To still be 2 stone overweight 7 months postpartum

[Milly899]

NC, please be nice as I’m feeling so down after weighing myself today.

Feels like everyone I know who was pregnant around the same time as me looks amazing after birth, and are doing workouts every other day or look naturally slim again.

I was idealistic before birth thinking I’d get back to my weight pre pregnancy which was at the high end of normal BMI.

I put on 3 stone, lost two stone after I gave birth and struggled to get the last stone off because to be honest I’ve found motherhood extremely hard that dieting and exercising hasn’t been possible for me, and thinking about food and exercise was just too much as something else to think about as a I navigate being a FTM - excuses I know.

Christmas has happened and I’ve eaten a lot and in a week I’ve put on half a stone so I’m officially two stone and overweight and the biggest I’ve ever been apart from being pregnant and I feel disgusted with myself. My clothes don’t fit and I look grim on top of being exhausted. I’m so embarrassed.

Tomorrow I’m making a change and I’m throwing out the Christmas food I don’t need anymore, and I’m going to cut down and really try to shift this weight.

should I have lost all this weight by now?? Is it too late to shift this all?

9 months on, 9 months off. Or in most cases 1-2 years for it to come off, especially if breastfeeding.

I’ve never lost the weight until each dc has turned 1 so don’t pressure yourself. Just enjoy your baby

Ah OP don't pressure yourself, it's hard with a new baby and over winter. Well done for the two stone, as spring comes in it's easier to get out and about and burn some extra calories, plus less temptation from the Christmas junk food!

Don't think of it as going on a "diet", think of it as getting into a healthier lifestyle for you and the family.
If you start daily exercise now, then by the time your baby is a toddler they'll be completely used to the idea that running/cycling/hiking is something enjoyable and fun to do as a family.
How about doing c25k with the baby in a running buggy, and adding in extra yoga or strength classes on YouTube when you find the time? You'll feel much happier and healthier in yourself as a result, and may lose a bit of weight as well.

Of course you aren’t ‘being unreasonable’ to not have lost your baby weight.

I’m not going to patronise you with a ‘WeLl DoNe MaMa FoR gRoWiNg A hUMaN’ as you clearly aren’t happy with your weight.

Losing weight takes a degree of obsession and your head being ‘in the game’, if you haven’t been in the right headspace for it, that’s fine. Get started in the new year. I am someone who lost my ‘baby weight’ (3 and a half stone of fat (baby not included) quite quickly, but that’s because I did a lot of comfort eating when depressed with TTC so when she popped out, I was ‘ready’. Not everyone is ready. And that’s ok.

You honestly don’t need to think about exercise if you’ve got enough on. Healthy habits of movement are great- but if you only have the mental capacity to calorie count and swerve cake with your coffee, that’s what will make the difference.

Best wishes to you. Do be kind to yourself as you are working hard looking after your child.

I found the Joe Wicks body coach app good. I started at six months and did home workouts when baby napped. Lost a stone very easily.

Please just enjoy your baby this stage doesn’t last forever; I bet you don’t look like you’ve described remember your doing the hardest job possible looking after a baby. Be kind to yourself 🥰

I really struggled to lose weight while BF, it clung on and I was starving. At 6/7months I started doing Joe wicks during nap time and trying to build up running again, just to get me feeling better mentally. Then I went low carb and that shifted a motivating few kg

YANBU. I've got a stone on for each baby and my second is two and a half. It is really difficult.

I work about 50 hours per week and feel permanently mentally and physically worn out. My husband works really irregular shifts so when i'm not working, I'm usually in sole charge of my children. I know losing weight will help but at the moment, I just don't have the headspace to plan and stick to a perfect meal plan and tbh I think i'm verging on a restrict and binge eating disorder trying to keep it under control. In fact, I've literally just skipped my evening meal. I hate the way I look and it feels pretty hopeless.

