to feel so fat six weeks after giving bith?

[Iwishthestorkwouldbringmybaby]

I just feel disgusting. I have a giant fat apron belly and huge thighs and am wearing a size 16. I feel I am surrounded by people who were back in their normal clothes a couple of weeks after the birth. My friend is
5 months pregnant and complaining that she had to wear size 12 clothes! I would lobe to be a size 12! I am still wearing my maternity leggings. I just forced myself to look at myself in the mirror and I look like someone from a before picture., my belly is so huge and droopy. I am breastfeeding, counting calories and walking lots but feel like a fat freak. Please don't flame me, I know there is more to life and I love my baby so much but feel disgusting.

Sorry just noticed title. Birth not bith obviously.

no flaming. But remember for everyone who walked out of hospital in their size tens there are many of us them who are still trying to shift the extra 4 stone I'm they're carrying, five years on. For example.

First, don't feel bad.

And second ,its normal to look like you describe.

Remember you have just lost that I just had a baby body , now the body needs to put itself back together.

It will go back ...you just gave birth 6 weeks ago.

please cut yourself some slack:)

I was a size 14 - 16 before I was pregnant god knows what I will be afterwards.

I'm only 5'2 and have gone from a
32g to a 36hh and I'm 36 weeks

My youngest is 7 and I'm still struggling

Seriously, it will come off, but it does take time. Just keep walking and if you're bf you shouldn't be restricting your calories, just eat sensibly and avoid junk.

it takes 9 months to grow a baby, and it can take a long time to get the weight off.

I remember when DS was 6 weeks old, I had to borrow shirts from my husband to team with fetching maternity jeans because nothing else fit me. Don't be so hard on yourself- you had a baby six weeks ago! The weight will go sooner or later and will be but a vague memory.

I felt fat and disgusting too. I even felt fat in pregnancy. I remember holding my stomach in when I was 38 weeks pregnant, then suddenly realising how pointless it was!

The vast majority of people take at least a few months to get back in shape, most people probably take years, many never. Only a tiny minority manage it in Hollywood-star-style weeks. So you are completely normal to still be bigger than usual at your stage.

Try and be kind to yourself. Losing weight when you're sleep deprived is not easy. It's hard to find time to exercise when you have a baby. And please don't reduce your calorie intake if you want to continue breastfeeding, as it can compromise your supply. It's best to wait until 3-4 months before you can safely "diet" without risking milk supply.

Anyone who sees you will see your baby and know you've only recently given birth, so they'll expect you to have some extra weight. It's normal.

My advice would be to ignore mirrors for at least another 2-3 months, then tackle this. You will get your figure back if you really want to, but now is not the time.

I think a lot of the problem is that normally, we're conditioned to see fat at 'unnecessary' and somehting we can and must get rid of. You put on that weight for a reason and tbh it will hang around for a while, also for a reason. You need those reserves. And as for you friend in the size 12s, she's got a looooong way to go, you don't know what size she'll end up either. Size 16 is damn good going 6 weeks after a birth. I started at a 14 last time and ended up a good size 20. This time I was a 10-12 at the beginning and tbh fully ex

gah, posted too soon. I fully expect to be a 16 post partum and am fine with that. I've lost it before, I can lose it again. But not in 6 weeks.

You are BF which is why your body is hanging on to calories, so please dont count calories. Your baby needs a good supply and as others have said, dieting will seriously damage your supply.

Your friend is in for a shock in a couple of months I promise you! In all my pgs (I have 6 kids) I have been smug until I hit 6 months and then WOOOOOFF! I exploded :o I started as a 12/14 when I conceived the last one and was 18/20 at 6 weeks. Your friend will do the same, and if she doesnt then there is no justice in the world! I know of only 1 woman of my aquaintance who didnt put on weight when she was pg and she has always been as skinny as a whippet and was massively pissed off when the emergency dentist didnt even notice she was pg when she was 3 days overdue, so it works both ways!

Don't put yourself under any pressure, give yourself a break. Losing weight qickly and springing back to a pre-baby size and shape is NOT the norm. Though I agree that sometimes some women are defeatist mostly I think we put too much pressure on ourselves too quickly.

My eldest is 8, I'm just about getting the hang of my new body and shape. Im just about learning to love it. I'm still bigger and wobblier than I was pre-kids, but actually, with exercise and a healthy diet and time there's no reason you can't learn to love the new you.

