In Much Need of Advice

After I had my son I still looked pregnant for a while. I Stayed busy with house work and yard work. I also got a work out DVD that had cardio but focused on abs. It worked for me and in a few months I was back to my old weight!!! As far as diet I just watched my portion size and drank a lot of water. I hope this helps and good luck!

It took six months before I could fit into my real jeans again. Don't get frustrated. It will just take some time for everything to get back to normal.

CONGRATULATIONS!!!!

Every pregnancy and every baby is different...I'm sure you are being VERY hard on yourself....

To lose the weight, it takes time and exercise...

If you haven't given on breast feeding, it does take up a lot of calories...you might be surprised...sometimes there is more there than you think...

With my first son - I lost 65 lbs breast feeding him - I looked like a younger version of Sophia Lauren!!! I had enough milk to feed Ethiopia!!! (no kidding gallons!!) My second son?! JUST BARELY lost the weight I put on and could barely have enough for him...

Don't stress...please!! The first year is the hardest...if you are feeling down - please talk to your OB about possibly having the baby blues/post partum depression...again - please don't stress!!! I am sure you are being harder on yourself than you need to be!!! I bet you are rockin' it!!

Oh, sweet momma, don't get discouraged about your weight yet! You just had a baby eight weeks ago. I know it's not fun, though. I have a hard time with it too. But given time and work, you can get it to go back to mostly normal (if not completely).

DIET IDEAS:
Eat protein (won't add fat), and limit your carb intake. That means to take it easy on breads, cereals, rice, potatoes, etc. If you can, toss any sugar and sweet. No sodas/juice, just water to drink. You want to focus your meals on protein. This'll keep your blood sugar even (even you if you don't have diabetes!) and will make you not gain weight and make it much easier to lose the weight. I've done this, and it works. You want to make sure you eat plenty of vegetables. Those are free foods. Yummy salads with yummy toppings are good free food (be mindful of what dressing you use). Also, eat fruit as it has plenty of good vitamins in it for you.

WORKOUT:
Get the book "Lose Your Mummy Tummy" by Tupler. This book is made specifically for mommas who've had babies. Prior to this book, I didn't realize situps and crunches actually make the poochy mummy tummy worse! The book focuses on pulling the muscles back in place and flattening them. Definitely get this book!

For some cardio, I'd suggest getting some Zumba Fitness DVD. It's fun cardio that gets you exercising well. Do however much you can...20 minutes, three times a week. Or 20 minutes a day. Just something like that.

These things will help you lose weight and/or pull your muscles back in place.

Remember it'll take time, though. Getting enough sleep is also very important (not necessarily easy with new baby, but try not to stay up too late if you're a night owl). And, make sure you eat breakfast. That is a very important meal so that your body doesn't start holding fat. Eat every three hours if you can, something small and healthy.

Anyway, hope that helps!

Hi First time mom. I know exactly how you're feeling. I am a mother of 4 and I've had the same issue with every pregnancy. I suggest that you enjoy your new baby..continue to nurse, drink lots of water, add some veggies and fruits to your diet. Give it time....you'll get back. As for working out..get the clearance from your doctor...start off by taking walks...then later work on some work out dvds. Good luck..and congrats.

lots of fiber. Up your protein, less carbs, and up your fiber intake. fiber and protein together really are a miracle. I eat high fiber oatmeal, wheat toast, wheat rounds by Arnold's bread, add flax meal to yogurt, cottage cheese, etc Eat fiber one cereal, fiber one granola bars, etc I lost 10lbs in 2 months and did not exercise much at all. The Dietician said that fiber is the miracle for so many things.....good luck and congrats!

It took nine months to put it on remember. Give yourself a break! Just get good healthy food in and exercise gently. You've got enough on your plate without worrying about a bit of baby weight!

When my second child was 6 months old (and my first was 21 months old), I started the "couch-to-5K" running plan. I was NOT a runner...but I was desperate to lose the baby weight! (I have some good friends who are runners.) Well, along with eating healthy (and NOT after 7 pm--ever!!), I was able to lose 40 pounds...and I'm actually in better shape than I was on my wedding day 6 years ago! :-) I'm currently training for my second marathon (running is addicting!!!) :-)

oh girl, 8 weeks is not much time really...sometimes it takes a while.with my first son it took until he was 1 year old and by then i was pregnant with twins but after them i lost it all within like 3 weeks...just be patient and dont stress, the stress and worrying will not help.

It's not unusual! Hang in there! It took you a few months to have your baby, and it'll take you a few months to get your figure back the way you like it.

If you have permission from your doctor to begin exercising, go ahead and start. Burn calories by walking, jogging, doing aerobics, using exercise videos, going to zumba classes, whatever helps you keep active. If your house has steps, go up and down them several times a day. Rest when you must (you may be up with your baby at night), but don't let yourself become a couch - or rocking-chair - potato. Make sure you drink a lot of water. Concentrate on eating healthy food rather than a lot of junk. Your figure will change slowly and surely.

