When is it no longer "baby weight" TO YOU?

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Replies

  • Swimgoddess
    Swimgoddess Posts: 711 Member
    Thank you ladyhawk00!! :D

    We all have VERY different experiences. Regardless, we all have accomplished something wonderful. A few pounds is NOTHING compared to our little one's smiles! Worth...it...every...time.
  • deeharley
    deeharley Posts: 1,208 Member
    My youngest is 11, so I'm pretty sure I'm almost done calling it baby weight. :)
  • Swimgoddess
    Swimgoddess Posts: 711 Member
    It's no longer baby weight when you have the baby. Getting pregnant doesn't mean you have to gain xtra weight. I had two kids and put my pre pregnancy clothes on to leave the hospital. With both kids.

    *low whistle* yeah, see... even I couldn't do that.
  • You look amazing already, but good luck with achieving your goal. I gained about 28lbs when pregnant then a further 28lb since giving birth as I was just constantly drinking energy drinks.... Constantly!!!! I'm only on my diet a week and I've already lost 14lb just from giving up redbull. I would have hoped to have made some significant inroads into my weightloss by 6months post partum but that just didn't happen for me. I'm fairly isolated where I live and have little support with the baby, my partner works abroad so it's just me and baby 24/7.... hence the redbull. In saying that I've tonnes of energy since giving up fizzy drinks. Weird!!

    Can I just ask though, Did you do a lot of exercise? If so, What type, or do you have any recommendations?
  • INSANITY43
    INSANITY43 Posts: 142
    I used to work with a fantastic lady who told us "younger" gals that she told her hubby that "once my uterus shrinks after giving you a son.... I will look AWESOME!" Her son was turning 36 that year!!!! LOL
  • FunRun08
    FunRun08 Posts: 203 Member
    Sadly after my first baby I didn't lose any of the weight, and then I had my second less than 18mths later. So I was pretty heavy after baby #2. That baby just turned 3 on Sunday and I am 20 lbs under my prepreg weight. I just read and amazing book about women and running, and it said you should give yourself at least the 9 months it took you to put on the weight to take it back off.
  • Sh1tsRainbows
    Sh1tsRainbows Posts: 1,227 Member
    He would "give you a year" please note if any guy said that to me he'd earn one hell of a smack and cold shoulder for the next week!

    Anywho, 12-24 months is a realistic goal but that depends on your pre-pregnancy fitness level, fitness level while pregnant, delivery type, number of pregnancies and type (s) of delivery.

    i agree...if my husband said i had to be a back to pre-baby weight at any time...id be making sure he didnt get any for a LONG time
    personally its been 6 yrs (TOO LONG) and im still not back to pre-baby weight..but thats why im here...
  • MrBrown72
    MrBrown72 Posts: 407 Member
    I hear that breast feeding helps you loose weight considerably faster. However I don't know that gaining a huge amount of weight is necessary. I'm over that "my back side has to gain equally or I'll fall over thing. . However if we're talking about my ex-wife she's only on about 18 years.
  • yanicka
    yanicka Posts: 1,004 Member
    I hope you have time...long read.

    1 - gained 40 pounds took me 2 years to lose it. In fact it took me a separation with my son's father.
    2 - gained 15 pouns (learned my lesson) didn't have anything to lose
    3 - Gained 16 pounds and still didn't have anything to lose
    4 - Gained 20 pounds, than gained 20 more pounds breastfeeding didn't lose it before getting preggo with number 5
    5 - Gained 4 pounds, got out of the hospital 20 pounds lighter then when I got preggo
    6 - Gained 25 pounds and lost it in 6 months
  • momofJandA
    momofJandA Posts: 1,035 Member
    I think it's important for women to stay healthy during their pregnancy.
    I only gained 10 lbs of "baby weight" post pregnancy and lost that almost immediately and I am a single first time mother.

    Unfortunately most women use pregnancy as an excuse to let themselves go.
    You shouldn't have such an issue with losing weight if you had been watching what you were eating the whole time.
    Your baby does not eat twice as much as you. It doesn't even need a quarter of what you would normally eat.

    As far as time to lose the baby weight - I think 6 months to a year. And a year to be gracious.
    Depends on if you actually had any complications during and after your pregnancy.

    Sorry but I find this a blanket statement that is completely UNFAIR!!

