How did your body change long-term after childbirth

[MolotovCocktail]

I'm just contemplating this as I can no longer fit into my usual size jeans! I don't think it's fat - I actually think my pelvis has widened since giving birth to DD2 in April this year.

I have 2 amazing DDs; this is absolutely not a sombre thread about me lamenting how my body has irrevocably changed. I'm just remembering that I got away scot-free after DD1 - back into usual sized clothes/jeans 6 weeks after delivery. But it took longer after DD2 (about 12 weeks) and I'm still one size bigger on my lower half. I'm only 3lbs heavier than before I got pg second time and only 3 years older, and I reckon this is a physiological, anatomical change in my body having carried 2 babies to term.

My DH says prefers my body now, and I think I do, too. I'm just quite amazed/taken aback by at the changes.

Not at all, I actually got thinner from breastfeeding and running after toddler and not having time to sit down for lunch. People told me it would change but i didn't notice it. How old is your DC? I think It can take a year or so for u to get back into shape but I know quite a few who got back to pre-birth body within a year - maybe just the lucky ones?

I got back to pre-baby 'shape' pretty easily after having my three, although it took longer each time - about 6 months after DS2, but 3 or 4 after the other two. Barring the loose belly skin (DD was 11lbs 10 so that was pretty inevitable), my body was pretty much the same as before until I hit mid-40s and put on 2 stone.
It's taken me five years to lose a stone and it'll probably take a long time to lose the rest (if it ever happens).

The thing that changed almost straight away, and which I still live with, is that the scoliosis I'd obviously been unaware of since childhood, started to cause pain and I still suffer with it now. Think it was due to heavy, clingy babies/bad posture/not enough exercise.

One weird thing: my knuckles got progressively bigger with each child, and I can barely get my engagement ring on my little finger now!

Like you molotov I'm sure my hips are perminantly wider my actual hips not hip fat. I can no longer get size 8s over my hips I'm somewhere between 10-12. I'm also wider round my bust but I think that is a little extra weight which like you I'm not going to complain about it actually makes me look more like a grown up (I'm 28) but was stupidly skinny pre DS though I eat loads. Oh and I have loads of stretch marks (small me + bid DS = stretch marks) DS is 14 months so I think my new body shape is here to stay

Well I had a great size 10 figure before I had my three kids, now look like a pile of tyres. Happy though

It wrecked my stomach (stretchmarks galore, a csection overhang) and gave me saggy, stretchmarked boobs. Naked I am not as attractive.

But surprisingly, in clothes, I think I look better and feel more confident. I have more of a curvy figure (was boyishly straight beforehand)....hips and a bit of a bum....and I am softer and less angular. My hips definitely got a little wider, too.

My ribcage is permanently widened from having a large baby wedged underneath. I need a bigger bra size although my boobs are not bigger.

my feet got bigger

my hair got thinner

rest of body did get back to how it was before but it was years not months

I carry my weight differently since dc2, my legs are much slimmer but my hips are bigger although I weigh the same as I did before. My boobs are huge now but I'm still bf so I'm sure that will change when I stop! I was always really body conscious before dcs but now I'm much more confident in how I look despite the stretchmarks and saggyness