Subscribe to Our Feed!I’ve decided to write about it. It being postpartum weight loss. I said I might. And then I never mentioned it again, kind of wishing that my silence would magically make the weight fall off and, as such, leaving me with no reason to ever mention it again. Negatory.
I gained 34 pounds with LittleBrother. Not too shabby, if i do say so myself. (And I do.) I gained 59 with BigBrother, mind you. I was feeling pretty good when, at one week postpartum, I had lost 20 of those 34 pounds. I smirked at myself in the mirror, gave my jelly-belly a goodbye nod and continued on my way. Just before Christmas, almost at the one-month mark, I was weighing in with anything lost from 25-30 pounds, depending on what I had eaten the night before or whether LittleBrother had already sufficiently drained his breakfast feeding by the time I stepped on the scale. Again, I smirked at myself, feeling kind of smug and carried on my way.
I don’t think the holidays helped.
To be fair, I’m still weighing in (naked, first thing in the morning) at anywhere from 25-30 pounds lost. However, never-ever more than 30. Never. And we’re fast approaching the two month mark. The jelly-belly is now waving at me. Or doing the hula by itself. Or something. I’m feeling kind of discouraged.
Which is downright insane.
I haven’t done jack to lose weight yet. I haven’t dieted. (Hi! Breastfeeding!) I haven’t started exercising. (Well, more than chasing a two year old around the house entails.) I have been good and continued drinking 64 ounces of water per day but that’s about as healthy as I get right now. I’m still too deep in the early exhausted days to think, “Perhaps I should fit in some crunches today.” With what free time, I ask you!
Acknowledging that I haven’t done anything to actively lose 25-30 pounds, other than give birth to a kid who weighed seven pounds, seven ounces, well, I should, in theory, be elated. I’m still kind of bummed. I find myself wishing for extra time to tone up my arms. Or do those crunches. And I know I could do squats and lunges and the like with LittleBrother strapped to me in any number of our slings and carriers but, well, I’d much rather take a nap.
Once the weather begins to warm, I’ll be able to put kids in carriers and strollers and go for walks. That’s how I lost all that weight with BigBrother. Nothing melts off the weight like taking a walk with twenty extra pounds strapped to your chest. But it’s a smidgen too cold for things like that just yet even with hats and mittens and appropriate cold-weather babywearing gear. Maybe by the time it warms up I won’t feel so exhausted. I say this as BigBrother is skipping a nap. Which only makes me even more tired to think about.
You may note I didn’t tell you my actual weight. I won’t. I also won’t tell you my clothing size. Or my bra size. Or any such nonsense. I am not a fan of being a slave to a specific number. Some read my numbers and tell me, “Oh, I’d die to be that size.” Others tell me, “Oh, so how do you feel being fat now?” I think both need to shut their mouths. I will note that I was fifteen pounds higher than my normal weight at my first prenatal appointment so I was either carrying extra weight when I got pregnant or bloated up faster than … fast. Either way, I’d like to lose a total of, from this point, twenty pounds. You don’t need to know what that number is. Trust me.
My next installment might have pictures. We’ll see. Today is a no-picture-of-Mommy kind of day. Growl.
14 Responses to “Waiting the Weight Off: It’s Slow Going”
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I’m a little jealous. I have lost about 40 pounds in about 7 months and I’m still further from my goal than you are.
I had blogged that I would post a pregnancy picture and never did. Maybe I can do a before and after. 40 is still something to be proud of but now it seems to be getting harder.
I know what you mean . . . I lost 60 of the 65 pounds I gained with the Toddler (she was 9 lbs. 12 ounces at birth, so she’s ALWAYS been a toddler in my mind). Some days that 5 pounds drives me crazy, other days? Notsomuch. Losing it will not make the Chinese road map on my muffin top go away and I know it.