    So you're saying becuase I gained 56lbs with my 1st pregnancy I was unhealthy? I still worked out EVERY SINGLE DAY!!! I absolutely did not "let myself go". my ob was perfectly comfortable and happy with how my body changed/gained/and grew an amazing healthy little (ok not so little) man.
    With my 2nd I only gained 40lbs- again worked out every day. My body gains a ton of weight when pregnant (as did my mother's body and every one in the family). It does not mean I used pregnancy as an excuse or that I was unhealthy- it means my body did what it needed to do.

    I lost all the baby weight from DS (first) within 9 months and then got preg with DD. It took a bit longer with her (and I gained less mind you) but in honesty I was more focused on having 2 under 2 then I was losing the baby weight. I am currently below prepregnancy weight for both of them.

    I breastfed both kids (DS was 11 months then got pg with DD and he refused my milk when it changed- DD is still going strong at 15 months old). I didn't calorie count until DD was a year old- for me my milk supply was more important than losing weight and I am one of those women who has a child who breastfeeds around the clock like a maniac so the calories were needed. My body needed those extra calories to make the immense amount of milk Ava drinks (still!!). but after a year I figured my supply could dip a bit and she would still be fine (she still nurses 6+ times a day and drinks 8-10 ounces of pumped breast milk while I am at work).

    Everyone is completely different. For me it was the year mark. Ava wasn't a baby anymore so it was time to lose the baby weight- plus my milk supply wasn't a concern anymore.

    I just don't think anyone has the right to judge anyone else for lack of losing weight or gaining weight.
  • krlaws2
    krlaws2 Posts: 47
    It's no longer baby weight when you have the baby. Getting pregnant doesn't mean you have to gain xtra weight. I had two kids and put my pre pregnancy clothes on to leave the hospital. With both kids.

    I think that is a very unfair standard to hold other women too. Every person is different and our bodies are all made differently. This is coming from a mom who was in my regular jeans w/n a week of my 2 kids too. But, the fact is I know that my body is different from other women's bodies.

    To answer the OP's question. I don't really know. With my first I did not have an issue with my weight. It is after my second baby, that I never got down to pre-pregnancy weight. I got within 5 lbs probably w/n a month after he was born. For me personally, I knew it was no longer baby weight when I began to gain beyond that leftover 5 lbs and it kept going up. I don't remember exactly when that was, but I do remember when my youngest was around 2 that I started shopping for larger sizes b/c I had "accepted" my weight gain and bigger size as just what I was going to be from now on. Now, I will soon be shopping for new clothes again since I threw out all my pre-pregnancy stuff when I did that shopping. LOL! Oh well, it's a GREAT reason to shop!
  • I had a baby in January and still use it as an excuse! Especially when it comes to swimsuits this summer. I think a year is reasonable to use that as an excuse!
  • brph26
    brph26 Posts: 207 Member
    In my head, I wanted to lose it super fast, but I was not very motivated. My first I gained around 70 lbs! That's depressing in itself, then you add another life to the mix and things for myself kinda got put on the back burner. I started that pregnancy at 125 and it took me almost 3 years to get to 130. Then we tried again. By the time I was pregnant I was up to 140 and gained around 50 lbs. Now, a little less then 3 years later, I have lost it all, plus a couple. I weighed in this morning at 122!! Just trying to get back to 120 --> where I started when I got married.

    In reality, I should have lost all of that weight quicker. I would always lose 30 lbs in the first month after giving birth, but really, I have just lost 24 lbs since this past February. I just didn't have the motivation to do it sooner. In my opinion, it's all a mindset and it's not gonna happen until you put your mind to it and make it happen.
  • bcweisen
    bcweisen Posts: 118 Member
    It's no longer baby weight when you have the baby. Getting pregnant doesn't mean you have to gain xtra weight. I had two kids and put my pre pregnancy clothes on to leave the hospital. With both kids.
    [/quote

    Ok that IS a bit freakish! I hope you realize how blessed and lucky you were and don't hold the rest of us women to that standard.
  • MrBrown72
    MrBrown72 Posts: 407 Member
    So maybe it's a bit of a jerk statement to make, but it seems to me that the most aggressive statements on this thread have to do with people saying to just watch what you eat, don't gain a lot of weight, and burn it the heck off.

