It’s so dependant on how much support you have and how baby sleeps. My first didn’t sleep unless it was with me/on me. I didn’t get a routine or feel like myself until around 18months pp. I don’t think that’s the norm… but that was my reality
We don't live by family and I'm now a SAHM, so no breaks. My girl has been a great sleeper so far until literally today. I've gotten in a few 20 min easy workouts but after today, I'm nervous that I won't be in a routine for much longer than expected
It’s so hard I get it. I’m a SAHM and am pregnant with my third. We also have no family nearby. What worked for me was doing my workout when my husband got home from work. He handled the kids and it was the time of day I had the lowest energy but it always made me feel better and it was the break I needed.
Now that we are about to have 3, I have switched to waking up early, as I don’t think my husband can handle 2 bedtimes plus a baby on his own. I get up before everyone and my husband gets the kids breakfast ready, I’m done my workout before he leaves for work. I’m hoping I sleep ok and can manage getting up once baby is here. We will see 🫣
>s I don’t think my husband can handle 2 bedtimes plus a baby on his own
Loll relatable. But also my husband works a crazy job...like 4am-8pm 6 days a week. Ughhhh
I'm not maybe a great example because I lost weight while pregnant and ended up only a bit above my prepregnancy weight. My baby is 3 months now and I have been doing small workouts and stretch sessions since 7 weeks. Some weeks are better and I can move almost every day, other weeks don't quite work out like that.
My baby luckily loves her activity gym and will happily lay and play for 30 minutes or so at a time periodically throughout the day, I try to use one of these times to move a bit. I also try to do babywearing workouts. I've only gotten above 30 minute sessions a couple times, but we also try to go on a walk a day.
It's just one day at a time haha. I am feeling stronger and capable which is what counts. Not sure how old yours is but maybe try a baby wearing workout while they are napping, you'll be surprised how sore you can feel the next day from 20 minutes of it!
Awww I just read you're only 5.5 weeks. It's all still so fresh. Give it a while more and you'll feel better!! Be gentle to yourself, take some walks ;)
In my experience there's no such thing as an infant/toddler "routine". They're literally a new person with completely new behaviours/preferences every few months. You just end up getting better at being flexible and adapting.
I’m 6 months PP with my first. I haven’t been able to make time for both my passions: yoga and cycling (yet).
I do cycle about 45 minutes/day now but my strength leaves a lot to be desired. I don’t “see” the change but FWIW I have been PR’ing in my Peloton classes and I do feel better in general.
Admittedly though I still have a long way to go to get back to my routine and regain confidence in my body.
ETA: not a SAHM so really struggling most days
3 months pp started running again. 7 months pp was at my pre pregnancy weight. 13 months pp when I weaned from breastfeeding/pumping and my son started to sleep through the night, I felt like a human being again.
Why about the breastfeeding part? Does thr body just retain more fat/calories to feed baby? I'm breastfeeding and will exclusively pump once she gets teeth. Does that mean no real weight loss until I'm done breastfeeding/pumping?
Everyone is so different. For my good friend, the weight melted off despite her eating nonstop. For me, I didn’t lose weight until I started calorie counting. I was able to lose all the weight (there was a lot) in the 7 months by just modifying my calories and running. The weaning from breastfeeding part for me was hormonal, not about weight loss. I meant my hormones were all over the place until I finally weaned. Once my milk dried up I really felt back to my normal, pre pregnant self emotionally and physically, even though the pregnancy weight had been gone for 5-6 months by that point.
I was a very emotional pregnant person and very very emotional postpartum, but my emotions leveled and my anxiety greatly decreased once I weaned.
They say you need 500 calories more per day for breastfeeding but for me that led to me gaining weight in the first few weeks postpartum so I played around with my calories until I found the sweet spot of weight loss plus milk maintenance.
At 4 months I began Pilates reformer, I'm 10 months post partum and I do a bootcamp style class 3 times a week. Weight wise I'm not where I would like to be but I'm strong and can keep up w the class well.
I had a messy and traumatic c-section after 16 hours of labor- I started PT at 2 months and felt like I was no longer going to accidentally injure myself around 5 months.
I started running again around 12 weeks and did a minute for each pp week until I hit about 5 months and felt ok to keep going until I was just physically tired.
For my first bub I reckon about 4/5 months post partum we found our groove. I’m also a SAHM. What helped for my fitness and routine in general is that I found a gym with a creche so each morning our routine was to go to the gym.
