Losing weight after the birth`

[Paula30CWR]

I'm 40+4 weeks and yesterday I had the visit of the MW, who performed, the second sweep as things are not happening.

She asked me to go to the scale and when i weighed myself, I almost die. I put on 20 kilos!!!!!!! I'm officially a walrus. I have always been quite slim and looked after my body - not in a superficial way, but i try not to put on weight.

I can't believe I put on 20 kilos. I know many of those are the baby and the things around it but 20!!!

Those of you who have had your LOs already, was it too hard to lose weight? How long did it take you?

[JBrd]

If it makes you feel any better, I've put on 20kgs already and I'm only 30 weeks... God knows how much more I'll be by my due date!

[Paula30CWR]

Oh JBrd, I totally understand...i blame the bloody weather!

[FutureNannyOgg]

I put on a lot, about 25kg I think; quite a bit goes after the birth when you get rid of your retained water. I lost 10kg in 10 weeks (though I was pretty careful for half that as I had my wedding at 10 weeks), I'd lost a further 5kg by 5 months, with no self restraint (bf a hungry boy), I've dodged the scales since, but DH reckons it's still coming off.

Taking baby for walks in the sling every day helps, as does "baby pilates" (doing everything whilst bouncing the baby). I reckon at this rate I will have lost it by 9 months without serious dieting, just mum activities, eating fairly sensibly (with cake), breastfeeding and resuming my regular dance class.

[NotSoPukeyMummy]

IME, quite a lot does drop off in the first few weeks with the birth, breastfeeding and just the fact that you are running on adrenalin. By a few weeks after the birth I was down to only a few pounds above my pre-pregnancy weight.

My subsequent downfall was that I was forever meeting my new-mum friends for coffee/lunch and breastfeeding made me ravenously hungry, so I was scoffing all kinds of calorie-laden rubbish. You can consume extra calories, and need to, but not as many as I did!

At around the 9-month point I started scaling back bf and really noticed the weight piling on. I'd also say that the 9-month point was when my friends who'd given birth at the same time started dieting and exercising again. Nothing like a bit of peer pressure to spur you into action!

I stopped bf at 14 months and joined Weight Watchers at that time, as a friend had warned me that having got into the habit of the extra calories I might find it difficult to stop. She was right and by 18 months after the birth I was down to 6 pounds below my pre-pregnancy weight.

I'm now pregnant again and have been warned by friends that second time around is MUCH harder.

Good luck with the baby!

[rickymummy]

Hi. Just ventured onto this Board, as looking out for a friend:)

With my first pregnancy, it was literally 9 months on, 9 months off. Normally a size 10, when DS was 6 months, I bought new work clothes in a size 12, but they were too big by the time he was 9 months. Mind you, I liked it, as I was curvy.

With DS2, I had a thyroid condition, and by 4 months, had lost all my pregnancy weight and was back in my skinny jeans.

Believe me, it is FAR FAR better to lose it gradually. Losing weight too quickly is rubbish.

Just don't buy too many new clothes in the first year.

[DuelingFanjo]

I put on about 2 stone and my baby is now almost 10 weeks old and I have lost most of the weight. I am not sporty, am breastfeeding so eating loads. I really think it's different according to each pregnancy and each person to be honest.

[QTPie]

Depends on how you put the weight on in the first place (have you been eating healthily and keeping active during pregnancy?), whether you breastfeed and how you look after yourself after the birth (eat lots of nutritious food and get active).

I only put on about 24lbs during pregnancy and lost it all two weeks after the birth by ELCS (despite eating like a horse), but did breastfeed and was sensible during pregnancy. Went on to loose an additional stone (below pre-pregnancy weight - went down to 8st 10) over the 11 months of breastfeeding and lots of pram pushing (was back in the gym/pool at 8 weeks - although gently and only twice a week).

Generally the rule is 9/10 months to get back to normal, but depends on what you eat (sensible and nutritious with the occassional treat) and how active you are. BFing helps most mothers (but not all).

[PaleHousewifeOfCumbriaCounty]

Definitely breastfeeding, and once you feel ready, lots of nice spring walks with the pram :)

[Isandri]

I was eating healthily and walking the dog regularly and gained 13-14kg. 7 weeks after the birth I now have 1.5kg left to lose. I've been breastfeeding, eating healthily, including cake etc and sticking the baby in a sling and walking the dog. I think I lost around 7 or 8 kg in the first week after the birth. I haven't been trying to lose weight but think as long as you carry on eating healthily with enough calories if you're breastfeeding the excess weight will come off.

[SilverSixpence]

I Gained about 20kg first time round and worried about it but lost it all and more within 8-9 weeks without trying (breastfeeding and colicky DS). This time I have gained less but plan to take some walks with baby and eat healthily but sensibly and am hoping it will also go pretty quickly. Btw 20kg is quite average I'd say so don't be too horrified

[catkins1979]

Its not so much the loosing the weight but the toning up again. I have two children and found that no matter how much sensible eating a exercise I do my body shape has changed. Dont get into a contiunal worry about loosing weight, loose some sensibly see what you look like and embrace it. Think off all the fun you will have refilling your wardrobe.