    Sorry but it seems that all the repeats of:
    "unfair"
    "unfair"
    "freakish"
    "we're all different"
    "you're just blessed"

    All translate to me as "I'm not willing to put that much effort into it!' and "I'm not giving up my only socially excusable chance to not watch what I eat or take care of my body!" The baby weighs from 6 to 10 pounds in most cases, the other necessary changes to a body to carry said baby can weigh up to 30 pounds but are usually in the range of 18-20. None of the necessary changes are in the hips, thighs, buttocks, arms, or neck. I've never hard of a woman who carried the baby behind her.

    So really if you just want to enjoy the excuse and cupcakes but all means do so. However I don't think it's fair to poo-poo at the ladies who went to all the extra effort to ensure they created a healthy baby while maintaining the healthiest mommy they could.

    You may now commence the flaming.
  • Swimgoddess
    Swimgoddess Posts: 711 Member
    *just looks in horror at MrBrown72, jaw dropped, hand over mouth, eyes wide*
  • libby328
    libby328 Posts: 287 Member
    So maybe it's a bit of a jerk statement to make, but it seems to me that the most aggressive statements on this thread have to do with people saying to just watch what you eat, don't gain a lot of weight, and burn it the heck off.

    Sorry but it seems that all the repeats of:
    "unfair"
    "unfair"
    "freakish"
    "we're all different"
    "you're just blessed"

    All translate to me as "I'm not willing to put that much effort into it!' and "I'm not giving up my only socially excusable chance to not watch what I eat or take care of my body!" The baby weighs from 6 to 10 pounds in most cases, the other necessary changes to a body to carry said baby can weigh up to 30 pounds but are usually in the range of 18-20. None of the necessary changes are in the hips, thighs, buttocks, arms, or neck. I've never hard of a woman who carried the baby behind her.

    So really if you just want to enjoy the excuse and cupcakes but all means do so. However I don't think it's fair to poo-poo at the ladies who went to all the extra effort to ensure they created a healthy baby while maintaining the healthiest mommy they could.

    You may now commence the flaming.

    Just wondering.... exactly how many kids it was that you have given birth to? I mean considering you know soooo much about what it takes to do so I am guessing at least a few right?
  • deeharley
    deeharley Posts: 1,208 Member
    So maybe it's a bit of a jerk statement to make, but it seems to me that the most aggressive statements on this thread have to do with people saying to just watch what you eat, don't gain a lot of weight, and burn it the heck off.

    Sorry but it seems that all the repeats of:
    "unfair"
    "unfair"
    "freakish"
    "we're all different"
    "you're just blessed"

    All translate to me as "I'm not willing to put that much effort into it!' and "I'm not giving up my only socially excusable chance to not watch what I eat or take care of my body!" The baby weighs from 6 to 10 pounds in most cases, the other necessary changes to a body to carry said baby can weigh up to 30 pounds but are usually in the range of 18-20. None of the necessary changes are in the hips, thighs, buttocks, arms, or neck. I've never hard of a woman who carried the baby behind her.

    So really if you just want to enjoy the excuse and cupcakes but all means do so. However I don't think it's fair to poo-poo at the ladies who went to all the extra effort to ensure they created a healthy baby while maintaining the healthiest mommy they could.

    You may now commence the flaming.

    I'm not gonna flame you, MrBrown, but I do wonder if you're an OB/GYN that would make you think you know anything about this subject. Or maybe that man that had a baby?

    You are right that many use it as an excuse, and good luck at your bar-b-cue.
  • kdudz
    kdudz Posts: 39 Member
    TO ME it's no longer baby weight after a few months (like 3-4). For my second pregnancy I was already at a weight I didn't like being at. I gained 30 lbs total in this pregnancy (I was on modified bedrest the last 3 months) so I gained a bit more than I wanted to because I was so sedentary.

    I also breastfed my second and didn't restrict or watch what I ate because I was afraid my milk supply would suffer. Looking back it was a pretty irrational fear because I produced a lot of milk.

    It wasn't until I weened my little one at 3.5 months in preparation for my return to work that I was really focused on losing the last of the "baby weight". At that point I was roughly 8 lbs away from pre-pregnancy.

    Now I've hit my goal at 6.5 months PP and I am officially 2 lbs under where I was when I got the positive test. Now I just have to loose a bit more to get down to where I really should be at. But that isn't "baby weight". That is just weight from careless eating while TTC.

    I really hope I can get down to my final goal before getting pregnant again. We are TTC so I'm not sure if that is do-able.
  • tladame
    tladame Posts: 465 Member
    I gained around 35 lbs with my DD (I went from around 128 to 163lbs). After a few months, I was back to my pre-pregnancy weight, but my body was totally different! Everything seemed to look flabbier.

