To be miserable about weight 3 months post natal but too tired to do anything about it...

[Hotmad]

Always has weight issues on my mind since I was a teen, always been overweight but generally healthy as I ate nutritious foods just perhaps too much but I'm 6ft almost so generally a big gal.
Anyway I Put on 4.5 stone in pregnancy as i thought I had a licence for once in my life to eat what I wanted. Ha!
Now 3 months postnatal and I'm 2 stone over my pre pregnancy weight (which I would be happy to get back to). But I just can't shift it, I'm running on empty being exhausted most of time and I eat for comfort more junk foods like choc or cake etc. I do walk a lot with pram but I'm not really losing anything and being this big really gets me down.
AIBU to think I should put more effort in or AIBU to be so hard on myself?

You will feel better if your fitter. Dont eat as many snacks, or big portions. Do lots of outdoor stuff as its nearly summer. Carry your dc in a sling if possible and I always wear a girdle post baby to get a completely flat stomach quick.

I'd focus on fitness rather than weight - walk lots with your baby in a sling, try to eat less junk but don't cut it out completely - you're allowed a treat.

And don't be so hard on yourself because 3 months is nothing - it takes 9 months to make a baby and you should have 9 months to fully recover from it.

A pregnancy is 9 months, so aim to have your prepregnacy weight for when DC is around 9-10 months.

Cut the crap out of your diet and make sure you have heathy snacks that require no effort.

How are your moods ATM

9 months on 9momths off.
Your hormones are raging right now. Be kind to yourself, eat healthy as you can. Are you BF? Try carrying dc in a sling instead of pushing pram ( great for tummy) my dd3 is 8 months. .. I'm just back in pre pregnancy jeans and still have 'muffin top' to shift.

X posts with all :)

I would get in to exercise dvds/programs. I was doing zumba last time, but had to stop as pregnant again. I know some people like the 9 months thing but I prefer to be back to normal asap as otherwise a lot of people put it off. There is no need for formal classes just a general active lifestyle.

3 months is still really early. Don't be too hard on yourself.

As your baby gets more mobile you will probably find your more active, also once the baby starts weaning it'shard to eat snacks without the baby wanting some.

Enjoy your maternity leave, loosing bany weight isn't a race and there isn't a limited time frame.

Yeh my moods are generally good, have some bad days where everything gets to me but i put that down to lack of sleep, hormones etc. I was bf until 8-10 weeks but then changed to bottle. I can lose weight as I have shifted a load before but now it's harder as some days a piece of cake and latte just seem so much more needed for my sanity!

I really feel sorry for new Mums these days. My youngest is only 16, so not really the 'olden days'!! We didn't have all this pressure to loose our 'baby weight'. This is a new thing and promoted by celeb magazines. Please take a step back and don't get sucked in by this relatively modern way of thinking. I too am 6ft and put on 4 stone!! mostly baby, placenta I think! But was still overweight till he was 3!! I BF for 2 years and DIDN'T worry at all. It was never mentioned by Dr/HCP at all. Or magazines/newspapers! Please please stop!! Eat as healthy as you can, enjoy a treat, exercise when you can/ feel like it, keep up the walking and ENJOY new motherhood.

It's really hard with a new baby to just eat healthy. I know what you mean about wanting a quick energy fix! I think that you need to cut yourself a bit of slack in the early months.

But I think now it's spring and you're baby is three months it might be a good time to start eating healthily. Take this opportunity to focus on your own food before you have to start worrying about what DC is eating!

I don't think you said whether or not you were bf but be extra careful to eat enough if you are.

For me the key is preparation so you don't grab something unhealthy in exhaustion. Left overs from a healthy dinner make a great quick lunch and that really helped my weight loss.

Please give yourself plenty of time. I'd allow 9 months to a year to shift the weight.

Do you use an app like myfitnesspal? It's a great way to track what you eat. Once you get your regular foods in there it can be really quick to use. It will make sure you don't eat too little or too much and keeps you honest about what is really going in your mouth.

It sounds like you're doing plenty of walking so maybe a quick postnatal toning routine while baby naps like Pilates or something but again, go easy esp if you're breastfeeding as you could do yourself an injury. As your baby gets heavier you'll be getting a free arm workout!

I know it's hard to be patient but go gently on yourself.

