BREASTFEEDING MUM HAS 4 WEEKS TO FIT INTO BRIDESMAIDS DRESS!!!

[Saveitforarainyday]

Helloo, in need of some support and some accountablity, so I am posting here. So here's the deal: I am a bridesmaid mid August and the bride bought my dress for me back in the winter, while I was pregnant with my first child. Pre-pergnancy I was a size 12-14, and she bought the dress in a 14 to give me something to aim for. I wanted a 16 because I was enormous during my pregnancy, but there we are. Currently breastfeeding my 18 week old baby, and really struggling to lose the weight to get into the dress. Tried it on again today and it still doesn't zip up all the way up the back, got a long way to go. Bigger milky boobies don't help, but there's definately fat around my back as well. I've already lost a stone, I think I need to lose another stone or over half a stone at least in order to get into it. I am running every day at least 3 miles, eating well and trying not to snack - porridge for breakfast, brown rice, raw vegetables and fruit for lunch and trying to stick to an eary dinner and no carbs, or very few carbs. So tongiht for instance diner was some roast chicken, stuffing and roasted veg with no potatoes or gravey. Drinking just water all day and/or a glass of milk in the evening. While the first stone seemed to melt off, I am really struggling to shed any more pounds, and I don't understand why! I already feel hungry all the time because of the breastfeeding This is so hard! Any tips, encouragement and advice welcome.

[MugsLife]

I think your friend has put way too much pressure on you! Tell her to get you the 16 otherwise you will be following her down the aisle in your jeans!

[Alibabsandthe40Musketeers]

Get a new dress.

Your baby and your sanity are more important than you being in a size 14 dress.

Your friend was actually an utter bitch to buy you a smaller dress than you asked for, but that isn't what you are asking here so i'll leave it.

[Saveitforarainyday]

I know, I am annoyed about the pressure. But the dress was £180 and I feel bad asking for another, so late in the day. they may not accept returns/exchanges, but it was impossible for me to try it on while pregnant and now I feel like a big fat idiot for not standing up for myself more at the time. I would just buy another dress in a 16 and keep quiet about it, but I don't have the money at the moment (on maternity pay). I'm in a right old pickle.

[Chchchchangeabout]

If new dress not an option you could try one of those inch reducing wrap treatments. I used them to fit in my wedding dress and they definitely shrunk me a bit. Suspect it is partly water loss but it seemed to work. Would need to check if ok while bf

Also working on tightening/turning to muscle, so something like 30 day shred DVD?

Only other thing I can think of is squeezing it all in so corset/minimising bra type thing. Might be a bit painful if BF though.

Could someone adjust dress up at all?!?

[SweetCharityBeginsAtHome]

Well you don't know whether they'll exchange until you ask, so ask, ASAP. If they won't then look into alteration. If there isn't enough hem to let out then you could probably get a corset back put in which should solve your problem. It won't be dirt cheap (unless your favourite uncle just won Great British Sewing Bee) but it won't be 180 quid, and again the quicker you get started the more likely you are to find someone who can do you a reasonably priced job. Do not dehydrate yourself and compromise your baby's well being in pursuit of a bloody dress.

[Saveitforarainyday]

I like the idea of toning I'll look into some excersises, DVD sounds interesting will look into that, also will try sit ups etc but afrad to strain stomach muscles too much (10.6 lbs baby stretched my poor tummy). The running is great cardio and helping improve my mood etc, but not leading to the weight loss results I was hoping for! I was considering bringing the dress to a tailor, but I'm afraid I'll find the whole experience humiliating. I know it's unreasonable really to expect me to spring back into shape after pregnancy, but I do feel like I'm failing some how (only in this bridesmaids dress respect, not in the grand scheme of things mind). If I spoke to her this weekend we may have time to sort new dress, but again it's the self-consiousness factor. She is an absolute fitness finatic, I'm talking kettle bells, circuits, lifting her own body weight on a chin-up bar! Probably doesn't want a chunky bridesmaid in her photos! Regards the corsetting, I don't think it'll work with the dress or the BF, but thank you for suggestion. Any specific excersises you could recommend?

[Saveitforarainyday]

Yeah you're right, I think if I ate any less i'd compromise my milk supply, and don't want that got a hungry little boob monster. I'll request info about an exchange.

[Saveitforarainyday]

Also like the corset back idea! Nice thinking!

[Saveitforarainyday]

I think I'm waaay too late for an exchange according to website...

[SweetCharityBeginsAtHome]

If they still have the dress in stock in a 16 then you have nothing to lose by giving them a sob story and throwing yourself on their mercy. They've got no particular reason to decline if the size 14 is still saleable. You could promise to sing their praises on MN if they help you out

[Saveitforarainyday]

Ha yeah, it still has lables attached and plastic sheeting thing and hanger. I might have to turn on the water works, but it's worth a try! Cheers for the moral support!

[AlisonBlunderland]

In view of all the recent (unfounded) bad publicity for Primark, I'm sure a lot of companies would be bending over backwards to be supportive to a breastfeeding mum!

[AlisonBlunderland]

And bloody well done at running three miles a day!

[Saveitforarainyday]

Thanks! I've always been a strong runner and was looking forward to getting back into it after pregnancy, but found I had to ease myself in gently after a tough birth. To be fair to the bride, she and I have done lots of fitness together in the past and I think the genuinely meant it as encouragement - she doesn't have children, and this being my first I honestly didn't think it would be this hard to shift the weight. That said, I should have also put my foot down more about getting the next size up - I obviously had an inkling. How do these tiny women who spring back into shape after pregnancy do it?

[yumyumpoppycat]

It sounds like you are doing really well and should stick with what is working for you now. I would prob establish if you can still buy it in the correct size and go to the shop with the dress and ask to direct exchange saying you don't have the receipt and be vague about when it was bought?

[Saveitforarainyday]

Thanks! I've decided I'm going to keep at the super healthy eating and excersise regime and weight in again on Friday, trying dress on again too. If no progress hasbeen made, I'll take it the next day to a tailor and ask for either an elasticated strip on the back or a corset back. The dress does fit well elswhere (hips and bum etc), just zips up about half way then I'm afraid to force it further incase I break the zip. So will let you know if I manage to get in it without alterations, but I won't be starving myself or getting dehydrated so milk production should continue as normal. Fingers' crossed. Support has been much appreciated x

[Saveitforarainyday]

Sorry typos, multi-tasking fail.

[westcoastnortherneragain]

I was in a similar situation and ended up buying the matching wrap to the dress and having a tailor put an additional section under the arm to give more room :)

Good luck

[lilacblossomtime]

I do think you would need to lose about 10-14lbs to drop a dress size and it is not a good idea to lose weight really fast when you are bfing a small baby.
I actually gained weight while bfing so I think it's great to start increasing your exercise (gently at first and build up) and eating a really healthy diet to ensure you are getting all the nutrients you need for bfing but also lose weight slowly but steadily.

[Saveitforarainyday]

HI there - yes I agree, I didn't start trying to get back into shape until baby was 8 weeks old, then started v gently running on top of eating as healthy as possible. Been ramping it upever since, and as I said I've lost over a stone now, which has been slow and steady weight loss. Was looking to lose another stone before the wedding (just under 4 weeks time now), but it's proving more difficult. I think I'll just get the dress altered this week if I haven't lost anything, need to stop putting this pressure on myself.

[Saveitforarainyday]

It fits! It f*cking fits! Sensible healthy eating and running every day and the stoopid dress fits. Thanks again for the support x