    This fast February, when DD was around 20 months old, I finally decided it was time to do something about it. I now weigh about 10 lbs less than I did pre-pregnancy, and I'm in much better shape. Still working at firming up the belly flab, though. ;)

    I think it's up to the individual as to when they are ready to tackle the baby weight. But you can't use that as an excuse forever!
  • msmandyjo
    msmandyjo Posts: 95 Member

    All translate to me as "I'm not willing to put that much effort into it!' and "I'm not giving up my only socially excusable chance to not watch what I eat or take care of my body!" The baby weighs from 6 to 10 pounds in most cases, the other necessary changes to a body to carry said baby can weigh up to 30 pounds but are usually in the range of 18-20. None of the necessary changes are in the hips, thighs, buttocks, arms, or neck. I've never hard of a woman who carried the baby behind her.

    You may now commence the flaming.

    Your hips don't change from being pregnant?Really??
    http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/609037/changes_to_a_womans_body_after_childbirth.html
    An excerpt I find interesting, under the permanent changes:

    "Hip size Of course, when you were pregnant, your body adjusted to be able to fit the growing baby inside of you, and then prepare you for labor and delivery. Your hips widened, maybe also changed shape. Unfortunately, bone structure can't be altered. What does that mean for you? Oh, your pants probably won't ever fit you the same again, you might struggle with having more of a pear shape than an hour glass figure, and certain styles of clothes that narrow at the waist might fit too snuggly on you."

    You can diet all you want and run till your legs fall off, but some women just won't be back to pre baby size because of skeletal changes. Get back at me after YOU have a baby.
  • Swimgoddess
    Swimgoddess Posts: 711 Member
    *sigh* MrBrown72 & I were both Marines, I can definitely speak for myself in that my views on postpartum recovery are heavily influenced by their "regulations"; I can only assume that MrBrown72's views are as well. I certainly do not hold other women to those standards. The military wouldn't mandate something though if it wasn't possible for 98% of the population in question, which is where the differences only BEGIN (women are all starting pregnancy between 19-25 BMI, in excellent health and accustomed to working out at least 3x a week). They didn't pull "6 months" out of their tush (in fact, 6 months starts at the end of maternity leave, so it's more like 7.5 months). They pick up their cues from the professionals in the medical community.

    The medical community regards pregnancy weight that lingers past 6 months "Postpartum weight retention"; because after that point, the weight is JUST AS HARD to lose as if you came by it without the pregnancy, say by just plain old overeating and inactivity. You lose the "hormonal inertia" pregnancy gave you that makes the initial weight loss a bit easier to come by. My hubs (like MrBrown72) knows this too and is very supportive, especially during the first 6 months; HE DOESN'T WANT IT TO BE ANY HARDER ON ME THAN IT ABSOLUTELY HAS TO. If he knew that (99% of men and too many women DON'T know) and dissuaded me from taking utmost advantange of this "window", it's just the same as him bringing home a super-sized value meal every night for dinner. It would be sabotage.

    http://www.aafp.org/afp/2002/0801/p380.html (cue NBC "The More You Know" PSA)
  • jllipson
    jllipson Posts: 646
    For me, I couldn't blame the baby weight. I was already obese and actually lost weight during both of my pregnancies. I gained weight after each baby, on my own. I was lazy and knew I was going in the wrong direction, but until January never truly did anything about it. In January my husband, sister and her husband all wanted to do this boot camp, weight loss program. My hubby and I discussed it and could only afford for one of us to go. He went, I tried following all the information from home. I know I was around 260 at start of both pregnancies, so I can say I'm below that weight now, so even if I claimed it as baby weight, it's all gone now...
  • heather0416
    heather0416 Posts: 118 Member
    I got down to my pre pregnancy weight 5 months after I had my daughter. She is now 6 months old and I'm 7lbs lighter than I was before I got pregnant. This was my 4th baby. With the other 3, I never really lost all of the weight I gained. You look great though Hun. Losing weight and taking care of children is no easy task. Heck, losing weight is no easy task!
  • california_peach
    california_peach Posts: 1,809 Member
    This is directed at my mother: When the baby is 39 and has two babies of her own. For real that woman blames me for everything.
  • Swimgoddess
    Swimgoddess Posts: 711 Member
    This is directed at my mother: When the baby is 39 and has two babies of her own. For real that woman blames me for everything.