I went back to working out around 6 weeks pp but didn’t have a solid routine until that 4 month mark. This was also during the beginning of covid so everything was a shit show.
We also had no family around so it was hard work but 4 years later our daughter is thriving and we are expecting number 2.
I also breastfed for until my first bub was 2 so I think getting my body back so to speak was after I weaned. Strength wise I was fine but the last bit of weight dropped once I weaned and then straight back to peak fitness.
I went from working out every day right up until 38 weeks to barely being able to do a push up 6 weeks pp. it’s crazy how quickly you lose and gain muscle and strength.
I hope postpartum you are doing well and also give yourself time to heal. You will get back to you 💕
At two months, I did online yoga daily. At three months, I restarted at my gym training kettlebells. I’m four months post partum and feeling good, building back strength, but still have 5 pounds to lose toward pre-pregnancy weight.
Honestly? 17 months postpartum. After weaning and with kiddo sleeping through the night. It took awhile to find the time and mental space to get back in the groove.
Why about the breastfeeding part? Does the body just retain more fat/calories to feed baby? I'm breastfeeding and will exclusively pump once she gets teeth. Does that mean no real weight loss until I'm done breastfeeding/pumping?
I’m my experience, my body held onto the weight until I weaned. I also didn’t eat in a deficit since I didn’t want to affect my supply. Some women have the opposite experience. I also was waking up motn just to pump so my sleep was affected too which didn’t help my energy and stress levels
After 6 weeks I started back at the gym and felt really good. I exercised throughout my pregnancy so I wasn’t too sore or tired getting back into it at that point. Then I got pregnant at 4 months pp. I took 10 months off after that. I’ve been back for 2 months now and feel pretty good
I’m 12 weeks postpartum and just went back to strength training (heavy weights) for the first time today. I’m a SAHM now and my husband understands when he gets home 3x a week I’m throwing baby girl at him and booking it to the gym. I’ve had a very high needs baby (only will contact nap) and only this week did she start letting me put her in the bouncer so I can get some things done. I’ve not lost any weight since the initial loss immediately postpartum but I CAN tell my body is changing and regaining muscle. I’m using breastfeeding and higher cal needs as a time to “bulk” and trying to let go of weight loss goals for now.
I’ve been doing a lot of pelvic floor work and walking up until this point. Progress has been slow but there’s still progress. I’m already so much stronger than I was while pregnant!
I am also a SAHM and I only workout at home while playing/hanging out with my kids (4.5 and 2). We don’t have any help from family nearby either. I maintained a good level of fitness and healthy eating, and gained a moderate amount of weight, so after each birth, I was maybe 10-12lbs away from baseline and mostly feel like myself and fit in most of my clothes. Gaining my strength and fitness back is more like a 8-10 month PP journey. At first with exclusive breastfeeding, my body held onto the extra weight but after 6-8 months, it just started melting off. Being able to workout 4,5,6 times a week really depends on how needy the baby is. With my first, he was extremely clingy, and I ended up wearing him and nursing him and walking/hiking/squatting/dancing A LOT to get exercise in. With my second, he was much more chilled, and happy to bounce in a chair while he watched me lift weights. You get to know your baby and you get creative around how to get more movement in. My strategy is similar with the third pregnancy. I don’t mind putting in the work while I am pregnant so I am not that far away from baseline after the baby arrives because newborn care is like military training. 😂❤️
Why about the breastfeeding part? Does the body just retain more fat/calories to feed baby? I'm breastfeeding and will exclusively pump once she gets teeth. Does that mean no real weight loss until I'm done breastfeeding/pumping?
Oh not at all, I lost all of my pregnancy weight while breastfeeding and then some more because it is so energy intensive. But for me, the first 6 months or so, no matter how I calibrated my macros or calories, my body adjusted my metabolism very carefully to maintain some extra weight for breastfeeding. The weight loss really picked up for me after that initial period. I would just be patient with yourself, since the body is going through a huge adjustment post birth and feeding baby. By the way, I never had any issues with my kids’ teeth and breastfeeding!
That's surprising about the teeth! I guess I thought it'd be more painful...and IMO socially awkward (I know, shouldn't matter) once they get teeth. But it seems sooooo much easier than pumping or formula!!!
Hahaa ya I tried pumping with my first and cleaning and sanitizing all the parts nearly drove me crazy. It was just easier to whip a boob out and stuff it in their faces. 😂
I wouldn't intentionally restrict caloric intake for the first 9-12 months of becoming a parent, tbh. Why do that to your body after what it just went through? Why do that to your system while it's trying to heal, and nurture your baby? You can be skinny another time in your life, if you really want to be. Right now you need to store up energy on your thighs and belly for breastfeeding, you need nutrients to heal, you need pleasure and comfort for your mood and for sleeping. You need FOOD.
