To wonder why the baby weight won’t budge?

[Norberta]

My baby is 4.5 months old and I’ve been working out since he was 6 weeks old, for the last month I’ve been going hard: PT twice a week, additional Pilates class weekly, 2 x 5k runs a week PLUS walking around 15K steps a day every day. I am combi feeding and aim to eat less than 1500 cals a day of a high protein diet.I am hungry a LOT so I don’t think I’m overeating. And yet… not 1kg lost in all that time. What the HELL is going on? I’ve never struggled to lose weight before and I have at least 1.5 stone to shift (BMI says I am over weight atm for the first time in my life). What am I getting wrong??

Just to say it's not only vaginal birth that increases the chance of prolapse.
While people seem to think that a LSCS avoids these issues it isn't a guarantee.
It's the weight of carrying the pregnancy on your pelvic organs and structures that can lead to prolapse.

I’ll share my experience post two pregnancies, but I’m aware women recover differently. Both pregnancies EBF.

The first 3-4 months only a bit of a weight loss and the womb shrinking down slowly.

Months 5-8 sweet spot for peak weight loss - baby eats a ton of milk which burns 500kcal a day easily. During this period I start IF and low-ish carb.

Months 8-9 - pre-pregnancy weight reached, but body feels flabby and overweight still. At this point weight loss really slows down… and can only shift after breastfeeding stops, combined with really strict IF and low carb.

And more importantly while I can understand why you desire to look how you did pre baby just be gentle with yourself.

Your baby looks at you and thinks you're the most beautiful thing in the world .

Yeah to this. And actually this differed for me between babies. DC1 I lost an awful lot of weight very quickly breastfeeding, DC2 and 3 barely shifted a gram.

my third is about 4 months too and I’m exercising and eating healthily but barely shifting a gram. It is what it is! Trying to enjoy the exercise for what it is and remain relaxed about it.

Another who didn't lose all the weight until I completely stopped breastfeeding. I fed DC2 for 18 months. By 12 months it was just twice a day and for the last couple of months only before bed but it still didn't come off. I was going to a wedding and tried really quite a restrictive diet to shift the last of it but it wouldn't come off. When I stopped feeding it literally came off in a couple of months with no effort at all.

I wouldn't use that as a reason not to breastfeed though. You're getting to the stage where it's much more convenient than FF (I have done both).

For my first son, I didn't lose the weight til I stopped breastfeeding him at 8 months, and he was a hungry baby, fed for ages and went from the bottom to the 91st centile in that time. Second child I lost it whilst still breastfeeding. I don't do as much exercise as you now and my kids are 7 and 4. I hope you are not overdoing it, must be knackering! PS I totally understand the desire to lose weight, I've put on over a stone (part of it to do with some meds I'm on increasing my appetite) but you might find eating a bit more now to give you energy then worrying about the loss later when you've finished BFing is the easiest way to go?

My weight didn't come off til I stopped breastfeeding them miraculously melted away. Some people hold on to it , hormonal

Hi!

Currently in same situation now, baby is 4.5 months old, I weigh heavier now then what I did 4 days after birth!!! I’m very active and was throughout all my pregnancy. Whilst breastfeeding, my appetite did go through the roof however I stopped breastfeeding completely a month ago and my weight is just not budging! I’m relatively good with the diet side and still active 5/6 days a week.

Has it been easier the last month? I know a lot of people say it’s not important but it in important to me!

I don’t know whether it’s to do with hormones or whether once my periods return it’ll start to get easier? Driving me mad!!

Heya I wanted to come back and update as it’s so annoying when threads don’t conclude!
So it’s taken me nearly 2 years to lose all the weight… the fact that I first posted at 4.5 months pp I now see as completely ludicrous!!
I won’t lie it’s been so tough, I’ve had to really work at it day in day out for 2 years I couldn’t believe how stubborn it was to shift but I got there eventually by being consistent. If you're in the trenches with your body image I see you! You got this! If I can do it you can too!