To wonder why the baby weight won’t budge?

Totally second this. I could not shift a pound whilst combination feeding, then dropped half a stone within 2 months of stopping (and periods restarting) without any changes to my diet.

4.5 months after a c section is nothing. I still had a much larger womb area than usual at that point - I know that because I wore a pair of jeans to a party and could only just squeeze into them. A few months later with no weight loss and they fit me fine. And the weight of carrying the the baby often affects the pelvic floor, not just giving birth.

I also carried weight completely differently when I was breastfeeding. I have a dress I bought then which just doesn't fit at all now, it's a wildly different shape to my usual figure (but the same size) and I can't quite work out how I ever fit into it.

Just chill. Most women gain weight during pregnancy and take a while to lose it. It's normal, natural, hormonal. Be active, eat well, stop worrying about it. Bodies change.

I also couldn't lose weight when combi feeding. I switched to fully formula at 6 months (not to lose weight, but I bf was difficult - had to use a nipple shield, ds would only be lying down etc, so decided to stop when we introduced solids.)

I would say that it took about a month after stopping any kind of bf until the weight started to shift. I did intermittent fasting from that point too, and it all came off really rapidly. I then caught a few lovely norovirus type bugs once my DS started nursery and now weigh less than before I got pregnant.

OP I would just say try to focus on not gaining any extra while BF, but there's no point attempting to lose weight, and stressing yourself out about it, until you stop bf at the point you planned to stop.

Are you bf? Despite what people say about it helping with weight loss, I found the weight dropped off after I stopped bf.

Even when I was only bfeeding at night I didn't lose much weight and my boobs didn't get back to normal size until I completely stopped feeding.

I didn't breastfeed, but it's only 9-10 months in that I'm starting to feel slim again. A bit to go, but it's coming off slowly but surely. Give yourself some more time. I reckon I'll be back to normal by 12 months.

Not eating enough maybe? I Combi fed and was having 2200 cals, high protein, high step count but v little exercise (just couldn’t fit it in) and lost quite a lot of weight this way. I did drop calories gradually but only to 1700 by 10 months post partum.

That's totally fair enough but I think you need to take a long term view and just be a bit patient. A few months is not a lot in the scheme of things. Some people don't gain much weight in pregnancy. Others gain a lot. I gained 3 stone and had lost it all by a year later without making any particular effort other than an active lifestyle. Got pregnant again, gained even more, and again was back to a normal weight by a year later. 4.5 months after the births I was still quite large though.

I really struggled to lose weight when I was breastfeeding (especially when I was also getting up in the night to pump/feed). I had really bad gestational diabetes and so I needed to lose the weight and get my blood glucose/insulin levels under control.

I found it hard to lose any weight at all even with lots of exercise, a pretty strict low(ish) carb diet and calorie counting (I couldn’t be too restrictive because it effected my milk production).
As soon as I stopped breastfeeding and my son started sleeping through the night (at about 5-6 months) the weight came off pretty quickly and easily.
In the last 5 months I’ve lost 11kg despite doing exactly the same things I was doing before (my BMI has gone from overweight back to the lower end of normal, exactly where I was pre-pregnancy).

Try not to worry about it too much and just enjoy your baby. Things will probably go back to normal once you stop breastfeeding and start getting a bit more sleep!

In your head you’ll be thinking 4.5 months is such a long time but a 4.5 month old baby is still so little. You’ve literally just had a baby! You’re trying and sound like you’re doing loads. It will eventually come off the way you’re going. I didn’t really try too hard the first 6 months but between 6-12 months (other than the slightly saggy belly left behind) I managed to end up lower than my pre-baby weight. You will get there!

No worries - your body is different for ever, in weird and wonderful ways, and there's no shame in that. I know someone who has ended up a completely different show size!

I'm a strong believer in wearing things that make you feel good now, in the body you're currently in. If you're missing your clothes, could you buy yourself one or two things that are really nice and suit you as you are now? You can always donate/sell them later.

And my hips too, now I think of it. Point is, lots of my nice clothes never fit again, nothing to do with weight or health. Just something to keep in mind.

Another one who couldn’t shed a single pound while breastfeeding. But I lost a stone within weeks of stopping with virtually no effort.

I completely agree but whilst your baby is so little, you’re not yourself - your body’s been through a lot and your hormones are all over the place. Exercise and eating well (as in a healthy, varied diet with enough food to sustain your through breastfeeding) will make you feel great - raging hunger will not.
The next few months will fly by and you will start to feel more yourself sooner than you think. Just don’t beat yourself up about it atm, enjoy being the mother of a tiny baby - you have the rest of your life to get yourself back! (And it will happen!)

There are two kinds of people in the world: people whose weight just falls off when breastfeeding, and people whose bodies hold onto those fat reserves for dear life! I was the latter: the weight came off quickly with no additional diet/exercise when I stopped combi feeding.

It's hormonal, and normal. If exercise makes you feel good, that's great, but there's no need to be dropping weight when you just had a baby. Don't force it if it's not natural for you.

(As regards waist size: my weight went down to a little less than before I first got pregnant, but my waist and rib cage were bigger permanently! Body shape is a funny old thing.)

I'm stumped too! I started reading thinking it will be obvious what this lady is doing 'wrong' but nope, your regime and eating sound fine. Must be the bf and early days post partum.

I understand people saying stop worrying but if this is important to you, then it's important.

It's far too soon to worry about this. As long as you aren't gaining, just relax. It takes about a year to 2 years to get completely back to normal after birth (and a couple of months after stopping bf as well). You will probably find the weight drops off naturally within the year of you're sensible with food.

It sounds like you're doing far too much to be honest. An hour's brisk walk daily plus a couple of swims or bike rides weekly is plenty, running too soon can lead to prolapse. Have you taken advice from a women's health physio?

You are probably losing fat but building muscle which is why your weight isn’t changing.

I think you need to take a step back and ask yourself why it’s so important that you lose the weight right now. Nourish yourself and your baby and enjoy your time together - your baby doesn’t give a shit what you look like!

When you stop breastfeeding, or reduce it, and hormones shift, things may change - but at the moment your body has a different purpose.

i was very similar, started running again 5wks pp, tracking calories etc - and I was miserable and nothing shifted. 9 months in and I’m finding it easier to drop a little now but it doesn’t seem as important to me any more. Look after yourself x