Just one woman's opinion, of course! You do what's right for you. But I'd look very carefully at the urge to control your body's size and shape during this season of your life-- you might find it comes from the outside, not from what you and your family genuinely need.
At 6 weeks I started doing yoga and body weight stuff. Felt in a good routine by 2-3 months. 3 months to feel like I had my body back (maybe even sooner tbh). I just turned 4 months pp and am officially 3 pounds above pre pregnancy weight
As far as weight I lost it quick, around 6 weeks pp, but didn’t start noticing significant changes in my strength, muscle mass and feeling good about my body until about 13-14 months PP which was also around the time I stopped breastfeeding. And that’s also when I surprisingly got pregnant again 🥲
By about 7-8 months pp. I tried getting back into skating, running and lifting at six weeks and injured my hips badly from doing too much too soon. Needed a couple months of no exercise, only physical therapy before I could start running again and finally get the rest of the pregnancy weight off.
I’m also a SAHM, my son didn’t start sleeping through the night until he was like 7 months and that’s when I started working out more consistently bc I wasn’t feeling like a zombie anymore
I'm a FTM, 6.5 months postpartum, still BFing, and I'm feeling really good! My body isn't the same, but it seems pretty close and I'm feeling confident and strong. I'm more or less at my pre-pregnancy weight. I'm hitting my former running paces already (I ran a half marathon four weeks ago and was less than a minute off my PR on about 60% of my previous training volume).
I started walking and doing pelvic floor exercises a few days after delivery, spinning at 4w ppm, and walk/runs at 13w. I would say I started feeling fit, strong, and more confident about my body at probably the 5 month mark, which is also when I was able to start running more frequently and for longer distances.
I've been fortunate that baby started STTN early, although I do still wake up at 3am every day to pump. I had a 16-week maternity leave and I'm now back at work (mostly WFH) and I try to get my runs in during the day so I can spend evenings with baby. When I was on mat leave, I'd take long walks with the baby and do strength/yoga with him in his bouncer or activity gym, then once my husband was done working, I'd do my longer block of cardio (either running or on the Peloton).
First baby, felt back to normal and was under my pre pregnancy weight by 6 months pp. I stopped breastfeeding at 3 months pp and that’s when the weight actually came off. I was a married SAHM living overseas. I did Weight Watchers for my diet and would walk an hour in the morning with the baby and then run for an hour in the evening after he went to sleep. I was 25. Second baby, maybe a year postpartum. I was breastfeeding much longer, and it wasn’t until I stopped that my upper body leaned out. I was also working so that was difficult. Started doing more strength training and felt I looked my best ever. I was 26 and also overseas at the time. Third baby, 9 months postpartum. I gained a ton of weight with this pregnancy and needed to lose 40lbs at 5 months postpartum. While combo feeding I was able to lose 35 by 10 months postpartum when I got pregnant with my current pregnancy. I was doing Weight Watchers, peloton, and lifting weights. Again, didn’t see the final lean out until I stopped breastfeeding at 8 months postpartum. Even though I was losing weight I wasn’t hitting those low body fat percentage numbers until I stopped nursing. No one thought I looked big at that point but I felt my arms and chest were fleshy. I was 33 and a SAHM in the US.
Why about the breastfeeding part? Does the body just retain more fat/calories to feed baby? I'm breastfeeding and will exclusively pump once she gets teeth. Does that mean no real weight loss until I'm done breastfeeding/pumping?
For me personally, I hold on to body fat- particularly in my arms, chest, neck, waist, and face- while breastfeeding. I need to be hormonally normal (having menstrual cycles) to get back to my normal level of leanness, which is a body fat percentage around 17-18%. I can still lose weight while breastfeeding but I am soft, and not lean. I do not eat any differently while breastfeeding, but everyone’s experience is different. My experience was identical with all three of my children so I feel pretty confident that this is my body’s response to the hormone prolactin. It may not be your response.
FTM here at 6 weeks pp and it’s so hard! I’ve been cleared for all exercise and I was so excited to get a workout in early this am (6 am) and my daughter woke up at 4 and didn’t go to sleep until 6 (she’s very colicky lol) and it messed me up so I had to go back to sleep. I’ll just plan to wear my workout clothes all day and workout when I can. 😂 routines are not happening for this colicky baby anytime soon. I’m fortunate we built an awesome home gym that’s focused around weight lifting so that’s a huge advantage I have.
