Post postpartum body older mums

[Dippydonky]

Hi All,

I’m 38 and we’re talking about trying to have a baby, so I’m doing research!

As I’m older I’m guessing if I fall pregnant my body won’t ‘spring back’, but I wondered what I should be prepared for? Is it that bad? From what I’ve read I’m worried my body will be destroyed! Both in terms of function and aesthetics! Which wouldn’t be very good for raising an energetic child, and as shallow as it is I quite like how my body looks so I’m worried about entirely loosing it (it’s not perfect, I have lumps and bumps but overall I feel ok looking at it in the mirror)

I know this is probably shallow! But I want to be realistic and this is something that does worry me both in terms of how I could look but also the functionality (my mum still talks about her back, and sciatic nerve).

You just cannot predict what will happen to your body, but, your body has been designed to be able to do this.

I've had 2 children and I'm pregnant with my third, my stomach has never been flat since and I've got some excess skin around my lower abdomen where the elasticity in my skin was ruined.

My breasts have drooped from breastfeeding.

I have had 2 episiotomies but they've healed well and have not altered sensation or function.

Every woman will have a different story on how their bodies changed.

The best thing to do is look after yourself well during pregnancy and then hope for the best!

I think it depends on your fitness before pregnancy.

I was a yoga buff and runner before DD was born when I was 39, and I "sprang back" pretty well, even with not being able to run for a good 6 months post-section.

I've done basically no sport or exercise between her being born and now, 27 weeks pregnant with DS. I'm much less fit this time round, so we'll see how I am after this next birth age 41!

I had my first a couple of weeks before turning 37 and I will be 39 when I give birth to my second. Maybe it is vain but I admit that I have thought about it too. I didn’t have a problem after my first, I was back at my pre pregnancy weight within a week of giving birth. My boobs felt really empty when I stopped breast feeding but they filled back out over the subsequent months. My only sticking point was getting a flat tummy back, I had to work to build up the muscle again. I think genetics plays a big part though. My family are all naturally slim and quite fit.

I'm 41 and had my first baby 3 months ago.

Had my first at 34 so not even that old but it took me 7 months to get back to pre-pregnancy weight (even with breastfeeding) and my body is still very much a different shape with a saggy tum.
It has taken a lot of work with pelvic floor physio and pilates to sort out the damage of carrying a pregnancy and then having a long labour.
Lack of sleep has also taken its toll, my skin isn't great and my face has a few more lines.

But ultimately it has all been worth it to have my healthy and beautiful baby and I'm proud of what my body has achieved. But its important to have realistic expectations.

Haha oops that wasn't helpful. What I was going to say is I still have a big belly as it can take a while to shrink down but I can fit in clothes I wore before I got pregnant and random lady told me I look very good for 3 months pp!

I'm not putting pressure on myself as I've just birthed a human so I don't really care but also I don't think my body is a complete mess forever!

I had DD at 38. I put on <7lbs whilst pregnant and left hospital wearing my size 10 jeans. I ran and cycled everywhere until DD was born and did CrossFit for most of my pregnancy. Although I had an emergency Caesarean, I was back to fitness pretty quickly and ran my fastest ever marathon when DD was 5.5 months old. It's not all doom and gloom!

I haven't weighed myself but I haven't been left with any lasting damage, my body looks almost the same besides the c section scar. I wanted a c section specifically to avoid any birth injuries that would affect anything down there.

(Ps. 35, gave birth four months ago)

I had mine at 35 and 38. I do have prolapses but to be honest I don't notice them and they don't affect my life in anyway (sex and toileting is normal).
I don't know if I've just been lucky but aesthetically my body's exactly the same as pre-birth! I have no stretch marks at all. My stomach looks as if I've never given birth. My breasts are normal. They were always smallish (B cup) but look the same as pre-birth. I don't have the spaniels ears people talk about. I really think it's all down to luck/genetics.

You may not even put on weight. I never have but that's due to severe sickness which isn't great. I don't think you can ever know until you go through it personally.

I'm not a mother but I believe a lot comes down to genetics/skin type. I have a lot of stretch marks and stretchmarked skin cannot retract to its previous "tightness" (for want of a better word) or disappear, so I know if I had been pregnant for a long time that would have caused stretchmarks over my abdomen that would have been permanent and never disappear. Whereas I have good friends who just don't get stretchmarks no matter what and who had their children older, and their abdomens look better than mine who has never given birth.

I'm pregnant with my second at 38. I had my first at 35 and sprang back pretty quickly. I think it depends on the person though. I have quite smooth skin and didn't get any crepe skin/stretch marks. Could be different this time round though. I'm only 6 weeks. Boobs fine but I didn't breastfeed and don't want to breastfeed this time round.

I balloon in pregnancy and have saggy skin on my stomach and stretch marks as a result. Get PGP early on (13 weeks with DD1, 5 weeks with DD2) and can barely walk for most of my pregnancies, so lose muscle tone and fitness. DD1 didn’t sleep well and that has taken a massive toll on my skin. I look 10 years older at 35 than before I got pregnant with DD at 31. I also have a prolapse.

You just don’t know in advance what will happen, but tbh having two small children I don’t have much time to care. I still look lovely when I have time to do my hair and dress well. Not thrilled by how I look naked but I don’t spend that much time naked in the grand scheme of things!

It’s probably a combination of luck, genetics and what your pregnancy is like. I was 37 when I had my first and bounced back within weeks, both size and fitness-wise. However, I had terrible bloating throughout my pregnancy which meant I couldn’t eat a lot and could only really get away with eating quite healthy. I also exercised right up until I had my baby (walking and exercise really helped with the bloating). My breasts did change a bit after bf for over 2 years but it wasn’t significant.