Hello
Sorry for the long post. Looking for tips and maybe if anyone has been through something similar postpartum who can offer me any advice!
I’m 9 months postpartum with my second child. It was a difficult pregnancy and I had horrendous SPD (way worse than first time around which was bad enough). I was pretty much completely immobile for the last 5 months of pregnancy. I was also horribly swollen. I lost loads of tone and felt really crap about myself, the lack of movement and pain I was in affected me really badly.
Baby was born via planned c-section on doctors recommendations and I ended up with the dreaded overhang c-section pouch. I’ve never had a flat stomach but the c section pouch created what felt like a load of floppy dead belly fat that completely changed the shape of my stomach.
I had a routine operation for something unrelated 6 weeks ago and was horrified when I was weighed at the pre-op and realised I was the heaviest I’ve ever been (without being pregnant). Having two kids and recovering from a c section has been rough and I’d not had the time or inclination to keep track of myself and my weight. My new weight was now at the higher end of the overweight BMI category, having usually been at the lower end for the last few years. I’m a full stone heavier now than I was at my pregnancy booking appointment.
After the horror of the pre op weigh-in I committed to doing 30 mins on my stationary bike every day, it felt like a manageable amount considering how full on my days were. I also cut back on alcohol and sugar. My clothes started to fit a bit better and I slowly started to feel better about myself. Curiosity got the better of me today and I weighed myself and I couldn’t believe it but I was exactly the same weight as I was 6 weeks ago. No difference at all. I feel completely deflated and miserable. I know the changes I made were small and I wasn’t expecting any significant loss but maybe 2 or 3 lbs considering I’ve done it every day for 6 weeks and have felt like I’ve lost a bit of weight. Perhaps I was expecting too much. Looking at it now I know this wasn’t a significant change. But life these days is incredibly full on and I just don’t have the time to focus on myself. I feel so unattractive and like I’ve let myself go, even though I’ve tried so hard to rectify my situation. Looking at myself in the mirror I don’t even think I look that bad but the scales tell a different story!
Does anyone have any tips that could help me lose weight? I walk where I can, do my bike and I’m trying hard with food to cut back. I’m also up and down like a Jack in the box all day with my two kids. But I don’t have the time to dedicate endless time to focussing on this aspect of my life and myself. I drink lots of water and no fizzy drinks and probably have 3 glasses of wine a week.