Can a baby stretch your ribs?

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joneswife09
joneswife09 Posts: 208 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
I just took my measurements and my waist is up 4.5 inches since pre pregnancy. I have noticed that my smaller clothes aren't fitting through that area very well. Can a baby really stretch your ribs? I am only 3 lbs away from my pre -preg weight, but my measurements are horrible.

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  • Melanie12081
    Melanie12081 Posts: 62
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    My ribs spread. I know people who's hips got wider. I carried very high all the way through my pregnancy...body has to make room somehow!

    I've HEARD wearing a corset after pregnancy will help pull all of that back in. I have no idea if it's true OR permanent...or how long after pregnancy it would work.

    My advice? Embrace the curves. :)
  • 0AmyMarie0
    0AmyMarie0 Posts: 315
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    My ribs spread hugely with my first, it went back down a little, but not much.

    ETA: There were a lot of clothes that I never fit into again even though I weighed less than I did pre-pregnancy. Your body changes shape and turns into a woman's body after you have a baby. It's tough at first, but like the other poster said, embrace your new curves :) You'll learn to love them.
  • TluvK
    TluvK Posts: 733 Member
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    How long has it been since you had your baby? I lost all of my baby weight very quickly with both kids, but I was still up a size in pants and oddly enough, my shirts seemed shorter - not sure what that was all about. I bet it took about a full year after each one for me to feel like my hips and ribs got back to normal, which I do believe they now are - it's just a process and one I think you just have to be patient with.
  • joneswife09
    joneswife09 Posts: 208 Member
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    How long has it been since you had your baby? I lost all of my baby weight very quickly with both kids, but I was still up a size in pants and oddly enough, my shirts seemed shorter - not sure what that was all about. I bet it took about a full year after each one for me to feel like my hips and ribs got back to normal, which I do believe they now are - it's just a process and one I think you just have to be patient with.

    It's been 11 months. I had horrible rib pain through the entire pregnancy and still have tons of phantom pains in my ribs.
  • joneswife09
    joneswife09 Posts: 208 Member
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    I'm finding it hard to embrace :( Hopefully soon I will get there.
  • onedayillbamilf
    onedayillbamilf Posts: 662 Member
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    Ummm....I don't know. I've been too fat to see my ribs since giving birth...10 years ago. But I hope not since my ribs already looked like an extra set of boobs when I was 17 & 120lbs.
  • NoAdditives
    NoAdditives Posts: 4,251 Member
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    All joints loosen and expand during pregnancy because the body produces a hormone called relaxin. This is mainly to help the pelvis expand so that the baby has an easier time passing through the birth canal. Many joints can tighten up after pregnancy but others do not. This is why many women's feet grow during pregnancy. Relaxin is present in your body for about 6-8 weeks after pregnancy. During this time special belts can be worn to help bring the hips back together since they generally don't tighten up on their own. This should also work for ribs. But, it will only work in the few weeks directly after pregnancy. Once the relaxin is out of your system your joints are stuck where they are.
  • Swanson83
    Swanson83 Posts: 226 Member
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    When you're pregnant, your lung capacity increases so you can take in extra oxygen for yourself and the baby. So yes it is highly likely.
  • deksgrl
    deksgrl Posts: 7,237 Member
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    I lost all of my baby weight very quickly with both kids, but I was still up a size in pants and oddly enough, my shirts seemed shorter - not sure what that was all about.

    Your boobs were probably bigger.
  • ElizabethRoad
    ElizabethRoad Posts: 5,138 Member
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    You don't have ribs in your waist though...
  • MrsLong1980
    MrsLong1980 Posts: 181 Member
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    Re relaxin - this hormone is also released during breastfeeding so if you're breastfeeding it is still in your system so you may suffer from stiff joints more readily than usual.
  • MaggiePuccini
    MaggiePuccini Posts: 248 Member
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    did you have diastastis recti perhaps?

    ~although i'm still trying to get back the 28" waist i had before dc1
  • CherryPie606
    CherryPie606 Posts: 44 Member
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    Re relaxin - this hormone is also released during breastfeeding so if you're breastfeeding it is still in your system so you may suffer from stiff joints more readily than usual.

    Thats interesting. I've suffered terribly with my joints since having my son nearly 7 months ago
  • amoeba15
    amoeba15 Posts: 38 Member
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    I lost all of my baby weight very quickly with both kids, but I was still up a size in pants and oddly enough, my shirts seemed shorter - not sure what that was all about.

    Your boobs were probably bigger.

    ^ This

    Before pregnancy (at age 20) I was 175, 5'4" with a 38 DD bra-size and size 9 shoes. During pregnancy I went up to 235 lbs a size 10 shoes and a 44 F. After pregnancy by my 21st birthday I was 5'5", 230 lbs, a size 8 shoes and 42 G (almost an H). CURSE YOU, UTERUS! (I had a breast reduction in '08 and currently have a 42 B.)

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