Burgh Baby’s Mom’s last blog post..Spankin’ Good Chocolate Pie
This story sounds eerily familiar. 34 lbs with #1, got 25 of it off, got preggars with #2, lost twelve, gained 60 (follow?) lost ten the week before he was born, lost 40 more the day after he was born (hello, massive hemorrhage?) and then ten lbs in four years. The last ten FINALLY came off since last summer. The only difference? I turned 35 and cannot eat as much as I used to. Maybe that is a good thing?
I will tell you that bfing kinda makes you hold onto a good 10-20 lbs in the first year or so. It can be frustrating, but don’t beat yourself up. Concentrate more on good nutrition, whole foods, plenty of lean proteins and veggies and fruit and dairy (if you do dairy). Skip the processed stuff as much as humanly possible. Your caloric needs are just too important. Also? the best thing I coulda bought was a double stroller. My guys were both born in December and it was flipping cold, but I spent TONS of time at the mall with the old people at 8am (our local malls have mall walkers programs!) meeting a friend or two.
Also, hello? Just had that baby! Give yourself sometime. As far as I am concerned, baby mooning should last the first three months at least. If you can, just worry about getting good food in your body and getting a routine down with your kids. The rest will come gradually. Slowly, but surely.
PS – size numbers are just that, numbers. I have a friend that has nearly the same measurements. She wears the same exact size. But because she is two inches or so shorter, she is actually considered over weight ! INSANE!!!
The Domestic Goddess’s last blog post..But Wait! There’s MORE!
Keep breast feeding!!!! For me around six months something magical starts to happen, around nine months weight starts to fall off. At 14 months I am so where I want to be. That tummy mocked me, made me think I was pregnant again, and just looked bad – it happens, but hang in there.
Bear’s Mommy’s last blog post..me, and only me
It sounds like you’re doing great! I’m sure you’ll get to where you want to be, especially breastfeeding. Cold winter weather and holidays and babies just makes snugging inside eating cookies sound so good!
Jamie’s last blog post..Compliments From My Husband
I am 5 wks postpartum- cannot even start exercising yet. I have lost about 20 lbs, and also want to lose about 20 more. I gained 43 w/ my 1st, and 33 w/ this one, but started out 10 lbs heavier this time, so I ended up at the exact same weight. It took about a year to lose all the wt the 1st time- I breastfed, and it came off on it’s own slowly, but at my 1 yr checkup I was at my previous wt. I want to get back down to there- not the wt. I started out at w/ this pregnancy. I turn 35 this year, so I feel like I need to get serious, and make the “lifestyle change” everyone talks about- not that I eat badly now, but I could certainly improve….
I’m in the same boat as you except I have been exercising to lose the baby weight. I lost 24 pounds in the first 2 weeks after giving birth and 2 pounds since. I thought breastfeeding would melt the pounds away, but I was majorly wrong. My son will be 2 months next week!
Rachel’s last blog post..Really long post
Drinking all that water will be doing wonders for you! Surely it’s helping
I’m losing weight through weight watchers at the moment, except mine wasn’t from pregnancy. Mine was from having no self-control for two or three years and my size slightly increasing!
Walking is awesome – I’ve come to enjoy it!
Bronnie’s last blog post..truly crap automobile.
I was so feeling for you until you said that you’ve lost almost 30 of the 34lbs!
I’ve lost 20 of the 35, my baby is almost 6 months old, and instead of losing more weight I’m starting to put some on! ARGGG.
It was so much easier to lose before I went back to work!
Jessica (aka Rose)’s last blog post..A pump in time saves minds
im with ya chica.
los’s last blog post..My Daily Digital Toolbox
I’m all about not being a slave to the numbers, as well.
I want to be fit. I want to be healthy. I just want to not have to buy new clothes – and I am just now to the point where I need to fit in some exercise somehow. Running around w/ the toddler helps, but I need to start getting back into a fitness mindset so I can set a good example for the child…. I wait for slightly warmer weather. I HATE indoor exercise….
Good luck! Just stay healthy! Glad you’re able to breastfeed!!!!
StorkWatcher’s last blog post..I’m It! 7 Random Things About Me
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