Anyone feeling blue about their post pregnancy body?

Bonnie - posted on 04/28/2011

My 2nd child is now 4 months old, and I've found it much harder to lose the pregnancy weight this time. I've lost most of the weight I gained but I still have a tummy that won't go away! So I feel frustrated as well. Just drink to thirst, eat only when you're hungry and stop when you're full, breastfeed, and get daily exercise and the weight should come off (slowly, 1-2 lbs/week).

Lisa - posted on 04/27/2011

I gained an extra 20 pounds with this pregnancy in addition to the 60 I gained with the previous two. My doctor reminded me I've been either pregnant or nursing for the past 5 years and that it takes 9 months to gain the weight, give myself a break and time to lose the weight.

I look at my tummy every day and get depressed. Then go to hubby for some love and encouragement and then I feel better. I keep telling myself to eat healthy, exercise when I can and that my kids and hubby love me and I'll be back to where I was 5 years ago.

Kris - posted on 04/27/2011

My son is now 14 weeks and I lost a bunch right after he was born. But then I ate and ate apparently way to much. I had surgery 7 weeks after he was born and so I couldn't exercise. And yes like you I am strictly breastfeeding. Now I'm in the middle of trying to pack up my house cause we are moving and taking care of baby so I still don't have time to exercise. My husband told me that if I was that worried about it to speed up my metabolism. Eating a 5 to 7 small meals or healthy snacks a day instead of 3 big meals. I have lose a few pounds since I started about a week ago. I probably would lose more but I have a hard time eating lite. Your hair is probably due to stress. Once you quit stressing it will probably stop. My husband has the same problem. Good luck to you. I wish you all the best.

√v^√v^√♥ - posted on 04/25/2011

Yeaaaaa, I didn't lose 1 pound after delivery of my son and haven't managed to lose any since delivery either. I did get pregnant again and vowed to not gain anymore weight because I'm already so heavy I just didn't want to add another 65 pounds (what I gained during my first pregnancy) to my problem. So.. I haven't gained any weight yet which is great. That's my goal at least to not gain a bunch.

It took me almost a year of very strict dieting and rigorous every day exercise to lose 70lbs a few years ago. I ate a sandwhich for breakfast, something heavy, then ate salad the rest of the day with a whole chicken breast on it and whatever veggies I wanted. Fruits, anything whole and unprocessed, I went for. I didn't count calories (although I tried to stay under 1000 because you lose weight if you eat less than that a day. if you eat equal to 1000 calories you maintain weight. over that, you gain weight) I didn't cut out meats, eggs, nothing.. Did cut back on bread, quit drinking anything but water, and drank water LOTS. I was surprised by how full I felt by drinking water when I was hungry and how much it helped..

Then started walking and well, I hope to do this after I get used to being a mommy of two when my next baby is born :) For everyone it is different. My boyfriends mom lost almost 100lbs by eating small meals every 3-4 hours, lost that much weight in 3 months. They also say definiatly do not step on the scale every day and try to do everything more by a 'weekly' basis as you can fluctuate weight 2 lbs per day.. etc.

You just have to find something that works for you. It sucks. It's hard. No one is there to help you but yourself. Seriously, when I dieted it was like the fat people came out of the woodwork to talk me out of it. Everyone was suddenly offering me cookies and soda, no joke. When I tried dieting last time I went to my moms house she wanted to eat fast food and bought us cake from the grocery store, THE week I started my diet. I was like crap....... here we go. lol

I found a website that was pretty cool. Women are joining the Beauty Revelation to stop hating their bodies. In one of the girls postings of why she was joining, she said she was sick of hating herself and she was starting a blog (can do this free online almost anywhere :) to where she would take a photo of herself every day and say something nice about herself. Afterall, they say negative self talk is one of our own worst enemies when it comes to self image. Here's the blog link to the oath part:
http://stophatingyourbody.tumblr.com/pos...

I think it's a great idea, that I'm going to do. I've also started a minimalizing project on our house, and has been great.

Try to put as much research into nutrition, health, FDA regulations, exercise routines, yoga, walking and anything else that can help you feel good and remind you of your goal. Good luck :) it's one long road

Connie - posted on 04/25/2011

I don't know about you, but I'm just now starting to sleep better. And while I dropped all my pre-pregnancy weight (I'd only gained 18 lbs somehow), I'm still around 200 lbs, and this pregnancy has left me with the lumpiest belly ever. Normally, I'd be able to soldier through without falling into a depressive episode, but due to my lack of sleep, going back to work, and trying to juggle everything, I found myself simply struggling.

What helped me:

-don't weigh yourself every day. Water gain alone can change your weight. If you don't do it pretty much the same time every day, it fluxes. So I do it once a week, same time in a bra and panties.

-some women hold onto weight when they breastfeed and drop it as soon as they stop. It really is a case-by-case thing.

-take time for yourself. When you're tired and stressed out, your body holds onto fat like nobody's business!! Make sure you're getting Brittany time!

-pick something you like about your postpartum body and make sure, as silly as it sounds, you spend as much time praising that change as you do critiquing the negatives!

-make sure the extra calories you're eating to keep your supply up are good calories. I had a problem with this for a bit, bc I was struggling to eat enough to keep up with demand, and it just added to the frustration.

-Walk. Put him in a stroller and just go! It's good for you, and it'll help with the weight.

Remember that this, too, shall pass. This isn't your forever body, and you have time to get there. Enjoy that baby!

(As always, if you feel like you're overwhelmed and need help, there's nothing wrong with seeing your doctor and getting a therapist to help you figure out coping skills to get you past triggers and avoid depressive episodes!)