Postpartum (ish) get yourself together thread

[DandelionNumber12]

It's 13m since I gave birth to my son. I'm 37. I have a serious sugar addiction. Never used to struggle with this, but since having a baby I'm constantly stuffing chocolate into myself.

I'd like to change this and I need some kind of accountability, even just on an anonymous forum.

There's a few other things I'd like to do too, such as taking better care of my appearance, have more sex with DP (if I was less hairy, I could be more spontaneous... It's a theory, anyway). Listen better to DP, I find these days I only half listen a lot of the time. Go jogging. Write a little every day.

Oh, and stop buying crap.

Sugar first though!

Does anyone want to join with their goals? We can keep eachother on the straight and narrow.

Free ice cream doesn't count as cheating, does it?
I thought it only counted if you bought it...

Oh for anyone else who thinks they might need MH support, self refer to a local service before LO's turn 1. They prioritise perinatal care.

When I did the referral (as told to by GP) this morning it said there's a 6 month waiting list. I got a phone call with an appointment for next week this afternoon!

Downloaded My Fitness Pal and started calorie counting today, so far so good! Want to get an activity tracker too because I often have my phone in the buggy when walking so it's not recording my steps, will also be useful for when I'm back to the gym- intrigued by how it tracks sleep....

Well done @MollyRover!

I really liked looking at the sleep tracking on my Fitbit, when I had one. Haven't used one for a long time. It's a good idea actually, a nice way to track progress. I wonder how much they cost these days...hmm...haha

All ok here. I think because it's so hot here I'm maybe less inclined to eat than I would usually be. So not struggling too much with being sugar deprived on top of sleep deprived.

Have to decide what to add on next week. It could be -

Eat healthy lunches. I make my DS healthy things like homemade soup with toast, cucumber sticks, fruit slices etc and then have a sandwich and crisps for myself. I should have the soup and fruit too!

Or maybe go jogging 3x a week.

Maybe the jogging and then lunches the week after...

I'm totally in!

I'm at the same stage, my daughter is 13m and although I did well initially with weight loss (with the help of breastfeeding) I've lost the momentum since returning to work, moving house and this week we came back from a weeks holiday.

I'm the same with DH, doesn't help that we are still co sleeping with our daughter but if I get in to shape and lose some weight I might actually feel up for something, even if it is in our lunch break (both work from home) when our daughter is at nursery.

I'm 40 next year and kind of thinking it's now or never, after three children, I've never really made a determined attempt at losing the baby weight with my previous pregnancies.

I want to get fit or at least fitter as well as lose some weight but need to be stronger with DH and say "you watch the kids, I'm going for a run or do this workout in the next room".

Hello @BrizzleMaverick!

It's sad isn't it how much worries about the way our bodies look influences whether we feel like having sex. Especially as our partners probably don't care - I know mine doesn't! But I definitely find it harder to get into the mood when I'm thinking I look a mess.

Do you have a specific goal at the moment?

You're right about our other halves probably not caring at all how we look.

My goal at the moment is to cut back on the sugar and junk and do a couple of bouts of exercise a week.

Please cane i join?

I have bipolar and have been off my meds since trying to conceive which was nearly two years ago now! Baby is 9 months and quite frankly I’m a mess. I’m giving him my last breastfeed tomorrow morning and I’m phoning the perinatal team to go back on my lithium.

im hoping that will boost my mood enough that I can start being physically healthy too. I’m 30 next year and I don’t want to enter my 30’s unfit, overweight and chronically depressed.

I want to start cooking from scratch more, doing daily exercise, take up a hobby and be more present with my family.

I know mine doesn't, he's very much in awe of what my body has been able to do twice now! I just know that my whole demeanor is controlled by how I feel about myself. I want to get back to a place of wearing what I want comfortably and being carefree when communicating with others because I'm not worrying about what they think of my appearance (which is probably nothing). My confidence levels go through the floor when I'm overweight, I end up not wanting to do anything which I regret when I miss out socially.

@LidFlipper just wanted to offer a hand hold. Definitely time to do something for you now, look after yourself before anyone else

Thank you. I’ve had a really difficult few weeks but have woken on a high this morning! I’ve done some yoga and some Pilates and had a nice normal breakfast. I’ve showered and did my hair nice and I’ve cleaned the kitchen. I feel ready to take on the world!

@LidFlipper good woman!! It makes such a difference, doesn't it? I had a complete breakdown after DC1 that I'm not fully recovered from if I'm being honest, and it was 100% down to a lack of self care. It's just so important. We go from having no one to look after except ourselves and owning all of our time to not having a minute to ourselves overnight. It's a huge change and always underestimated. We can get there xx

Can I join... only 7 weeks postpartum but at least 3 stone to lose. 😬 And it's nice to be around others who are in a similar boat.