Try not be harsh on yourself. Focus on other areas, get your nails done, hair cut etc. Be proud to be a new mummy! Your whole body changes after having kids. It's natural and perfectly normal! We all feel same after pregnancy but 'baby fat' as I call it, will go in time :)

I lost loads of weight because I felt awful and couldn't eat. I dare say a lot of people are the same. I don't recommend it.

I felt like this too, but believe me it will come off, my LO is nearly 7 months and I'm just about back to normal on scales but look thinner iyswim, I lost a pound or 2 a week, so slow and steady. I used my fitness pal app on phone for logging cals and its great, so might be an idea down the line to use that.

Tbh I don't know who all the people who leave hospital in their skinnies are, I've yet to meet one!

I had my ds 12 weeks ago and when I went for my 6 week check at 8 weeks the doctor said he was amazed at how quickly my uterus had shrunk. I credit it to the bf. You will see the benefits when your amazing baby producing body is ready. Please cut yourself some slack - you have just grown this wonderful little person. Who cares what size you are - they adore you regardless and that's what's important!

My dd is 6 weeks old tbh I'm quite pleased that I can wear 14-16 size clothes. I was concerned I would be worse. When I was at the Dr for my 6 week check I said I was desperate to loose weight and asked about what exercise I could do ( my EMCS wound hasn't healed yet). He just looked at me shook his head and said 'you have a 6 week old go walking with the pram, the fresh air will do you both good'. The only reason I am wearing normal clothes is I lost quite a bit of weight before falling pregnant but didn't get rid of my bigger clothes, I'm not back to my pre-pregnancy weight or size.

You are being too hard on yourself. Remember, wearing size 12 clothes unless size 12 maternity at 5 months pregnant is the exception not the rule. Those back to their old size in a couple of weeks are in the minority.

Just watch you are not getting too down and focusing on your size. Speak to someone if you are feelin low as you have to watch for PND.

You sound so sad

No advice aside from what can you do to make yourself feel better about being in the skin you are in? You don't sound fat - you sound miserable.

Do something to make yourself feel better today

Crap advice but...

9 months on, 9 months off is a good rule to abide by. Although I was 10 months on, 10 months off - ds was vair overdue and I liked cake.

Honestly, 6 weeks is so soon to be worrying about losing the weight. It will come off, but this time is for snuggling with your delicious newborn and eating cake :)

I just want to give you a cuddle.

It will come off! It really will. If breastfeeding, don't worry about calories, your body will be burning through them at a rate of knots anyway, though eating plenty of healthy food (rather than junk) is a good idea, as far as possible. I tried to have snacks like yoghurts and nuts and raisins in the house when breastfeeding, as otherwise it was a biscuit frenzy when the hunger hit. Are you doing some gentle tummy-flattening and pelvic floor exercises? I did these every day for the the first 5 months or so (got lazy after that) and they really do help. I had post-natal physio (standard here - not in UK) and this included quite a lot of simple leg/thigh toning exercises and stuff as well. I know it's hard to find the time with a newborn, but during one of the naps each day, you could try to take the time for a little bit of muscle exercise. I think it just helps them to tighten and remember their pre-baby shape and place. Important not to do too much though - we are not talking crunchs and sit ups!! More like holds, stretches, breathing and that - there were some examples in my pregnancy book actually. Try not to put yourself under pressure though. Everyone is still in mat stuff so soon after the baby. Your body will slowly work its way back to its normal shape and faster than you think!

You're being too hard on yourself OP, 6 weeks is not time at all.

Give yourself time.

it took my 9 months to loose it last time, and I expect it will do again now. DD is 3 months old and I havn't started trying yet. I had a crash cs, a real "slash and grab" job as her heart stopped in labour and I could nl;t really walk comfortably for a couple of months (see my user name and guess how frustrating that was!). But you know what - I'll get there. So will you, just be patient. 9 months on, 9 months off. You'll be slinky for the summer!

Don't feel bad, DD is 2 and I'm still carrying extra weight and I will never ever be a size 8 again, currently a 12, and hoping I may squeeze into a 10 if I keep dieting

My DD is 6 weeks, and I'm a droopy saggy stretchmarkey 14/16 too, with ginourmous norks (36gg). I've found that control top pants and vests have made me feel a bit more confident about the belly. I'm still eating loads, but just trying to make the majority of it good food rather than biscuits! Lots of veg, pulses and protein and a king size twix a day! Also I'm just not looking in any full length mirrors, or torturing myself by trying to get into pre-pregnancy clothes. DD is my third, so I know it will come off eventually, so be kind to yourself, and make sure you eat PLENTY without feeling guilty about it. You will feel a lot worse if you try to diet and you're sleep deprived and hungry.