Help with PP body - tips on how to lost the weight

[janine]

I'm 7wks PP (C-section delivery) and my body is way off what it was before pregnancy and things seem much worse than they were with my first child at this point. I have a pooch which is saggy and wrinkled (ugh) and about 20lbs more to go (I gained close to 50 and had a large baby).

I would love any tips/advice..it's hard to find exercise time with 2 little ones so hoping for more bang for the buck when I do get a chance. I am bf'ing but doesn't seem to be melting away the lbs as they do with the celebs etc ;).

[brittone2]

Do you know if you have a diastasis? If so, be cautious in the type of abdominal work you do in the future. You may want to check Julie Tupler's information. She has info on checking yourself for one and a program for rehabbing it.

http://diastasisrehab.com/

I have a significant diastasis. I had 3 vaginal deliveries, but am short with a short torso, which can lead to a diastasis. C/S can as well.

I mention it only because it can be one reason you end up with a bulging belly even after the baby weight is off, and the typical ab exercises like crunches can worsen a diastasis, so you'd want to know if you have
it.

eta: this won't be encouraging, but I ended up with wrinkly belly skin after my oldest was born. It never went away. I've had three kids, lost the babyweight each time without too much trouble (took me roughly a year or so each time), but I still have wrinkly belly skin. Many people have theirs return to normal, so there is hope. It just didn't happen for me.

[BabbyO]

No advice at this point...just empathizing. I'm 13 wks PP with saggy wrinkled pooch and 15-20 lbs to loose, too.

BFing melted the lbs for me last time, but not this time.

No time here, either. I'm up at 4:30 every day to make it to work on time, 1 hr commute each way, 9.5 hrs at work to accommodate pumping, I can't figure out where you're supposed to get the time either. As it is I only average 6 hrs of sleep each night. I guess I technically have between 8 an 10 pm...but usually I'm nursing DS2 for a decent portion of that time. Oy!

If you're able to take a walk at lunch (if you work) that helps a TON. If your not working...maybe a post-lunch time walk for mommy and digestion time for your older one. I tried this...but I felt like I would wake up nurse DS2 then feed DS1 breakfast, then nurse DS2, then DS1 was ready for AM snack, then nurse DS2, then DS1 was ready for lunch, then nurse DS2, then DS1 was ready for PM snack, then nurse DS2 then it was dinner time, then nurse DS2 relax for a little bit, nurse DS2 and then it was time for bed. I'm sure you feel this way, too! :)

[Simon]

I think it really varies between people and even between pregnancies. My first pg it took months to lose any weight at all. Ds1 was 7mo before I was into a good exercise routine and losing any weight. Key for me there was meeting someone else to exercise, so I felt accountable. I did it in the mornings when Dh could watch Ds1. With pg2, the weight came off on its own (hurray!) and so I didn't have to work as hard.

One things I learned, and that I think affected my experience, is that if you aren't getting enough sleep your body will be less likely to drop post-partum weight. I don't recall exactly why, but my MW said that it is hormonally related.

[daisymommy]

eta: this won't be encouraging, but I ended up with wrinkly belly skin after my oldest was born. It never went away. I've had three kids, lost the babyweight each time without too much trouble (took me roughly a year or so each time), but I still have wrinkly belly skin. Many people have theirs return to normal, so there is hope. It just didn't happen for me.

:yeahthat: I lose all my baby weight plus more between each baby, and still have a "mommy tummy" unfortunately. And there's nothing wrong with me either (no diastasis). Sigh, I guess it's just part of having babies!

But give yourself some time! 7wks. PP is way too soon to be worried over what your body will look like long term. Especially when you are still healing from a C-section (which takes longer for your stomach muscles to recover from).
Frequent breastfeeding was the only thing that burned off the lbs. for me.

[smiles33]

I agree with PP--wait until you're getting more sleep before you focus on active weight loss. Eat healthy, walk when you can, and get some sleep. I have found I lacked the energy to do weight lifting, cardio, abs, etc. until recently--when DD2 is now 2.5 years old. Others certainly start earlier, but 7 weeks PP is SUPER early. Good luck!

[brittone2]

One things I learned, and that I think affected my experience, is that if you aren't getting enough sleep your body will be less likely to drop post-partum weight. I don't recall exactly why, but my MW said that it is hormonally related.

Cortisol levels increase when people are sleep deprived and that can make weight loss more challenging.

[BabyBearsMom]

It took me almost a year to lose all of my baby weight with DD1 (and then I got PG 3 months later, so I couldn't even enjoy it!). I nursed which definitely helped and while I was on maternity leave I took the baby for a 1 hour walk each day (once I got cleared from my doctor. They wanted me to take it easy for 2 weeks after my c/s) pushing the stroller or wearing DD in an Ergo with infant insert. Once I heat 6 wks pp, I started WW (with the blessing of my doctor) and that really helped. They have a great plan for nursing mothers. But it still takes time and patience and my body was never the same shape it was before. Once I stopped pumping at work, I started going to the gym during lunch for 45 minutes to 60 minutes per day.

[luckytwenty]

I have had three kids and while I gained what seemed like a higher than average amount of weight with them (36, 42 then 49 lbs.) I actually lost all very quickly--4 months was the longest it took, and that was with #1 when I didn't even attempt to exercise or diet. That being said, my stomach got very stretched out all three times and still has a big pouch of loose skin. I did find that even when the scale said I was at my pre-pregnancy size, I didn't really look like the old me until I stopped nursing. My belly stayed kind of puffy until then and of course I had a much fuller chest.

I lost the weight the quickest when I exercised a lot while also nursing. In addition to regular cardio workouts whenever I could sneak them in alone, I walked as much as I could. I was constantly pushing the stroller or wearing the baby and in nonstop motion. The second part of this was more out of necessity (my kids were all very fussy until around 12 weeks and wanted to be held) but I am sure it's why the weight came off.

[echoesofspring]

Give yourself some time, my dr said - it took 9 months to put it on, so give yourself 9 months to take it off. At 7 weeks post c/s I felt like I was just coming out of a fog. I remember my midwife/nurse also saying I could do whatever I wanted exercise wise, and I was kind of disappointed, I was so tired and out of sorts I was kind of hoping for a pass from exercising.

I did not see any massive weight loss from bf-ing and I didn't get into any sort of exercise 'groove' until DS was about 3 months old, and it's still really hard to fit it in - some weeks are better than others, and it's doubly hard with the colder weather and shorter days.

I think most of my weight came off when I went to a low carb diet, lean protein, dairy, veggies and I laid off the fruit for the first two weeks. Low carb diets can mess up bf-ing though if you don't get enough calories, so I might give it another month or two before I do that. I did it at 3 months and w/out been super rigorous, slipping a lot for vacations, I lost about 15lbs over the next 3 months or so.

[echoesofspring]

oh, and while my weight is down, I still have the pooch, plus numbness....but I've totally avoided any ab work, hate it ;)