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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

to not understand why some women are in such a hurry to lose baby weight?

61 replies

coochicoo · 26/03/2009 21:46

Or is it just me? It never bothered me. I loved my pregnancy shape, I wasn't bothered by the flabby belly left after childbirth as I was too busy looking after my new baby. My dd is 8 months old now and I'm still eating like a horse (I'm bf so need all the calories ).

I just don't get the whole 'crash-diet as soon as the baby's out / mummy makeover' thing.

(can you tell I'm watching Louise Redknapp on ITV?!)

OP posts:

nickymorris · 26/03/2009 21:54

Agree with you totally (although I's imaging it's more of an issue for people who are't bfing or people who put on a LOT when pg!)

IwishIwasmoreorganised · 26/03/2009 21:56

I wasn't in a hurry to lose the weight - just keen to get a bigger variety of clothes back!

Bf both of my hungry boys made sure that I was back in my jeans within 2 weeks both times (but they can't be too low cut due to the flabby belly overhang - not a good look!)

hanaflower · 26/03/2009 21:59

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

piscesmoon · 26/03/2009 21:59

I was very bothered by the flabby belly! I wanted to get back into my old clothes and feel fit again.

Amandoh · 26/03/2009 22:02

Same as PiscesMoon. I really wanted to get back into my pre-pregnancy clothes.

ZZZen · 26/03/2009 22:02

I wanted to get back to how I was quite fast really.

SomeMightSay · 26/03/2009 22:03

It took my body 9 months to get to how it did, I always told myself it would take at least that long to get back, but falling pregnant 10 months after ds1 was born means I have my work cut out for me, but I'm not worried, if I lose weight, I lose it and if \i don't, I don't. I feel no burning need to get back 'into shape'. My body looks how it does for a reason, a reason I am very proud of

piscesmoon · 26/03/2009 22:11

I was alright the second and third time because I knew what to expect but I was upset the first time, I suppose that I magically expected it to disappear!

Original poster

coochicoo · 26/03/2009 22:12

I'll probably feel more bothered when I go back to work and have to fit into work clothes, and once dh and I start going out again. I'm back in my jeans and back to my pre-pregnancy size, but my body shape is totally different and I've got a squidgy muffin-top that never used to be there and boobs that touch my belly. What a vixen!

After a few months I think it's all well and good trying to get back into shape, but straight away after giving birth? Why?

OP posts:

screamingabdab · 26/03/2009 22:29

I agreepiscesmoon.

I was totally unprepared the first time round for how long it would take for the belly to go down, and how long I'd be in these hideous maternity trousers afterwards (I had a caesarian). It was not helped by the fact that my dad, for some weird reason commented on it to someone on the phone about three days after I came home

It really pisses me off that celebrity magazines (which I now don't read) are always banging on about people losing the baby weight. Totally unrealistic expectations.

Now I am proud of my body, proud of the stretchmarks, the boobs are better than before. Wish belly was a bit less flobby (asked for a Slendertone belt for Valentines day, but DH refused on the ground of it being unromantic !)

Strawbezza · 26/03/2009 22:44

Show me a stick-thin woman with a two-month-old baby and I'll show you someone who's devoted her life 100% to dieting and exercise, and 0% to her new baby. I'd rather do it the other way around, thanks.

Dillydaydreamer · 26/03/2009 22:44

I was going to start a -rant- thread over that scandolous piece of trash
Louise Redknapp did more damage doing the documentary than if she had left the subject alone.
Clearly its easy to get back in shape with a personal trainer, don't breastfeed then no need to worry about poor milk supply.
So her message to new mums is

you need to be rich and have a personal trainer/surgery to get pre pregnancy shape.
you won't have time to breastfeed because you will be busy training 3)Its ok to leave an 8wk old baby for a couple of weeks and fly across the world when it isn't really necessary.
you should always have make up and hair done in public and private.
you to can look like me as I am classed as massive which she clearly believes but pretends not to. She openly said at the end that she aspired to have her old body back 'thats just me' and if you are happy, not thats fine, just its nobody elses business but people will think you are lazy implication

I want to post a pic on the website of thatv group of women in America in support of accepting the body post pregnancy, stretch marks, cellulite and all

no1putsbabyinthecorner · 26/03/2009 22:49

I think there is a lot of pressure to get rid of baby weight. Depends if you take any notice of it. My ds is 7 months and dd just 2. I am a little lighter than both pre pregnancy weight.(still bf) but my body is a different shape. Or I think it is. I am desperate to tone up to feel better about myself. i am too busy, then too tired.iykwim

Dillydaydreamer · 26/03/2009 22:54

nickymorris I do have to laugh at the difficuly being with women not breastfeeding or putting on huge amounts while pregnant.
I started at 10st 10lb pre pregnancy at 5'6''. I was 15st just before delivery, went down to 13st 10lb straight after delivery. I bf for 6mths and am still 12st 4lb and dd2 is 1yr today!! The problem being that I have nobody to care for dd1 while I pram walk/go to the gym/swim during the day and CM until 6pm. By the time we have had dinner its too dark/late.
If I was rich it would be easy to pay for nursery or childcare to do fitness
To be my pre pregnancy weight involves being strict to the point of eating 1 meal per day and no snacks and exercise. I could not produce enough milk on such a small amount of calories to feed a 10lb baby. (I tried) I chose my babies health over my whim to lose weight- I can do that once my baby is at pre-school or nursery and I am back at work.