    ^LMAO.
  • Heatherbelle_87
    Heatherbelle_87 Posts: 1,078 Member
    *sigh* MrBrown72 & I were both Marines, I can definitely speak for myself in that my views on postpartum recovery are heavily influenced by their "regulations"; I can only assume that MrBrown72's views are as well. I certainly do not hold other women to those standards. The military wouldn't mandate something though if it wasn't possible for 98% of the population in question, which is where the differences only BEGIN (women are all starting pregnancy between 19-25 BMI, in excellent health and accustomed to working out at least 3x a week). They didn't pull "6 months" out of their tush (in fact, 6 months starts at the end of maternity leave, so it's more like 7.5 months). They pick up their cues from the professionals in the medical community.

    The medical community regards pregnancy weight that lingers past 6 months "Postpartum weight retention"; because after that point, the weight is JUST AS HARD to lose as if you came by it without the pregnancy, say by just plain old overeating and inactivity. You lose the "hormonal inertia" pregnancy gave you that makes the initial weight loss a bit easier to come by. My hubs (like MrBrown72) knows this too and is very supportive, especially during the first 6 months; HE DOESN'T WANT IT TO BE ANY HARDER ON ME THAN IT ABSOLUTELY HAS TO. If he knew that (99% of men and too many women DON'T know) and dissuaded me from taking utmost advantange of this "window", it's just the same as him bringing home a super-sized value meal every night for dinner. It would be sabotage.

    http://www.aafp.org/afp/2002/0801/p380.html (cue NBC "The More You Know" PSA)
    You say this as the military is currently operating an investigation to change its standards for height weight ratio and how to incorporate muscle vs fat? Also the military is the LAST organization to adopt better medical standards. Hence why they still close c-sections with staples at 90% of installations and do a c-section incision type that is practically obsolete and makes it harder for the mother to heal.

    BTW my uncle is one of the top OBGYNs in the country and teaches in other countries (by invitation, including China and Japan) and has debated on becoming a contracted Dr with the military ONLY because private practice insurance is rediculously expensive for OBGYNs (the have higher mal practice rates then neuro surgeons)

    The only place the military is adopting modern medicine quickly is in repairing our injured troops from overseas, and that is still only if the injury happened in the battle field and was discovered quickly
  • ljsmamma07
    ljsmamma07 Posts: 30
    i gained 50lb with my first and that was being on bedrest. i lost 20 when i had him, and then never lost any. i had my second and only gained 30 and lost it all. when she was 1 i started weight watchers and got back down to my prepreg weight of 135. im currently back up to 150 :( hence the joining this website :) i think whenever YOU dont feel good about yourself is what matters. your hubby should love you no matter your size although from the pic you are already tiny!
  • Harrar10
    Harrar10 Posts: 116

    Removed by moderator

    I understand where you are coming from I am not a Marine but I was in the Army Military police corps enlisted active duty solider. I can see your point but what you have to realize is that everyone on here is on here for a reason; to lose weight and get healthy. Same as you are, so in some way you must of let yourself go and are now seeking to lose weight and become that marine officer you once were. We are here to support each other not judge. You are very opinionated and you mean well but bringing others down is not the right way to go about it. Thank you for your service to our country and remember we all made mistakes most of them are gaining all the weight that we are now trying to lose. We are here for a reason and me personally have been fighting with my weight for a while. I injured my hip, spine, back, while I was in the army and because of it gained weight from lack of mobility and exercise. Then I admit I gained a lot of weight while pregnant no excuses. I should have eaten better and if I could go back in time and change it I would.
    Please be careful with your words. Everyone is fighting a hard bad, no person know the life of someone else and no ones life is less important.
  • deeharley
    deeharley Posts: 1,208 Member

    Removed by moderator

    Very militarily worded. :smile: I read that about the regulations and had forgotten about the softer kids they are having to deal with. That does make sense. I've heard several older men say kids going in the military today would NOT be able to handle what they went through, just at boot camp.

    In all honesty, I have three pretty active kids - one is fourteen and is aiming for the military. Frankly, I hate hiking with him, because he RUNS them. If we'd let them, he'd be up and down a four-mile Alaska wilderness trail before I got my sneakers tied. Someday, I will do a better job at keeping up with him. At least meet him halfway back. At any rate, I know I'm not passing on my own teenaged laziness to them.
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