Low carb makes me feel good but takes a lot of headspace. I'm undecided as to whether to start it again in Jan or not.

It took me 12m with all three of mine. I definitely didn't lose any when breastfeeding. Abd sleep deprivation meant I ate twixes at 3am to survive some nights! Once the sleep improved and the chaos calmed down there was more time for general healthy eating and exercise but no obsessive calorie counting or anything. It sounds like you were a healthy weight before, take it slow and steady and you will probably get back there (not quite as fast as you want but hopefully in a way that's sustainable long term).

Bit like you I lost 2 stone essentially by giving birth. I ate relatively well and exercised LOADS but couldn’t shift the last stone until about 10 months post partum where I suddenly lost half a stone without trying. If anything I was doing less exercise than before. I def think there’s something hormonal that needs to come out of your system first before you lose all the weight.

I’m trying to shift the last half a stone now before trying for baby number 2 as I’m only 5ft2 and am very small framed. I can’t get away with an extra half a stone with every baby!

Please please don’t be hard on yourself, its so easy to think once the baby comes everything will be great and you can lose weight no bother - it absolutely does not go like that! its so so tough looking after a baby, everything else just goes out the window and then you’re left wondering how it’s been so long and you still have the weight. I’m in the exact same position and I promise you so are thousands others so please don’t feel like you’ve failed or need to be ashamed.
when you have time and feel able you will do something about it, whether it’s 2 weeks or 2 months - the main thing is you’re healthy and that the baby is minded, everything else will fall into place. If a cup of tea and emmerdale is what you need after a hard day rather than going for a run then you should do that! Don’t mind anyone else

Don't diet op, none of these fad diets anyways ! Go low carb low sugar and do bits of exercise when you can.
I'm 3 months pp and really need to take the advice myself !!

I had gestational diabetes in pregnancy and I didn't put another pound on once I did low GI

Seven months is nothing, and you are in the eye of the exhaustion storm. Gets easier once they're on solids and sleeping a bit more

Probably not what you want to hear but I’m 2 stone heavier (9 st -> 11 st so quite noticeable) than pre-pregnancy and DD is nearly 2 and a half 🤦🏻‍♀️ In fact, I’m a stone heavier than I was 6 months post-partum and I bf for blimming ages too. I’ve decided 2023 is the year I either do something about it or stop complaining, cough up for a whole new wardrobe & finally chuck out those tired maternity knickers I’m so fond of.

YANBU. Only once I went back to work did I go back to my previous eating habits, which made me feel like myself again - physically and mentally tbh.

Its one aspect of returning to work that I’m looking forward to now - I’m 6 months into my 2nd mat leave.

At work, I have a moment to plan and buy food for the week and then prepare and eat it without interruption. Under those circumstances I make healthier decisions- especially when I’m not sat at soft play eyeing up peoples chips! Or stealing chicken nuggets from my picky toddler who has only eaten one chip from her entire meal

Your baby is still so young op don’t be soo hard on yourself I was similar got down to near on pre pregnancy weight post partum then the sleepless nights caught up with me and binged ate for energy! Eventually I went up to the same weight full term then baby started sleeping and I headed for all my favourite fruits instead of sweets more energy more excercise fell off! X

I walked with baby every day.. mostly in an ergobaby and sometimes in the pram. For naps etc and I lost everything and was back in six months. Babies need naps anyway and the body to body contact plus baby wearing is good for developing a ‘secure attachment’ bond. Start walking. You don’t need strenuous exercise, or diets, or gym passes

I’m in the same boat with over 2st weight gain and my ds is 20 months. Bf until he was 12 months. Since he was 6 months I’ve done swimming, walked everywhere (don’t drive), and joined a gym went regularly, switched to a low carb diet…. None of it worked much…BUT the only thing that has finally shifted my weight is eating low carb /keto. It is a total game changer. Lost 9lb in 4 weeks so far.

also don’t treat it as a fad diet but a whole new way of eating.