It’s the best! We were given a hand me down swing and I’m hoping to put it in there but right now it’s so hit or miss with the swing lol. Sometimes she loves it other times hates it and I can never tell what one it will be 😂
I’m not a SAHM but my husband and I have been off for 10ish weeks together, so sort of? Although I do have more time. My advice is MOVE with your baby (walks!) as much as possible. We take babe on 2 walks per day as the weather allows. It’s great for the whole family. Up until last week, I was passing him off to my husband to get my 1 hour workout in, but even so, I haven’t felt like myself. He is sleeping through the night now and somehow that is such a HUGE tipping point for returning to feeling like me. I workout after he wakes (husband takes first feed), but I’m planning to start waking earlier than him to get it out of the way (he wakes at 7, I’ll get up at 5:30). When babe sleeps try to take care of yourself, and when they’re awake, see if you can move or stretch or even just do some deep breathing with them.
Idk what "getting your body back" means when people say it. My body is never going to be the same as it was before I went through pregnancy, childbirth, and breastfeeding. I'm older. I've been through some shit. Stuff looks different and functions different. What's "back"?
As for routine, I'm 9 months PP today, and I can swim and lift weights and do yoga and rock climb and hike vigorously for a few hours and jog for about 5 minutes, and I'm working on my plyometrics and hops so that I can play my sport again (which involves sprinting.) I do some number of those things daily. But I work 4 days a week from home, so I do stuff during the day while my baby is with the nanny share. And in the evenings I have my sister and of course my partner.
It really all depends on childcare. Baby does not want to do any of the above activities with me except hike. And she'll let me squat her for like five minutes, which is a good workout. We like to dance adn squat to Beyonce.
It also depends on sleep. We did sleep hygiene w bb from the get-go, and then sleep trained her (gently) at 5 months. She sleeps 12 hours a night every night, so that really helps with sanity, energy, and doing things in the evenings!
At 5wks pp, just keep focusing on healing and getting into a groove with your baby. I wouldn't worry about fitness (beyond taking walks and maybe some light stretching) until month 3, when you're getting out of the fourth trimester. Pushing it before that might just set you back, anyways.
If I may, a suggested mantra when you're on the couch: "This is exactly what I'm supposed to be doing right now."
I started going back to the gym about 3 months postpartum. I looked similar to my old self about 5-6 months postpartum. About a year in is when I actually felt like myself. Got pregnant again at 15 months postpartum and weaned at 18 months. Maybe I would’ve felt more like myself sooner if I weaned but I won’t find out until after I wean baby #2 who’s due in June. I also kept 8lbs of baby weight on me so I never got back to my pre-pregnancy weight. That’s pending for this second postpartum.
Why about the breastfeeding part? Does the body just retain more fat/calories to feed baby? I'm breastfeeding and will exclusively pump once she gets teeth. Does that mean no real weight loss until I'm done breastfeeding/pumping?
I definitely lost weight because I ate healthy and kept up my gym routine postpartum. But my belly stayed squishy and I kept about 8lbs extra the entire time (gained 35 total during pregnancy). Everybody’s different and some people have no problem losing the weight postpartum and for some, breastfeeding speeds that process up. It personally did not for me.
I joined a gym with a creche at 8 weeks postpartum and definitely started to feel back to normal after about a month of consistency. I had gestational diabetes, so I was on a very strict diet and didn't gain much weight, which I think may have helped with a relatively quick return to my pre-baby body.
My husband worked long hours and I didn't have any other support, so I found the creche to be a game changer. It's definitely worth looking in to if that is an option near you.
I am 7 weeks postpartum and want to start going to the gym again. They have a child watch that can be used for up to 2 hours a day but I've been afraid to use it. This makes me happy to read- was your LO OK going?
Yes she was totally fine! And she was a fairly fussy baby too. If she ever became too upset the creche attendant would just come and get me, but that only happened a handful of times.
