To feel so unattractive after baby

[beefinthetrifle]

Had my first baby 10 weeks ago and I just feel disgusting. I don’t fit in any of my pre pregnancy clothes, currently in the middle of my first period post birth and it’s absolutely horrific. My once nice waist which was my best feature is non existent and the confident person I feel has just gone.
Tiredness doesn’t help. I keep meaning to go back to the gym and eat better but I’m just exhausted.

when did you start feeling better and when did you start to lose pregnancy weight? will I ever feel myself again?

Hi, OP

My daughter is 18 months and l'm only recently started trying to shed the baby weight.

It is so hard especially when your only 10 weeks post pregnancy.

You need a chance to recover and it will take longer than 10 weeks. Those first few weeks are completely exhausting with a newborn.

Please be kind to yourself.

TEN WEEKS op. Please, give yourself a break.

It's so difficult to see the wood from the trees at this point because you are so knackered but please try to keep in mind:

• Your pregnancy was 9 months. You need to give yourself longer than 10 weeks to recover.
• Recovery is likely to take longer than pregnancy as you have a baby outside of you now, and they like to disrupt your sleep, wail, and love to be held.
• Constantly holding a baby mean you proably won't do much excercise, although walking is possible and great. I lost a lot of weight walking after DD1. Less so with DD2 as there were covid lockdowns and I had a toddler.
• Lack of sleep has been linked with difficulty in controlling appetite so don't beat yourself up for not having a perfect diet.

Please be patient with this process. You do have to reinvent yourself a bit after a baby and it will take time, but you will get there. Also you are having a period in the middle of a heatwave, so probably feel more horrific than is normal!

Honestly, my DD has just turned 2. I started to lose weight when DD2 was 20 months and I really couldn't have started much before then as I had no energy.

I second something the above poster says, it resonated- you do have to reinvent yourself a bit. It’s pointless trying to be exactly who you were, you’re not. Doesn’t mean you can’t find a new normal and be happy with yourself though.

I’m with you, my DD (first baby) is 14 weeks now. I got on the scales a couple of weeks ago and to my shame I weighed more than when I got home from hospital after having her, so clearly 12 weeks of breastfeeding didn’t cancel out eating what I wanted! I was eating too much sugar and just not thinking about it, an unfortunate habit developed during later pregnancy and because I was (am) tired.

In the last couple of weeks I have been watching what I’m eating as I do want to lose the weight for a few main reasons: 1) to comfortably ride my horse again 2) to fit into more of my pre pregnancy wardrobe and 3) to model healthy behaviours to DD as I don’t want her to see sugary things as essential. I’m still having the odd treat but only healthy snacks between meals and less eating out / takeaways.

I’ve lost a couple of kilos and feel so much better, it’ll take a while to lose the 15 kilos I need to but it will happen eventually ☺️. I just wanted to lose weight in a way that I wouldn’t be pressured. I am overweight so need to do it for my health too.

This is just what I am doing and what seems to be working for me at 14 weeks PP. I probably wouldn’t bother if I didn’t have the motivators I’ve mentioned, so please just do what feels right for you.