To think it’s physically impossible for some women to regain their pre-pregnancy shape?

[HarryHarry]

Did your shape change permanently after pregnancy? I used to be a UK size 10. After I had my baby I lost all the weight (about 30 pounds) quickly but found that I was struggling to fit into some UK size 12 jeans/trousers. I don’t think I am carrying any extra fat - it’s as if my hip bones themselves have expanded. Is that even possible? Is there anything I can do to be thin again? Or am I stuck like this forever? Give me some hope please! I hate dwelling on “trivial” stuff like this when I should just be grateful for my beautiful, healthy baby, but it’s really getting me down. I feel so old and frumpy and I never thought that would happen to me.

@AnneLovesGilbert, yes! Mine took months to fall out then all my arm hair fell out despite previously being pretty hairy.

Yeah, I’m wider and also I look deformed because my hips now have a big dint in them, so I look like I’m wearing too tight underwear

After two kids my ribs, feet and hips are bigger/wider, abs my nipples have migrated south by a good two inches 🤣 I think pregnancy abs childbirth is often like another stage of evolution for women's bodies, like puberty or the menopause. They change fundamentally and can't go back.

Then there’s still hope Yogurtcoveredricecake! Thank you

Yup - my boobs were a 34 DD before pregnancy and a 34G after (my overall body weight is the same - it is just the baps that are bigger). She is now 8 years old and they are still a 34G. Nowt I can do about that!

I think my ribs have widened it’s not “fat” or anything I can do much about.

Think it’s aging too not just childbirth. It’s rare to maintain a slight girlish figure into your 40s. A few do but rare genetics or more effort and deprivation than most of us prepared to put in I was 8/10 at 25 12/14 at 45

Anne I didn't have that exact issue with hair growth but it sounds hormonal and so I wouldn't even consider whether it's a permanent state of affairs while you're breastfeeding (which I know you are from other threads). I think some of the expectations that bodies 'go back' in weeks rather than months/years is based on the assumption you're not breastfeeding - I was amazed at how much that I thought was purely physiological and permanent (eg the way sex felt) turned out to be hormonal because it changed when I stopped breastfeeding.

During pregnancy, your hips and ribs move outwards to give the baby room to grow. In forensics and archaeology, this is how they assess whether or not a woman seems to have been pregnant, and whether or not she's given birth.

Interesting - anyone super tall have an experience like this? I'm both tall and broad hipped, so am wondering if the effect would be less pronounced as there's already more room for a baby to fit.

The idea that women should return to exactly how they are after going through the massive physical changes of pregnancy birth etc is what is off to me.

It's setting women up to fail even as they do the thing that from an animal / evolutionary perspective is what we are all about iyswim

That makes sense NewAccount270219, I’m only being impatient I haven’t had to pluck my face recently so at least the super long ones have stopped, it’s just covered in a soft light fuzz. Like a bee.

Interesting - anyone super tall have an experience like this? I'm both tall and broad hipped, so am wondering if the effect would be less pronounced as there's already more room for a baby to fit

I’m not super tall - 5’7” but DS was only small (6lb at full term) so much less pronounced on me as he had loads of room to lie in - also might why I didn’t get stretch marks?
I agree with the pp who said that expecting women to ‘go back to their pre baby body’ is ridiculous though.

I'm tall (though not 'super tall' - I'm 5'10) and quite big framed and neither my hips nor rib cage grew in pregnancy, or at least not as I noticed. DS was 7lb1, so sort of average.

In general - obviously there are tonnes of exceptions to this - I do think pregnancy is easier if you're tall. For instance, I had a lap the whole way through, was puzzled by why other people said their bump meant they couldn't drive, etc. The bump is just so much less of a proportion of you, if that makes sense.

I’m short and by the end my bump meant I couldn’t see my upper legs till just above my knees when sitting down! Hard to imagine now but it’s amazing what you get used to with minute changes every day. I managed to cut my toe nails but it was a fete of gymnastics

I'm 5'3 and of a fairly slight build and went 42+2 with DD1 and it was ridiculous.

Yy agree its totally the case that the size of the woman will make a difference!

Remembering a pic I think my bump stuck out probably 1/3 of my height at the end! I was vv wobbly on my feet

Maybe even more will need to dig out the snap!