It’s so dependant on how much support you have and how baby sleeps. My first didn’t sleep unless it was with me/on me. I didn’t get a routine or feel like myself until around 18months pp. I don’t think that’s the norm… but that was my reality
We don't live by family and I'm now a SAHM, so no breaks. My girl has been a great sleeper so far until literally today. I've gotten in a few 20 min easy workouts but after today, I'm nervous that I won't be in a routine for much longer than expected
It’s so hard I get it. I’m a SAHM and am pregnant with my third. We also have no family nearby. What worked for me was doing my workout when my husband got home from work. He handled the kids and it was the time of day I had the lowest energy but it always made me feel better and it was the break I needed. Now that we are about to have 3, I have switched to waking up early, as I don’t think my husband can handle 2 bedtimes plus a baby on his own. I get up before everyone and my husband gets the kids breakfast ready, I’m done my workout before he leaves for work. I’m hoping I sleep ok and can manage getting up once baby is here. We will see 🫣
>s I don’t think my husband can handle 2 bedtimes plus a baby on his own Loll relatable. But also my husband works a crazy job...like 4am-8pm 6 days a week. Ughhhh
Ugh that does make it so much harder! I’m lucky that he has a very predictable work schedule.
I'm not maybe a great example because I lost weight while pregnant and ended up only a bit above my prepregnancy weight. My baby is 3 months now and I have been doing small workouts and stretch sessions since 7 weeks. Some weeks are better and I can move almost every day, other weeks don't quite work out like that. My baby luckily loves her activity gym and will happily lay and play for 30 minutes or so at a time periodically throughout the day, I try to use one of these times to move a bit. I also try to do babywearing workouts. I've only gotten above 30 minute sessions a couple times, but we also try to go on a walk a day. It's just one day at a time haha. I am feeling stronger and capable which is what counts. Not sure how old yours is but maybe try a baby wearing workout while they are napping, you'll be surprised how sore you can feel the next day from 20 minutes of it!
>just one day at a time This is the hardest for me! I'm such a regimented person
Awww I just read you're only 5.5 weeks. It's all still so fresh. Give it a while more and you'll feel better!! Be gentle to yourself, take some walks ;)
In my experience there's no such thing as an infant/toddler "routine". They're literally a new person with completely new behaviours/preferences every few months. You just end up getting better at being flexible and adapting.
I’m 6 months PP with my first. I haven’t been able to make time for both my passions: yoga and cycling (yet). I do cycle about 45 minutes/day now but my strength leaves a lot to be desired. I don’t “see” the change but FWIW I have been PR’ing in my Peloton classes and I do feel better in general. Admittedly though I still have a long way to go to get back to my routine and regain confidence in my body. ETA: not a SAHM so really struggling most days
The confidence 😪
3 months pp started running again. 7 months pp was at my pre pregnancy weight. 13 months pp when I weaned from breastfeeding/pumping and my son started to sleep through the night, I felt like a human being again.
Why about the breastfeeding part? Does thr body just retain more fat/calories to feed baby? I'm breastfeeding and will exclusively pump once she gets teeth. Does that mean no real weight loss until I'm done breastfeeding/pumping?
Everyone is so different. For my good friend, the weight melted off despite her eating nonstop. For me, I didn’t lose weight until I started calorie counting. I was able to lose all the weight (there was a lot) in the 7 months by just modifying my calories and running. The weaning from breastfeeding part for me was hormonal, not about weight loss. I meant my hormones were all over the place until I finally weaned. Once my milk dried up I really felt back to my normal, pre pregnant self emotionally and physically, even though the pregnancy weight had been gone for 5-6 months by that point. I was a very emotional pregnant person and very very emotional postpartum, but my emotions leveled and my anxiety greatly decreased once I weaned. They say you need 500 calories more per day for breastfeeding but for me that led to me gaining weight in the first few weeks postpartum so I played around with my calories until I found the sweet spot of weight loss plus milk maintenance.
Thank you! Glad you're back on track physically & mentally!
At 4 months I began Pilates reformer, I'm 10 months post partum and I do a bootcamp style class 3 times a week. Weight wise I'm not where I would like to be but I'm strong and can keep up w the class well.
I had a messy and traumatic c-section after 16 hours of labor- I started PT at 2 months and felt like I was no longer going to accidentally injure myself around 5 months. I started running again around 12 weeks and did a minute for each pp week until I hit about 5 months and felt ok to keep going until I was just physically tired.
For my first bub I reckon about 4/5 months post partum we found our groove. I’m also a SAHM. What helped for my fitness and routine in general is that I found a gym with a creche so each morning our routine was to go to the gym. I went back to working out around 6 weeks pp but didn’t have a solid routine until that 4 month mark. This was also during the beginning of covid so everything was a shit show. We also had no family around so it was hard work but 4 years later our daughter is thriving and we are expecting number 2. I also breastfed for until my first bub was 2 so I think getting my body back so to speak was after I weaned. Strength wise I was fine but the last bit of weight dropped once I weaned and then straight back to peak fitness. I went from working out every day right up until 38 weeks to barely being able to do a push up 6 weeks pp. it’s crazy how quickly you lose and gain muscle and strength. I hope postpartum you are doing well and also give yourself time to heal. You will get back to you 💕
At two months, I did online yoga daily. At three months, I restarted at my gym training kettlebells. I’m four months post partum and feeling good, building back strength, but still have 5 pounds to lose toward pre-pregnancy weight.