Step one is to stop snaffling chocolate hobnobs on the night feed. 🙄

Hi all can I join. My DS has just turned 3. I always used to be active (running, weights at the gym) but since getting our dog 4 years ago, and then being pregnant and having our DS, I'm just not finding the time for this. I do walk our dog daily so I'm still active to that extent and chasing a toddler round. I actually was lighter in the few weeks after having DS than before I got pregnant because he had bad reflux so I had him in the carrier a lot and did a lot of steps. I'm blaming the lockdowns for the beginning of my overeating.

I'm about 11lbs heavier than I'd like to be so not too bad, I am tall so think I look pretty similar to before but for me it's not about weight it's more than I'm just not being as healthy as I'd like. Too many takeaways and chocolate.

Just trying to get back to eating how I used to. I accept that I won't have loads of time for exercise at the moment, hoping when DS starts school next year I can get back into some running.

Would also just like to say, for those of you who are only a few weeks PP, please remember your body took 9 months to grow your baby and it can often take at least that long to start to feel yourself again. Growing a baby is no small feat so be kind to yourself :) nothing wrong with having health goals but all this rubbish about bouncing back is just that, rubbish. Very few people do especially with the lack of sleep and self care that comes with looking after a new baby.

Anyway I'm down with covid at the moment but would like some motivation for when I'm better. I'm 30 next year so would be good to be feeling healthy and happy with myself and my body by then. I used to be quite self confident looks wise and now I'm quite frankly self deprecating and rarely think a nice thing about my body these days. The lack of time to get ready, do your hair, choose nice clothes etc when you have a small child doesn't help.

Evening everyone! Welcome to the new posters 🙂

Got through another day of no chocolate/excessive sugary snacking, hooray! I do think this heat is definitely helping - I just want to lie in a cold bath. Our bedroom is 30°, horrible.

Hello @LidFlipper how are you feeling about stopping BF? Hope all goes well with the perinatal team. Hope the rest of your day was as good as the morning.

@feliznavidad2 haha I used to get night snacks ready for myself too. And a thermos of hot tea. It did make waking more bearable. I also watched so much crap TV, DS would take so long to feed. 7 weeks is still very much in the newborn ...bombshell haha.

Oh no hope you get over the Covid quickly @Socathe I think I'm about the only person left in the country who hasn't had it! To my knowledge anyway. I'm similar to you in that it's more about not being as healthy as I'd like, rather than a weight thing. I don't look after myself as well as I ought to. @MollyRover mentioned self care as well. It's definitely time to think about how I want to live and how I want to feel about myself, I've never been good at that even before having a baby.

@DandelionNumber12 thanks, after 2.5 years I had started to think I was immune, but alas it finally got me...

Right, today I am starting ! I have 2 stone to lose but also I want to feel better. I’m so tired all the time, partly lack of sleep but know eating better will massively help. Back to work in a few weeks after mat leave and want to be in a better place by then.

morning. Im sad about stopping breastfeeding but its for the best. He only has a little morning feed now anyway ad im back at work. I had a cup of green tea this morning and now im sat on my car outside a clients house having half an hour me time before I have to go in haha! Im feeling positive and hoping to get the chance to call my perinatal team today to discuss meds, if not I will call them tomorrow as im off then.

Was able to get out for a walk and do some gardening as baby slept for a bit and it's cloudy for the first time in ages.

Even though we had fish and chips yesterday I was still within my calories taking breastfeeding into account, winning!! Another great thing about My Fitness Pal is that sometimes I don't bother having something because I can't be arsed to work out the calories 😂

So far so good girls!! Wishing you all a happy Monday too

So my healthy eating lasted about 4 hours. Popped in to see my husband at work on my lunch break and he made me cheesey hips with peppercorn sauce 🤣 oh well!

Great thread! Can I join?
14 weeks PP after baby #2 and heaviest I've been. Put on most weight in the 2 years TTC after a lot of pain and miscarriages.
Already started a few weeks ago, with a few goals;

• get back to pregnancy weight (5kg more to loose)
• get back (comfortably) into pre pregnancy clothes
• reduce my BMI and body fat percentage back into the normal/fitness range
• feel better about my body appearance
• oh and fit into my Christmas pjs (I thought Christmas was a good target 😆)

I'm trying to make the most of maternity leave to do this as I know I'll struggle for time when back at work. Baby is relatively chill atm so working my bum off before he inevitably changes 🫣
Joined the local leisure centre that do twice weekly postnatal fitness classes aim to go to them with him and gym on a weekend when older DC has a class there to tie in together as well as walking in between. Older DC starts school in a couple of weeks so planning to up the walking!

Will be good to have some accountability 🙈

Hey everyone! Just a quick hello as my Mum is here. Nice to see your updates. Will find time to give an update of my own tomorrow.

Cheesy chips with peppercorn sauce? Is your husband a genius @LidFlipper ?

Haha he’s a wonderful chef but terrible for my waist line!

Quick hello from me too!

Have added a medication app to my phone and set it to remind me to take my vitamins. Working well so far (day 4 . . .)

Need to dust off my pilates mat this week.

High five to everyone seeking mental health support and best of luck with it.

@Socathe you speak wise words!

What vitamins are you taking please?