How much did you gain and ultimately lose and how fast? And HOW.

[DivaSkyChick]

We're all a bit freaked by how much we're eating, how much we're gaining, etc.

I'm loving the idea that there's a magic pill - just breastfeed and you'll lose all the weight in the first ten minutes. I want to believe this with all my heart!

But RL intrudes and the scale awaits. I'm 30+6 and I went from 8.5 stone to God knows what, I'm afraid to find out. I know five weeks ago I had put on 9 kilos and I've grown exponentially since then.

So ladies who have been there and done that, tell us how much you gained and how long it took you to lose the weight, will you? What did you do to acheive the loss?

And those lucky few who haven't gained an ounce or have actually LOST weight , go start your own thread!

Cheers!

Gained 12lbs

Lost it all within 4 days

No idea how it happened

Breastfed for 18 months and weighed 20lb less than before I was pregnant

I put on 13kg with DS, was back in size 10 jeans in 2 weeks but took 5 years to get back to my pre-birth weight. I now weigh less than before but am a totally different shape!

i put on 1.5 stone and lost it in 5 days but after a lazy summer and a year at uni am only half a stone off my end preg weight

i moan about how "fat" i am (i'm not fat really but i say i am) and my uni friends always say give yourself a break you've had a baby. ummmm yes but you didn't see me when i was actually all nice and slim 5 days after having a baby so i can't use that excuse. its just cos i eat too much and do no exercise!

With DS1 I gained about 1 1/2 st. and lost it straight away when he was born...

This time I put on just over 2 stone (so far but am now past due date so I'm refusing to count it if I put on any more!! )

Went from about 9 to just under 11. I am hoping it is just a big baby.....

I do walk a lot (no car) which must help I suppose. And breastfed for 16 months last time, intend to do similar.

Btw, it can take a year or two to get your tummy toned again, the skin is stretched, so it won't go flat! But mine did eventually, then I got pg again...we'll see if it recovers again! ha ha

Put on 3 stone with dd, lost 2.5 within 2 weeks (was retaining a lot of water - must have been half a stone on my ankles and feet!) and the remaining 0.5 stone took another 2-3 months. Now just below my pre-prenancy weight but would ideally lose a bit more...

Put on 3.5 stone (I am almost 6' so not as bad as it sounds!)

Lost 2.75 pretty quickly

Last 0.75 stone lost within the year, once I'd given up b/f. Couldn't shift an oz of that whilst b/f.

Did Weightwatchers to lose the last bit.

Back to normal a year later.

I put on about 20 pounds each time. I found that I never really lost it properly until I finished bf completely.

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I gained 7kgs.
Lost it in 9 days, but took rather longer to lose the flabby feeling.
BF is great if you want to lose your baby weight and then eat loads without putting it back on.
(As long as you don't mind feeling constantly hungry)

I don't know how much I put on - was never weighed - but after 11 months of bfing I'm thinner than I was before pregnancy even though I eat chocolate all day long (I tell myself I need the energy...)

2.5 stone
5 months
walking, bfing and not sleeping

I put on about a stone, but most of that was while bf (even though I only made it to 12 weeks). DS literally fed all day and night and it made me ravenous; I ate lots of rubbish all day long and paid the price.

My god, just realised I really will beat you all with tales of my enormity during pg. With DD1 I put on 5 stone (was 16 stone day I went in to be induced), lost it all in 18 months. With DS2 I went up to 15 and a half stone (slimmer second time round!!) but lost it all and more within 6 months - now between 10 and 10 stone 5 and have maintained it for over a year. Thank god for weight watchers.... Funny thing is, I had the same pair of black trousers in size 18, 16, 14,12 and now they bit loose!

Started 9 1/2 with both pgs.
Gained 3 stone with ds1, but didn't do much from moment I knew I was pg and then was bed-bound from 5 months.
Gained 1 1/2 stone with ds. Had ds1 to run round after and made a point of keeping fit.
With ds1 lost 1 1/2 stone within 2 weeks and the rest 2 weeks after I stopped bfing (so 9 months).
With ds2 I'd lost the weight within 10 days, but have since put on 1/2 stone. Am bfing again and hope for a repeat performance weight-loss wise. I do eat a lot of rubbish to give me the energy to get through the day though.

Gained 15kg while pragnant with dd1. lost about 7kg before finding that I was pregnant with dd2. Put on another 15 kg during that pregnancy, lost everything withing 6 months (the incentive was that I wanted to look good for her christening). Gained 5 kg after that, got pregnant for the 3rd time, gained another 15 kg, lost everyting, put another 8 kg, lost it again. This is text book yo-yo dieting. Not at all healthy. I am now back to my normal weight, 2 years after last pregnancy and intend to keep the weight off

I gained about 3 stone with dd; bf for 7 months but now, nearly 10 months later, still got about 9lbs to lose . just dont find time to exercise now that i'm back ft at work ,so think i'll be this size for ever

didn't keep track!

had gained 16kgs by week 36, before MW's started sucking in their breath when they saw me

am I the only MNer who doesn't own a scale?

I gained roughly 2st with each of my 3 pgs and was back to normal weight/normal clothes within 10days no1, 2weeks no2 and 2.5weeks with no3. Had 3 cs and still no overhang!!

2 stone with my first, only 1.5 stone with the second (too busy chasing around after dd) All of the weight dropped off pretty quickly both times, but like others I'm definitely a very different shape now, I don't think my stomach will ever be the same again!!

Also agree that breastfeeding helped shift the weight initially, but made me want to eat everything in sight, so I would recommend banning chocolate/ crisps etc from the house!

About 2 1/2 stone. Never got properly weighed. 8 months on and lost it all and abit more. B/f makes weight drop off you. Look ok stood up ie no stomach but as soon as I sit down spare skin seems to appear from nowhere. Can not be arsed to exercise too damn tired, still getting up twice a night. Will get round to exercise when dd sleeps through (sometime never!)

I gained 4stone and DS is just over a year and still have 2.5st to lose.....I just cannot get motivated!!

Snap tired! Standing up is great. Bending over, god, so depressing! But have to say don't think BF helped at all with weight loss. Makes you so damn hungry all the time that eat non stop.
Also tried to take photos of self today - couldn't believe how fat face is. never realised when I look in the mirror. Why does the camera have to be so cruel??

I think you just have to hope for good genes. I've had 3 all by C-section and I'm expecting a fourth...
I got back into shape v quickly, and lost loads by breastfeeding, and had a flat tummy to be proud of even after number three.
Can't take any credit as I only exercise when the children lose the remote...
I think it's all hereditary, and I keep warning my partner that it won't last.
I think it's largely pot luck, and a tiny bit eating/exercise. x