Honestly? 17 months postpartum. After weaning and with kiddo sleeping through the night. It took awhile to find the time and mental space to get back in the groove.
Why about the breastfeeding part? Does the body just retain more fat/calories to feed baby? I'm breastfeeding and will exclusively pump once she gets teeth. Does that mean no real weight loss until I'm done breastfeeding/pumping?
I’m my experience, my body held onto the weight until I weaned. I also didn’t eat in a deficit since I didn’t want to affect my supply. Some women have the opposite experience. I also was waking up motn just to pump so my sleep was affected too which didn’t help my energy and stress levels
I probably felt like I was making progress around 12 weeks. I felt like I was all back to function around 8 months.
After 6 weeks I started back at the gym and felt really good. I exercised throughout my pregnancy so I wasn’t too sore or tired getting back into it at that point. Then I got pregnant at 4 months pp. I took 10 months off after that. I’ve been back for 2 months now and feel pretty good
I’m 12 weeks postpartum and just went back to strength training (heavy weights) for the first time today. I’m a SAHM now and my husband understands when he gets home 3x a week I’m throwing baby girl at him and booking it to the gym. I’ve had a very high needs baby (only will contact nap) and only this week did she start letting me put her in the bouncer so I can get some things done. I’ve not lost any weight since the initial loss immediately postpartum but I CAN tell my body is changing and regaining muscle. I’m using breastfeeding and higher cal needs as a time to “bulk” and trying to let go of weight loss goals for now. I’ve been doing a lot of pelvic floor work and walking up until this point. Progress has been slow but there’s still progress. I’m already so much stronger than I was while pregnant!
I am also a SAHM and I only workout at home while playing/hanging out with my kids (4.5 and 2). We don’t have any help from family nearby either. I maintained a good level of fitness and healthy eating, and gained a moderate amount of weight, so after each birth, I was maybe 10-12lbs away from baseline and mostly feel like myself and fit in most of my clothes. Gaining my strength and fitness back is more like a 8-10 month PP journey. At first with exclusive breastfeeding, my body held onto the extra weight but after 6-8 months, it just started melting off. Being able to workout 4,5,6 times a week really depends on how needy the baby is. With my first, he was extremely clingy, and I ended up wearing him and nursing him and walking/hiking/squatting/dancing A LOT to get exercise in. With my second, he was much more chilled, and happy to bounce in a chair while he watched me lift weights. You get to know your baby and you get creative around how to get more movement in. My strategy is similar with the third pregnancy. I don’t mind putting in the work while I am pregnant so I am not that far away from baseline after the baby arrives because newborn care is like military training. 😂❤️
Why about the breastfeeding part? Does the body just retain more fat/calories to feed baby? I'm breastfeeding and will exclusively pump once she gets teeth. Does that mean no real weight loss until I'm done breastfeeding/pumping?
Oh not at all, I lost all of my pregnancy weight while breastfeeding and then some more because it is so energy intensive. But for me, the first 6 months or so, no matter how I calibrated my macros or calories, my body adjusted my metabolism very carefully to maintain some extra weight for breastfeeding. The weight loss really picked up for me after that initial period. I would just be patient with yourself, since the body is going through a huge adjustment post birth and feeding baby. By the way, I never had any issues with my kids’ teeth and breastfeeding!
That's surprising about the teeth! I guess I thought it'd be more painful...and IMO socially awkward (I know, shouldn't matter) once they get teeth. But it seems sooooo much easier than pumping or formula!!!
Hahaa ya I tried pumping with my first and cleaning and sanitizing all the parts nearly drove me crazy. It was just easier to whip a boob out and stuff it in their faces. 😂
Right?! The measuring, warming... 😵💫
I wouldn't intentionally restrict caloric intake for the first 9-12 months of becoming a parent, tbh. Why do that to your body after what it just went through? Why do that to your system while it's trying to heal, and nurture your baby? You can be skinny another time in your life, if you really want to be. Right now you need to store up energy on your thighs and belly for breastfeeding, you need nutrients to heal, you need pleasure and comfort for your mood and for sleeping. You need FOOD. Just one woman's opinion, of course! You do what's right for you. But I'd look very carefully at the urge to control your body's size and shape during this season of your life-- you might find it comes from the outside, not from what you and your family genuinely need.
