post-partum weight loss!

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  • kenlwal
    kenlwal Posts: 13
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    I gained 29 pounds during my pregnancy. At 6 weeks I had lost all but 10 pounds. It seemed like it took forever to get those last 10 pounds off but now I'm even 10 pounds smaller than I was before getting pregnant. My advice if you are still pregnant is try to eat healthy and stay as active as possible during pregnancy and it will be so much easier to lose afterwards. Also, give your body time to heal after giving birth. Honestly, you will probably so busy and tired those first couple of weeks that you will forget to eat...that's what happened to me anyways. Drink tons of water, walk as much as possible and wait at least 4-6 weeks after giving birth before you really start working out. What really helped too for me was staying on a 1200 count calorie diet (if you are breastfeeding though talk to your dr because you will need more calories). Also, once I started running (which I despised until recently) the pounds really started melting off. Good luck and congrats!!!
  • lilchino4af
    lilchino4af Posts: 1,292 Member
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    I gained 46 lbs for my pregnancy and at 3 weeks PP have only 21 lbs left to go for pre-pregnancy weight. I exclusively BF and she's been eating a TON since she lost more weight than normal after birth so we had more weight to make up (so many feedings!!!). When pregnant, I found it hard to stick to my calories as you can tell from my weight gain, but the reverse is the case; I have fewer cals to maintain (no longer trying to gain haha) and including cals for BF, I can't seem to eat them all and I haven't even started working out fully again! Trying to get my LO on a better feeding routine so she'll sleep better at night so we can get more rest and hopefully more energy into actually making decent meals to meet those cals requirements.
  • jmcreynolds91
    jmcreynolds91 Posts: 777 Member
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    Hi, my daughter is 7 months. I gained about 45 pounds with her. At 6 weeks pp, I wasn't quite back to prepregnancy weight I think about 10 pounds away. Now I am about 15 pounds under prepregnancy :) I definitely credit breastfeeding, staying active as I have a 3 year old too, and eating smaller portions. It actually came off very easy. Good luck to you and your bundle on the way!!
  • zephtalah
    zephtalah Posts: 327 Member
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    Very cool for most of you who had the weight come off right away. My youngest are 1 year old and all of their baby weight is gone plus another 15 from a previous pregnancy. I have come home from the hospital weighing what I did going in, and the weight doesn't just fall off of me after that. I have to work it off. I have nursed all 7 of my children. I weigh less now than when my husband and I got married. I just have to eat right and exercise to get it off. Walking really helps me lose the weight. Strength exercises are great for a better shape, but I don't lose weight when I do those. So I do both walking and strengthening exercises. My children are all close in age so for most of my children I had lost the weight by 9 months post partum, but truthfully I don't stress about it in those early days. Sleep and cuddles are far more important to me at that point. They are only that tiny once! Enjoy the smell of your new baby. Enjoy the soft feel of his skin. Enjoy the contented look on his face after a good nursing. Strap on the baby and take a walk as you can (especially during those evening cranky times). Best wishes for you and your little one.

    P.S. Also remember different deliveries take different times to physically heal from. Some of my babies I was out and about the next day going shopping with my mom (and baby of course). Some of them it took waaaayyyy longer to even feel human again. Listen to your body and don't rush the healing process ( it won't work). If you aren't ready to do what someone else has done by a certain point that's okay. You will get there. Do what you can and forget the rest. :)
  • stellcorb
    stellcorb Posts: 294 Member
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    I'm not so recently post partum (Nora is 8.5 mos) but I can share. Was at my low weight when I got pregnant (this time) and gained just over 30 lbs... down 12 right after delievery and breast fed exslusively (she's eating baby food now but I'm still breastfeeding). By 6 weeks pp I was down 20ish but still 3 sizes bigger than pre-preggo. Stayed active during my pregnancy (elliptical and walking min 30 min 6-7 days a week) and ate okay... healthy stuff paired with more sugar than I should've. I'm still about 6 lbs above my optimal weight which is okay... but my size is larger than I would expect for my current weight. Guess the second kid really spreads those hips!
    FYI... my first pregnancy was MUCH different.... I started 30 lbs over and gained 50 and joined MFP 9 mos pp w/ 30lbs of baby weight and 30 lbs of lazy weight to lose.
  • joolzknightgray
    joolzknightgray Posts: 4 Member
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    I was not so lucky as some of you! I gained 60 total. I was huge with excess water for 4 weeks after delivery. At 6-week check-up, I had lost the initial 30 and could finally wear pants (not my pre prego jeans by any means). Now I am 3.5 months out and the scale has not moved. I was an avid spinner up until my 8th month. I am not able to attend my 5 am classes yet with my little one still waking at night, so I have decided to step it up in my garage! I started the 30 day shred today along with eating healthy. I am hoping for great results!:wink:
  • DorkothyParker
    DorkothyParker Posts: 618 Member
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    Here is me:

