9 months postpartum and struggling

KatieBaxley
KatieBaxley Posts: 4 Member
edited November 2024 in Motivation and Support
9 months ago I gave birth to our third child at home. He was 10lbs. I had a very difficult pregnancy, and struggled with hyperemisis gravidarum for most of it. Long story short, my body went into starvation mode and horded all the fat it could for the baby. After he was born, I found myself heavier than I’ve ever been at 186lbs. When I was cleared to, I started exercising and trying to eat better, but counting calories is difficult when breastfeeding. I’m 9 months postpartum and only down to 171, and feeling incredibly frustrated at how slowly things have gone. Especially when after my first two babies I bounced back almost immediately, with little to no exercise. Any ladies out there who’ve been through something similar who can give me advice/suggestions/encouragement would be really helpful right now!

Replies

  • Bex953172
    Bex953172 Posts: 4,193 Member
    Okay not so similar but im 4m pp with 3rd child, I didn’t have HG or anything but had a pretty difficult pregnancy (sick a lot from heartburn) and not the best labour/birth.

    If anything I think you should give yourself some credit! 15lbs is a lot even in 9 months
    As a Mum of 3 kids myself, there just isn’t time anymore!

    And I’m finding it harder to bounce back too! Like you my body did it itself without much input from me, but 3rd time stretching it all out it just ain’t going back like it used to, and I’m only 26 so even having “young skin” it’s still just too much stretching for it to go back!

    In 4months I have lost 2lb. And that was just last week.

    I always have a rule of it takes 9 months to grow a baby so give yourself 9 months to 100% recover. And now you’re at that 9 month mark just keep going!
    The scales going in the right direction no matter how slow!

    Dare I ask how much sleep you’re getting lol?

    Hope you’re okay!
    I know it’s not as fast as you wish but 15lbs is a a lot of lbs!

    If you do the maths at 9 months into weeks, which is 36, at a GUESS you got cleared at 6 weeks, that leaves 30 weeks, divide that by the 15 lbs you’ve lost and you’re actually losing on average 2lb a week :)
  • mamasara2
    mamasara2 Posts: 194 Member
    edited June 2018
    It is so much easier once the nursing calorie intake is over with. Kudos to you for the Home birth! I had my first in a hospital and my second at home. The second child was bigger, but the experience was much better. Absolutely hated the hospital experience.

    I didn't have the weight loss benefits from nursing that so many ladies rave about. I remember it being difficult to know how to juggle the intake and calories burned. There was an option under cardio for breastfeeding, which helped. I was religiously doing Chalene Johnson's TurboFire videos as well. The weight was slow to come off, but started melting away once I stopped nursing around 14months. My first nursed until age 2. The weight came off much easier after that too.

    I'm not sure if your body reacts the same way, but mine held onto the fat as long as I was nursing. I would like to say trust your body, but I know how frustrating it is to carry all the extra weight and see how other women drop it like it's hot right after delivery.
  • KatieBaxley
    KatieBaxley Posts: 4 Member
    @Bex953172 thanks girl! I appreciate that! I’m definitely not getting as much sleep as I should, but we’re working on it. 😅 I’m trying to see the positives in my progress, I just get frustrated when I start comparing this recovery to my others, but I know I shouldn’t. I’ll definitely try to be better about that, too!

    @mamasara2 thank you! My first two were born in hospitals and I hated it, my home birth was by far so much better! Thank you so much for sharing your experience, that gives me hope that there is a light at the end of this tunnel! Right now if feels like every pound is a huge battle no matter what I do, but now I can have something to look forward to about my baby weaning!

    Thank you ladies so much for replying and encouraging me!
  • HeatherLeAnn622
    HeatherLeAnn622 Posts: 45 Member
    Great job on your loss so far! I gained weight while breastfeeding! haha I know that's probably not helpful, but I definitely did not have the weight-loss benefits that some women do when breastfeeding. The same as mamasara2 above, I had an easier time losing weight once we weaned at 15 months. You're doing great, and every body is different.
  • KatieBaxley
    KatieBaxley Posts: 4 Member
    @HeatherLeAnn622 thank you! It’s nice to know I’m not alone in these struggles. Thanks for your reply!
  • sparklebug5
    sparklebug5 Posts: 2 Member
    4 months postpartum with baby #3 here and your story sounds so similar to mine - first 2 kids it was almost “easy” to go back to prebaby size , with the third I’m exactly the same weight as when i left the hospital. So frustrating!
  • KatieBaxley
    KatieBaxley Posts: 4 Member
    @sparklebug5 it is frustrating! I’m sorry you’re going through it, too!
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