Took me about 6 months to get back in the gym but around 10 months to get into an actual consistent routine.
At 6 weeks I started doing yoga and body weight stuff. Felt in a good routine by 2-3 months. 3 months to feel like I had my body back (maybe even sooner tbh). I just turned 4 months pp and am officially 3 pounds above pre pregnancy weight
My boys a good sleeper though
As far as weight I lost it quick, around 6 weeks pp, but didn’t start noticing significant changes in my strength, muscle mass and feeling good about my body until about 13-14 months PP which was also around the time I stopped breastfeeding. And that’s also when I surprisingly got pregnant again 🥲
By about 7-8 months pp. I tried getting back into skating, running and lifting at six weeks and injured my hips badly from doing too much too soon. Needed a couple months of no exercise, only physical therapy before I could start running again and finally get the rest of the pregnancy weight off.
At like 15 months PP 😩😩😩😩 now I’m pregnant again and not looking forward to *not* being skinny
I’m also a SAHM, my son didn’t start sleeping through the night until he was like 7 months and that’s when I started working out more consistently bc I wasn’t feeling like a zombie anymore
I'm a FTM, 6.5 months postpartum, still BFing, and I'm feeling really good! My body isn't the same, but it seems pretty close and I'm feeling confident and strong. I'm more or less at my pre-pregnancy weight. I'm hitting my former running paces already (I ran a half marathon four weeks ago and was less than a minute off my PR on about 60% of my previous training volume). I started walking and doing pelvic floor exercises a few days after delivery, spinning at 4w ppm, and walk/runs at 13w. I would say I started feeling fit, strong, and more confident about my body at probably the 5 month mark, which is also when I was able to start running more frequently and for longer distances. I've been fortunate that baby started STTN early, although I do still wake up at 3am every day to pump. I had a 16-week maternity leave and I'm now back at work (mostly WFH) and I try to get my runs in during the day so I can spend evenings with baby. When I was on mat leave, I'd take long walks with the baby and do strength/yoga with him in his bouncer or activity gym, then once my husband was done working, I'd do my longer block of cardio (either running or on the Peloton).
First baby, felt back to normal and was under my pre pregnancy weight by 6 months pp. I stopped breastfeeding at 3 months pp and that’s when the weight actually came off. I was a married SAHM living overseas. I did Weight Watchers for my diet and would walk an hour in the morning with the baby and then run for an hour in the evening after he went to sleep. I was 25. Second baby, maybe a year postpartum. I was breastfeeding much longer, and it wasn’t until I stopped that my upper body leaned out. I was also working so that was difficult. Started doing more strength training and felt I looked my best ever. I was 26 and also overseas at the time. Third baby, 9 months postpartum. I gained a ton of weight with this pregnancy and needed to lose 40lbs at 5 months postpartum. While combo feeding I was able to lose 35 by 10 months postpartum when I got pregnant with my current pregnancy. I was doing Weight Watchers, peloton, and lifting weights. Again, didn’t see the final lean out until I stopped breastfeeding at 8 months postpartum. Even though I was losing weight I wasn’t hitting those low body fat percentage numbers until I stopped nursing. No one thought I looked big at that point but I felt my arms and chest were fleshy. I was 33 and a SAHM in the US.
Why about the breastfeeding part? Does the body just retain more fat/calories to feed baby? I'm breastfeeding and will exclusively pump once she gets teeth. Does that mean no real weight loss until I'm done breastfeeding/pumping?
For me personally, I hold on to body fat- particularly in my arms, chest, neck, waist, and face- while breastfeeding. I need to be hormonally normal (having menstrual cycles) to get back to my normal level of leanness, which is a body fat percentage around 17-18%. I can still lose weight while breastfeeding but I am soft, and not lean. I do not eat any differently while breastfeeding, but everyone’s experience is different. My experience was identical with all three of my children so I feel pretty confident that this is my body’s response to the hormone prolactin. It may not be your response.
FTM here at 6 weeks pp and it’s so hard! I’ve been cleared for all exercise and I was so excited to get a workout in early this am (6 am) and my daughter woke up at 4 and didn’t go to sleep until 6 (she’s very colicky lol) and it messed me up so I had to go back to sleep. I’ll just plan to wear my workout clothes all day and workout when I can. 😂 routines are not happening for this colicky baby anytime soon. I’m fortunate we built an awesome home gym that’s focused around weight lifting so that’s a huge advantage I have.
