C section recovery/diet/overhang

[Flopsy145]

I had my second (elective) c section 9 weeks ago, my first was 3.5 years ago and an emergency. I'm currently fully breastfeeding so can't drop calories massively to diet, I'm finding this time around the weight just isn't dropping off like it did with my first, at this stage last time I was back in my jeans already. My arms and my legs are ok but my tummy still looks like 4 months pregnancy bump and I'm worried about the overhang. They had to remove a lot of scar tissue so I don't know if that's had an effect on the muscles, also baby was 10"2 and granted I was probably 6/7kg heavier going into this pregnancy compared to my first. I'm 31, about 87kg now and a size 16 (used to be 12/14 but would be happier in the 10/12 range)
I'm very grateful to my body for giving my two beautiful healthy children, but I used to love the gym, training, finding new recipes, generally being fit, and I feel I need to get that back for my own mental wellbeing.
Recovery has been a breeze, no pain now at all, so I've started light exercise, core recovery, uphill walking with the baby in carrier, and walking to preschool Vs driving.
Would be grateful for any advice in terms of breastfeeding friendly diet, specific training programmes, how people reduced their overhang etc? Thank you 🩵

Gently op, it's only been 9 weeks. I'm so glad you're feeling so well (and it sounds like you're already doing loads) but really that is a tiny amount of time in the grand scheme of how long it takes the body to recover from birth never mind major surgery! So please be gentle with yourself and give yourself a bit of grace! It's perfectly normal to still have a bit of a bump at that stage especially with a second child.

I found I was absolutely ravenous while breastfeeding in the early months especially so I didn't really drop any weight the way people talk about! Ds is almost 2 so I plan to wean him then and then focus on a proper diet, but in the meantime I've been focusing on just eating good nutrious, well rounded meals. I batch cooked healthy food from scratch, tried to limit junk food and got out walking as much as I felt able to. I wouldn't purposefully be counting calories or doing any type of diet that involves cutting out anything as it can affect breastfeeding. Just try to focus on treating your body well and remember that pregnancy and then breastfeeding is a drain on your body and system so you need to be careful about giving it what it needs or you will quickly find you're running on fumes. A good multi vitamin will help as well. Certain things like stress and lack of sleep can also affect weight loss and with a young family and a newborn those are kind of out of your control for now.

I found it took me quite a while to regain my previous fitness levels after my section (I did also have to do some bedrest in pregnancy) just with walking but you do get there. Little and often is the key. Especially because it takes a while for your body to become less flexible so it's easier to injure yourself post partum if you push too hard. I'd be looking for fitness groups that specialise in post partum training.

Please don't even think about your body until it's been 6 months and then make a plan then. (Apart from nourishment and gentle exercise to help you recover and build strength when safe to do so)

Thank you both for your kind words, I will try not to worry about it for now and just look up some nutritious meal ideas and carry on with walking and light exercise. I'm naturally quite an impatient person so will do my best 😂

I would 100% recommend looking for a postnatal pilates class, lots will let you take along a baby until the point they are walking.
The instructor can help you rehabilitate your core and pelvic floor, and once you've got more stability there then it's safer for your body to do more.
Swimming is also brilliant if you can find the time.