfeeding got off to a very bad start and I always had to supplement. Once I was feeling a bit better, around the 6 week mark, I did make a full fledged effort to exclusively breast feed but was never able to do it successfully, and ended up starting the weaning process for multiple reasons. I completely stopped BF'ing 2 weeks ago. Prepregnancy I weighed 113 lbs (I am 5'0"). I gained 35 lbs during the pregnancy and weighed 148 just before I delivered. In the first 6 weeks, I lost 12 pounds to 136-137 lbs and then it just stayed there for weeks. I never lost any weight while breastfeeding. Once I started weaning, I ended up gaining back a few pounds. Now I am 139-140 for the past 5 weeks and the scale won't budge! Since week 8, I started working with a trainer once a week and also do brisk walking 2-3 additional times per week. I eat about 1500-1700 calories a day. I am so frustrated with the lack of weight loss. My OB does not think this is normal at all but can't figure out what is wrong. I've had my thyroid checked multiple times and it is normal.
I am terrified that I will never be able to lose the weight! On all the forums I have searched, I haven't been able to find anyone who is holding on to this much weight at this time point. Anyone else with similar issues with postpartum weight loss (or lack of)??
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Replies
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1. With my son I had a vaginal delivery and second degree tearing. Lost 30 lbs. postpartum, weaned him at 1 month. My body holds on to fat while breastfeeding - lots of women have this problem and it seems you did too. It's hormones. I then gained back 10 due to postpartum depression.
2. With my daughter born 4/25 premature via C-Section I lost a whopping six pounds and have stayed there. I weaned two weeks ago and I'm not on a doctor-assisted weight loss program.
3. Give yourself a break. You just had a baby and your hormones are going to take a while to get regulated - if our hormones are out of whack it's very hard if not impossible to lose weight. In a couple weeks I am getting my hormones tested, they wouldn't do it last week because I just stopped breastfeeding and haven't gotten my period yet.
Many women go through this struggle, you aren't alone! Check out the Post Partum Pack group board, there are people on there who might be able to give you more advice :-)0 -
Agreed, you have to be a little more patient. I know that's a lot to ask! I FF after my first and lost easily - probably mostly because I was eating 1200 calories - but I BF my second and couldn't lose weight to save my life. Even after weaning I lost for a couple of weeks and then stalled out for over two weeks even though I was eating appropriately and working out. I think the initial weight loss was due to my milk drying up, then my hormones got all wacky when my body figured out that BFing was over, like a last-ditch effort to keep it up just in case, and I stalled.
My suggestion is to stick with it, and maybe try lowering your calories a bit, then maybe going back up, then down. I generally eat between 1500 and 1700/day, but I occasionally have a 1200-1400 day in there. I try to eat back about half of my exercise calories.
Hormones can be a pain, and everyone is different. Some women lose super easily postpartum, BFing or not, and some don't. In the next couple of weeks your hormones should even out more, and as your body settles in back to normal again (ovulation, periods, etc), and then hopefully it'll be easier to lose. It's good that you've had your thyroid checked, though, because that can be the culprit.0 -
Also - I am holding on to 40 pounds, I didn't make that clear!0
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I'm nearly 8 months postpartum (c-section that was a lovely experience). I lost the weight in a couple weeks and thought "well, I rock!" but a lot of it crept up in the following months. I, too, struggled with bf'ing and stopped completely at 3 months.
I'm a SAHM who wakes up at 5 AM so I can shower and eat breakfast before she gets up, but then it's all about chasing her down the rest of the day (she started crawling at 5 months, climbing stairs at 7). I walk about 6 miles a day but my body has never responded well to walking in terms of weight loss. Dinner is always as a family but lunch is a total crapshoot as to if I even get to eat it. Today I found myself eating half a bag of her fish crackers & a cup of raspberries for lunch!
Just recently the weight is starting to fall off again. So what I'm saying is, it'll happen in time. Even if you're "doing everything right" sometimes it just feels the need to hang around a little longer than we want it to! Recently I stopped logging and stressing, and broke the plateau! I'm sure you will too!!0 -
I'm 13 weeks post partum with my third, and also getting annoyed about weight loss. I haven't stepped on the scale yet, but I don't feel like I look significantly thinner. I work out 5 times a week and run round after 3 kids (my others are 5 and 3). We go out every day for walks, or they go on their scooters. Yesterday we went to the beach and the park. My son is on Summer holidays now (we're in England) but I was walking him to/from school until July 22nd.
I had a vaginal delivery with no tearing so went back to the gym after my 6 week check, although I was walking from about a week post partum. I've got my calorie goal as 1660 calories, and i don't eat back exercise calories. Oh, and I'm formula feeding with one bf in the night. My daughter lost too much weight despite non-stop bf-ing so the decision wasn't mine. The same has happened with my other children.
However, I know from my precious two that weight loss does take a while to kick in, and I do eventually lose. I remember nearly crying in the gym after my 2nd when I'd only lost something like 4lbs in my first month back despite 1200 calories a day and working out 5 times a week and walking pretty much every day. I went on to lose 66lbs and was the thinnest I'd been for 10 years.
I think we still have all those pregnancy and breastfeeding hormones in our bodies and it takes a while for weight loss to happen, and then it happens all of a sudden.
Feel free to add me if you want support.0 -
Thanks for all the support ladies! I will also try posting on the Post Partum Pack board to get some more feedback. Hang in there!0