And it may stay the way you like it longer than if you went for a "quick fix" right now.

Meanwhile, if you can, get a pedicure or a new hairstyle or something else to make you feel like a new woman while you're working on this project. :^)

It took nine months to put it on so it will take a while to take it off. Stressing does not help much. Pretty soon the baby will be up and around and you will be chasing him. Eating right and trying to do so kind of stretching (yoga) will help lots.

After my 1st I breastfed - which it sounds like isn't working for you - and went to Pilates class. That was all I did, and I lost the weight in about 9 months. I'm pretty sure that at 8 weeks you are still somewhat stretched out and there's not much you can do about that. It's hard but try to be patient. Good luck!

Honey, I delivered 8 years ago & I still look pregnant! LOL (Not really!)

From babycenter.com:

"By the time you go into labor, your uterus is about 15 times heavier (not including its contents!) and its capacity is at least 500 times greater than before you conceived. Within minutes after your baby is born, contractions cause your uterus to shrink, clenching itself like a fist, its crisscrossed fibers tightening in the same way they do during labor.

For the first couple of days after birth, you can feel the top of your uterus at or a few finger widths below the level of your belly button. In a week your uterus weighs about a pound - half of what it weighed at delivery. After two weeks it's down to a mere 11 ounces and located entirely within your pelvis. By four to six weeks, it should be close to its pre-pregnancy weight of about 2.5 ounces. This process is called involution of the uterus.

Even after your uterus shrinks back into your pelvis, you may continue to look somewhat pregnant for several weeks or longer. That's because your abdominal muscles get stretched out during pregnancy, and it will take time – and regular exercise – to get your belly back in shape."

And I'll tell you this...I knew a woman who had 11 kids and was the flattest ab'd mama I've ever seen (to this day) and she always said she only & always did push ups after her babies--it worked for her! And cut yourself a break...your body just did an amazing thing 8 weeks ago!

I still look prego and my son is 14 months... It'll take about a year. Do a little bit of exercise every day and eat healthy. It'll come. Hang in there.

It takes time for your body to get back to normal. Consider what it's been through.
My daughter's baby is 7 weeks and she's so worried about not having a flat stomach ever again.
She's plenty active. She has stairs in her house that she has to go up and down a million times a day. She's never been a junk food eater.
I wish she wouldn't worry so much.

Keep up your intake of healthy calories throughout the day. You need your energy and stamina with a new baby.

Best wishes and congratulations!

How interesting! I've never met anyone else outside of my family whose milk didn't come in. Mine didn't either with either of my pregnancies.

As for weight loss, I had great success after both pregnancies with walking. I walk very fast, 4 miles an hour consistently. I walked 3 times a week for an hour, sometimes an hour and a half. The weight fell right off.

Congratulations on your new baby! :)

You can go to your healthfood store and get some herbal supplements that help contract your uterus. That might help a little. But honestly, you just have to be patient...

I have a friend that lost weight too quickly after birth (due to stress of her son being in NICU) and she says that she lost the weight in all the wrong places. Like, lost the curve of her bum, the curve of her breasts but still had the belly fat. She would have rather lost if slowly and kept the "good fat" in certain places.

It took me about a year and a half. After about a year I started running 2ce a week and doing weight lifting (a class at the YMCA) 2ce a week. Good luck! It's a slow process but if you watch what you eat and get in plenty of exercise you will do it!

Give it time! I know you didn't ask for this advice, but i'm going to give it anyway. I highly recommend taking herbal supplements to get your milk to come in. Fenugreek, More Milk Plus, etc. Try one for a week. Try a different one if that one doesn't work. Fenugreek is fairly inexpensive and you can find it at any pharmacy. More Milk is at Goodearth. I really wish someone would have told me about these herbs when I had my first baby. It would have made feeding and sleeping so much easier on all of us. I didn't suggest that because of the weight issue. Breastfeeding did not help me lose weight. Exercising does that. That's why I say give it time. Move as much as you can move without sacrificing what time and energy you need to give to your baby.

Have you tried yoga before? It is a great way to strengthen your muscles especially the core. I also have an 8 week old baby and I take classes at the local YMCA. They have a child watch program where they keep him seperate from the older kids. I would also suggest eating lots of fruits and vegetables and try to stay away from unhealthy food. Good luck and Congratulations on the new addition!!

You can easily attempt re-lactation... what made you feel that your milk didn't come in?

I know it's hard, but you need to be patient with yourself. It took you 9 months to get that way, 8 weeks is not very much time at all. I know that 9 months sounds forever, but if you stick to a healthy diet and stay active by walking, you should be fine. It is frustrating because your body has changed so much. But it's worth it when you have a beautiful baby boy. Eat lots of good protein and fresh fruits and veggies. You'll get back down. :)