I think I need some reassurance that things are normal. When I first got pregnant (over a year ago), I gained no weight until the 4th month. I quickly made up for the delay in weight gain and put on 37 lbs. I started my pregnancy overweight and was encouraged to gain only 5-10 lbs.
I had my DD in late August, I went to the OB for a health-related question 1 week later and found that I had lost 20 lbs. in one week. So I got excited thinking, only 17 more to go. No problem! BUT Since then, I have been steadily gaining weight back. I am up 2 pant sized from before the baby. I am breastfeeding and everyone says that I should "slim right down" because of it. My mom even thinks I weigh too much. I feel like the only mom out there that can't lose any weight and did not get her pre-baby body back in 5 months. I am getting really discouraged. I don't want any diet or weight-loss tips, just want to know if this is normal.
I have as big an appetite breastfeeding as I ever did while pregnant. Now, I have more room for food in my belly. My son is almost 9 months old, and I am still slightly above my pre-pregnancy weight, and my body is very different from before... but I'm not stressing over it. I need the energy both to keep up with and sustain my little guy, and so long as it doesn't adversely affect my health, I'm just enjoying this time.
I agree with the other posts that you are completely normal. I have bever been a skinny minnie unless I resorted to unhealthy things and I have always been jealous of the women who lose their baby weight so quickly. My youngest is a year and a half now and I have not been able to lose the baby weight yet. Please try to accept who you are and do not stress about he baby weight because you will lose it eventually. Best of luck to you and your precious baby.
Don't get discouraged. The weight will come off, but not until you stop breastfeeding.
I never lost weight during peak breastfeeding months. Actually, I don't know anyone who breastfed exclusively for a year or more that went back to prepregnancy weight. If anything, I've been sharing stories about how our bodies are resisting weight loss do to the need for properly nourishing the baby through breastmilk.
It does get easier as you start to wean, but don't let that rush you into weaning. The longer you breastfeed, the better it will be for your baby's health as well as yours.
Hope this helps,
~L.
J.,
You are absolutely without a doubt 100% normal. It took me one full solid year to lose my baby weight (50 pounds!) with my youngest. Then Christmas came and I put 10 of it back on. UGH!!!! (Still trying to lose that and it's certainly not easy!) Everybody is different and every body is different. Some people lose tons while nursing and others don't. It will come off, don't worry.
Congratulations on your daughter!!!!
K. - SAHM of 2 boys, 5 and 2
Ok, I have all of the other posts beat, sadly. When I had my son in 2001, I had gained almost 60 pounds. I lost 30 right away and stopped. That's where I stayed for the next 5 years. Then I was pregnant again, and gained 40 lbs. on top of what I still had from my son. my daughter is now 18m and I have finally lost the weight from her and am finally, slowly working on my weight from my son.
When you are trying to get back into shape, ignore the weighloss commercials. It took you 9 months to gain the weight, it should take you around that long to safety lose it. Also, keep a food diary. The current weight gain may be from on the go snacking and/or a lack of sleep.
M.
Everyone is different. I know that I lost all my pregnancy weight very quickly, and then gained it all back while breastfeeding and while trying to make sure that I didn't overeat and ate healthy stuff for my we baby. Happened with both pregnancies. After baby weaned, I found losing weight to be reasonably easy, but while I was nursing, it was tough. Don't know why.
Nursing gives your baby a really good start in life and affects their health from birth to death. It's worth carrying the extra pounds until they wean themselves, even if that means they are two.
I would say it is definitely normal! In fact, I think that it is MORE likely to struggle to lose the weight than going back to pre-pregnancy weight easily. I'm just going by all the mothers I know. Most have trouble. I get a lot of grief from them because I don't have any trouble losing weight, and it is frustrating for them to have to work so hard at it and I don't. I have a very high metabolism is why- most people DON'T.
I wouldn't worry about it. Just focus on being healthy (eating well, exercising etc...), not on how much you weigh- everyone's "healthy weight" is different. Too many people associate skinny with healthy, and that is definitely not the case.