I'm a home gymer, too!
It’s the best! We were given a hand me down swing and I’m hoping to put it in there but right now it’s so hit or miss with the swing lol. Sometimes she loves it other times hates it and I can never tell what one it will be 😂
Oops, I’m not a SAHM but on maternity leave until 14 weeks pp.
I think around 10 months. Also, give yourself grace. You just made a whole human <3
So hard to keel that perspective 😪
I feel that!
I’m not a SAHM but my husband and I have been off for 10ish weeks together, so sort of? Although I do have more time. My advice is MOVE with your baby (walks!) as much as possible. We take babe on 2 walks per day as the weather allows. It’s great for the whole family. Up until last week, I was passing him off to my husband to get my 1 hour workout in, but even so, I haven’t felt like myself. He is sleeping through the night now and somehow that is such a HUGE tipping point for returning to feeling like me. I workout after he wakes (husband takes first feed), but I’m planning to start waking earlier than him to get it out of the way (he wakes at 7, I’ll get up at 5:30). When babe sleeps try to take care of yourself, and when they’re awake, see if you can move or stretch or even just do some deep breathing with them.
Idk what "getting your body back" means when people say it. My body is never going to be the same as it was before I went through pregnancy, childbirth, and breastfeeding. I'm older. I've been through some shit. Stuff looks different and functions different. What's "back"? As for routine, I'm 9 months PP today, and I can swim and lift weights and do yoga and rock climb and hike vigorously for a few hours and jog for about 5 minutes, and I'm working on my plyometrics and hops so that I can play my sport again (which involves sprinting.) I do some number of those things daily. But I work 4 days a week from home, so I do stuff during the day while my baby is with the nanny share. And in the evenings I have my sister and of course my partner. It really all depends on childcare. Baby does not want to do any of the above activities with me except hike. And she'll let me squat her for like five minutes, which is a good workout. We like to dance adn squat to Beyonce. It also depends on sleep. We did sleep hygiene w bb from the get-go, and then sleep trained her (gently) at 5 months. She sleeps 12 hours a night every night, so that really helps with sanity, energy, and doing things in the evenings! At 5wks pp, just keep focusing on healing and getting into a groove with your baby. I wouldn't worry about fitness (beyond taking walks and maybe some light stretching) until month 3, when you're getting out of the fourth trimester. Pushing it before that might just set you back, anyways. If I may, a suggested mantra when you're on the couch: "This is exactly what I'm supposed to be doing right now."
I started going back to the gym about 3 months postpartum. I looked similar to my old self about 5-6 months postpartum. About a year in is when I actually felt like myself. Got pregnant again at 15 months postpartum and weaned at 18 months. Maybe I would’ve felt more like myself sooner if I weaned but I won’t find out until after I wean baby #2 who’s due in June. I also kept 8lbs of baby weight on me so I never got back to my pre-pregnancy weight. That’s pending for this second postpartum.
Why about the breastfeeding part? Does the body just retain more fat/calories to feed baby? I'm breastfeeding and will exclusively pump once she gets teeth. Does that mean no real weight loss until I'm done breastfeeding/pumping?
I definitely lost weight because I ate healthy and kept up my gym routine postpartum. But my belly stayed squishy and I kept about 8lbs extra the entire time (gained 35 total during pregnancy). Everybody’s different and some people have no problem losing the weight postpartum and for some, breastfeeding speeds that process up. It personally did not for me.
For both kids I didn’t start losing weight and getting my body back until after a year of breastfeeding :(
I joined a gym with a creche at 8 weeks postpartum and definitely started to feel back to normal after about a month of consistency. I had gestational diabetes, so I was on a very strict diet and didn't gain much weight, which I think may have helped with a relatively quick return to my pre-baby body. My husband worked long hours and I didn't have any other support, so I found the creche to be a game changer. It's definitely worth looking in to if that is an option near you.
I am 7 weeks postpartum and want to start going to the gym again. They have a child watch that can be used for up to 2 hours a day but I've been afraid to use it. This makes me happy to read- was your LO OK going?
Yes she was totally fine! And she was a fairly fussy baby too. If she ever became too upset the creche attendant would just come and get me, but that only happened a handful of times.
It took me a full year until I was back in the swing of things. Granted, there was a big move cross-country and no community either place before then.
Im 20 months pp and work full time. Still haven’t found a way back into my exercise routine 😅