Dillydaydreamer · 26/03/2009 22:55

BTW the weight gain with dd2 was by eating a sensible 3 meals per day. No snacks

no1putsbabyinthecorner · 26/03/2009 23:07

dillydaydreamer happy Birthday to your dd2
We have a gym at home (converted garage) and I am still too tired to use it when dcs are in bed.
I miss swimming,but don't like relying on anyone to watch them.
(10lb+ here too) and I ate lots and lots in first few months of bf. I have now cut out all snacks.

CurlyhairedAssassin · 26/03/2009 23:25

I never watched the end of that programme, got fed up at her saying silly things like "oh, I won't even let Jamie see me in my underwear, never mind thought of being photographed in it". WTF? And then when it was quite obvious that she was actually desperate to lose the weight because of vanity reasons and not only because she had an underwear job lined up. Who on earth would agree to do that 6 weeks after birth anyway?! Sorry, but I don't get it....and switched off.

I also saw that programme she did on slimming down to a size zero. Part of me thinks that she chose to do that programme as an excuse to get to a tiny size, rather than trying to make out it was all an experiement.

Sorry, but I can't stand that whole celeb/WAG superficiality thing that they've got going on. I am so glad I'm not one of them.

As for my own experience, during my pregnancies I ate according to my appetite (which was bigger than usual!). Didn't do much to lose the weight afterwards - again, I just ate according to my appetite (less than during pregnancy as I ended up not breastfeeding) and it just came off gradually over the course of a year or so. Maybe I was lucky in that respect, my metabolism's fast or something?

Dillydaydreamer · 26/03/2009 23:43

thanks no1! It took me 18mths last time and I will do it again. It took the incentive of a booked holiday last time mind.

Sorrento · 26/03/2009 23:43

Blimey well I didn't watch it but would say with my first child I put on 4 stone and felt disgusted with myself especially when I found out that actually 1.5 to 2 stone is what we should gain.
I lost the weight in 3 months by breast feeding and cutting out the crap chocolate, puddings etc, the weight fell off.
With my next two children I literally just ate one extra bowl of cereal and more fruit and veg to snack on, I put one stone on both times and felt 1000 times better after the birth, fitter, more energy, more like me.
So my question is should we be doing more to manage weight gain during pregnancy, it's not the excuse to stuff your face some people (including me) think it is and it cannot be good for your health.

Original poster

coochicoo · 27/03/2009 06:49

I agree Dillydaydreamer, that comment of hers at the end msde me want to throw something at the tv. The pictures would have been massively airbrushed before being published anyway so did she really need to stress about it so much? Or does she believe we actually believe what we see in magazines? Pah.

OP posts:

Madmentalbint · 27/03/2009 07:11

After my first two I did ping straight back into shape without much effort at all. After my third (c section) I was huuuuge for ages and began to secretly suspect they'd left a baby in there. Number four finished me off really and I'm still waiting for my pre-pregnancy body 7 years later. I don't think it's ever going to happen now because I just not bothered enough to put in the work.

Missed the programme on purpose because I knew it would be dangerous for my health to watch it.

hanaflower · 27/03/2009 10:06

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

BackToBasics · 27/03/2009 10:21

After my first, it took me a year to loose the wieght, it was only a stone but when your small, it does make a difference. I wasn't all the bothered about the wieght and only lost it because one of my dps shop staff left and i covered whilst he found a replacement so all the running around made the wieght fall off.

This time though, i just wanted to loose the wieght. I thought my body looked awful when pregnant and even worse after. I was getting quite depressed about it and have made the effort with lots of walking and cutting out junk food to get my body back. It was also depressing not having any clothes that fit. Pre-pregnancy clothes too small and the few bigger clothes i had were too big. I thought it wasn't worth buying new clothes to only wear a short time. My dp bless him, everytime i am getting changed, he tells me how gorgeous i look and how lovely my figure is to boost my low self confidence about my body.

BackToBasics · 27/03/2009 10:22

weight NOT wieght

no1putsbabyinthecorner · 27/03/2009 10:33

backto basics your dh sounds just wonderful. That is just what I wanted to hear as I was and do feel low about my body image after having dcs.

This is probably for another thread but I also feel a little paranoid of my body image due to lack of bedroom activity.
We both agree we are so tired, but I can't help but think its because dh prefers me how I was before. Even though I weigh less, I look different also bf so know think that puts him off too.
He didnt find me attractive when pregnant even though I only gained baby weight iykwim.
He openly admitted it and gagged at the suggestion of sex.
I know I am not really painting a good picture of him, he isnt that bad really.

So after all the waffling
I think I am trying to say that if my dh doesnt find me attractive, it oisnt going to help me feel better about myself.

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