    Gained 31 lbs in 41 weeks of pregnancy (148 total) Lost first 14-17 lbs in the first 3 weeks. It bounced around in that range (131-134) until I stopped breastfeeding. Could not get rid of any weight while breastfeeding. Then I got down to 126 with 1 lb/week fairly effortlessly. Stagnated a couple weeks. Been trying to work harder counting calories/running last couple weeks and am down to 124.5.

    TL;DR: Not a lot of water weight gained, not a lot of early loss as a result.
    Couldn't lose weight while breastfeeding (tried everything within reason of my already crappy supply).
  • labtracks
    labtracks Posts: 108 Member
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    I gained 37 and had lost 22 by 6 weeks pretty effortlessly. The last 15 has hung on. It absolutely would not budge while I was breastfeeding... despite what everyone says, it does not help every body type lose weight. I religiously logged by meals, adjusted calories up and down and walked my dog 2 miles a day then ran 2 miles 3 times per week and did workout videos while he napped. Nothing worked... I would go down 2 pounds then right back up. Leaving me with the same darn 15... I got SO frustrated.
    When I stopped breastfeeding I dropped 5 pounds in 2 weeks without changes. Since then I have slowly re-upped by exercise (I always remained active, my dog won't let me sit around too much)... and I have continue to lose about .5 per week... which I am happy with. I'm at 13 months now and still have just under 5 pounds to go.
    Do not stress too much. I got very frustrated, but especially if you are breastfeeding, remember that your first priority and your body's first job is to be nourishing your baby. Some bodies do that different than others. I read a LOT about weight loss after pregnancy when I was so frustrated and it sounds like the average time to get back to pre-preggo weight is 18 months. That's pretty much the track I am on (slightly sooner) and I'm okay with that. I am definitely healthier now that I was before and way more aware of foods/nutrition... it's been discouraging at times, but overall this journey has been very rewarding.
  • mommywife04
    mommywife04 Posts: 6 Member
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    I gained 70 lbs and lost 37 by my 6 wk check up. I did have access fluid though and I pumped and BF for the first 2 months.
  • MercenaryNoetic26
    MercenaryNoetic26 Posts: 2,747 Member
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    I'm 7mo pp and still breast pumping approx 24oz daily. I'm 5'2" small frame. I've had 2 csecs.

    So I went from 117-160's while preggers. I had a csec and a nagging pain in the rt groin so was chicken to work out. So by 6wks I think I was in the 130's. I ate decent portions and healthy most of the time so steadily lost weight with diet alone. I was @ 123 a few weeks ago when I started working out with weights again. I'm now @ 119 and oh so close to pre-pregnancy weight and goal weight of 115. My goal is to gain back lost muscle while dropping body fat.

    Anyway, all women are different and have different goals. My progress was not as instant as others. I could've started moving sooner, but didn't. The point is, it's happening now and I'm happy.

    I'm not sure how lactating played into it. I do that for my baby, though, you are supposed to burn more calories. I make sure to take in all necessary vitamins and nutrition for the both of us.