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Original poster

Wider hips after baby

14 replies

Stilltobeseen · 31/01/2022 19:46

Please tell me I'm not alone in the fact that even 18 months after having my child, exercising 5/6 times a week and eating healthily my hips are still wider than they ever were before. I genuinely wouldn't say they were even much 'fatter' simply wider. I'm so self conscious about it. My waist/ribcage is wider too. I literally had to throw out most of my pre-pregnancy clothes. It's so silly and vain but it has really screwed with my head. I didn't actually but much weight on through pregnancy at all, just a normal amount so I know it's my bones. Ugh. How can I learn to accept this!!!

OP posts:
CaveMum · 31/01/2022 19:48

My ribcage has never gone back to normal - youngest is almost 5! My feet are also fractionally wider foo, not enough to make a size difference but enough to notice that old shoes don’t fit quite as well as they used to!

Rtmhwales · 31/01/2022 19:51

Same! I'm the exact same weight I was before pregnancy, in fact only gained 7lbs during it as had a preemie and was super sick with HG, but my hips widened by 1-2" depending on what jeans I wear. It's so odd.

Orangesyringe · 31/01/2022 19:59

Yes, me too. I had to get rid of all my vintage clothes post pregnancy as I couldn’t get into them anymore. My rib cage and hips expanded by two inches. My feet got bigger too so I couldn’t even wear my beautiful expensive shoes.

I’ve now got no money and rubbish clothes that look awful and don’t fit, just because I can’t dress this body that isn’t mine.

HarryDresdensLeatherDuster · 31/01/2022 20:13

I think you need to consider why this bothers you so much. Nobody other than you will ever notice your hips are a little wider (and what is wrong with wide hips anyway?) Of course your body is different. Think about what it has managed to do!

Why is it odd? Your body has grown another human being. Everything has stretched and bones/ligaments have moved. Did you really think your body would be exactly the same as before?

My youngest is 21 and my ribs still aren't where they were before I got pregnant the first time!!

GreenLunchBox · 31/01/2022 20:15

Yes, this is what happens.
I had a tiny waist before pg but it has never been the same again, even when I'm lighter than pre-preg weight and no matter how many crunches and twists I do

Original poster
Stilltobeseen · 31/01/2022 20:26

Thank you for the replies! It's nice to not feel alone. I think its affected me so much mentally because I was really happy with my body pre-pregnancy and yes I totally expected it to change but I didn't expect to feel the way I do about it. I literally feel like I'm looking at someone else's body.

OP posts:
saygeronimo · 31/01/2022 21:06

After my first DC I actually lost weight and ended up a dress size smaller than how I was before I got PG. I'm one of those lucky people for whom weight just falls off when they breastfeed.
So, it was quite a shock when I decided on day to try my wedding dress on (was just messing around with a friend) and I couldn't do it up. I was actually, for me, a little chunky when I got married.
That's when I realise that my rib cage had widened and was probably never going to go back to how it was before. There was no fat on me (back then, there is now Grin), but my shape had changed.

Orangesyringe · 31/01/2022 21:40

Oh yes, I was seriously I’ll and got very scrawny. I looked skeletal. My pre baby clothes didn’t fit even though I’d been slim but muscular previously. I was just bigger post baby.
Now I see my children growing and I try and see my new body as an extension of childhood and puberty.

mummabubs · 31/01/2022 21:57

Yup. I had wide hips anyway but both hips and ribcage expanded after my kids. Ribcage is the most noticeable, went from a 32 to a 36 band and there's no extra fat on me there compared to before! It's not great but I tell myself the kids are worth it...

chloechloe · 31/01/2022 22:25

You have my sympathy! With my first two the weight just fell off within a couple of weeks whereas after my third (the only boy) my hips and rib cage have definitely gotten wider.

Some of the comments here are a little harsh. I find it upsetting too - you can still be amazed and thankful for the miracle that is growing and delivering a baby whilst lamenting the changes in your figure.

toddybell · 31/01/2022 23:21

Yep, my rib age has expanded so now I need a 36 instead of 32(x) bra.

Had to get rid of all my size 5 shoes and replace them with size 6 shoes after the babies.

watchtheglitterdustswirl · 01/02/2022 09:32

Not my hips or ribs, but my feet. I'm the same clothes size now and weight within a couple of lbs than I was pre pregnancy and my feet are still a whole size bigger/wider.

My youngest is nearly four! They're never going back.

I've had to get rid of all my lovely pre children shoes. Sob.

Popplebop · 01/02/2022 11:00

Me too- ribs and hips both widened. And that was years ago - never reduced back down 😭

nodogz · 01/02/2022 11:06

Yes, to the rib cage change after pregnancy. All my nice work dresses never did up again!

Not the end of the world but still annoying!

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