Ha! Just being a tad facetious ;)
Good tips and advice, think marylou is spot on about pressure to lose weight, I can't help but feel unattractive and frumpy at moment

Hotmad, I am at exactly the same point, 3 month old and 2 stone to lose. I have realised that my diet is mostly carbs as everything I snack on is bread/biscuit based and is very fattening, I have started trying to incorporate more protein into my diet as this keeps you fuller for longer, and I am definitely snacking less. The constant tiredness is a killer though!

9 months on 9 months off my fat arse.

I had my first 2 18 months apart so did lose weight but then got pregnant pretty much straight away. After DS3 it took much longer - not sure why, I exercise, eat reasonably well, maybe it's an age thing.

Anyway, he is now 4.4 and I am back to pre-pregnancy size, almost the same weight, albeit a different shape. It didn't really shift until I went back to exercising properly which is tough with young children, a job and not much so are time. Don't be harsh on yourself, 3 months is really so early.

So are time should be spare time

If you exercise a lot though then you wont feel tired. Its one of those that once you are doing it you get loads of energy.

Took me a year both times to get back to pre pregnancy weight, i ate lots of chocolate too and did lots of walking, both helped me when feeling really tired.

Hey OP relax! It's only 3 months since you had your baby. It will come off eventually if you just eat sensibly, cut down a little on cake and stuff, but no desperate measures. It took me two years post DS to go back to my pre-pregnancy weight. Give yourself some time and don't deny yourself the things you like, just moderate amounts and make sure you get something healthy in each day, if it's a bit of spinach or salad etc. and you're walking so you're doing all the right things.

You just made a human being lady!! Well done.

Lots of friends of mine have said that it took them a couple of years to get back to the pre-preg weight. Be gentle on yourself - it has only been 3 months!! Honestly, don't give in to the pressure of snapping back immediately and don't give two hoots about what anyone else thinks. Once you feel really ready and in the right place mentally to tackle any weight loss that you might want, it will happen. I can't lose any weight unless I am in absolutely the right frame of mind. Instead, congratulate yourself on just recently having done the most amazingly brilliant thing - giving birth to a lovely health baby!! Congratulations!

I too did feel frumpy...hope my DH still found me attractive!? I look back at photos and think...What was I wearing!! But at the time I didn't care...My memories of that (hard) time don't include ....wish I'd made an effort...they are of just enjoying my new baby, my last, and fun time with my other DCs. In fact I have just had a massive clear out and found a maternity dress (made by me cos I couldn't afford to buy and at 6ft and 16 stone, nothing else fitted!!). I wore it for months after...again lack of money...but you know, I couldn't chuck it as it has got good memories too. Be gentle and kind to yourself. x

Ha OP I know what you mean about trying to fit in the exercise during the nap. I'm trying to remember, is 3 months the stage when they fall asleep in your arms and pop their eyes open as soon as you put them down?

But seriously if you do get a chance, I really enjoyed Erin O Brien's Postnatal Rescue DVD. Her commentary can be a bit annoying but the workouts are gentle yet effective and take only 15 mins.

Thanks for all tips and advice everyone, really helpful and I will try to keep on the straight and narrow and make doable changes like Americano instead latte!!
And keep walking with the pram. I wish weight loss only took a week but it doesn't so I just have to accept it and make realistic changes and keep going! I will meanwhile try to hide my muffin top with flattering baggy clothing if I can ever find that!
Yes to onsera my 3.5 month old will not let me put her down at mo without eyes opening up and being wide awake again! Might try holding her and doing squats!! Least my bum and thighs would tone a bit!

Sounds like you're going in the right direction. I got to 7months after dd was born and then had a "right that is IT" moment and lost the final half stone purely by healthy eating, lots of walking with the buggy especially marching up hills and regular yoga in evenings or weekends when dh was home. I now need to lose the next half stone to get to my target weight.

I also found that there was no point in having nice clothes for a while because I quite regularly had waves of sick hitting me and it wasn't until we got through that phase that I was safe and could put to one side the shirts, trackie bs and sweatshirts that I lived in for the first few months.

DD is 10 months and I still have half a stone to lose. I put on 3.5 stone but I am only 5'3! I think I am going to have to make a huge effort for this last chunk.

She only slept on me until she was 8 months, then I had to do some gentle sleep training to make her sleep by herself. That has unfortunately given me more opportunities to raid the kitchen - at least if you are trapped under a baby you can't eat!