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How do you feel about your postpartum body?

6K views 73 replies 33 participants last post by  ryansma 
#1 ·
This might be the last thing on your mind right now, but I wonder how you all are feeling about your bodies.

I looked at my perineum for the first time this morning and I feel kind of sad about what I saw.
There's a weird skin flap that my midwife had told me might be there, but it's bigger than I expected. I know it doesn't really matter, but I still feel kind of sad and yucky about it.


How do the rest of you feel?
 
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#52 ·
Quote:

Originally Posted by septbabymama View Post
And those that have already lost the weight, I don't know how that's possible! I'm not even eating anything that's bad for me. What gives?
i'm with you! what gives?!
 
#53 ·
ugh! I am hating my body right now. I had a c-section and came home from the hospital bigger and heavier than when I was pregnant! I finally lost the water weight (30 lbs) and 9 more lbs fat (39 total lbs) but I am still 41 lbs over my pp weight and cannot get any of my pants over my thighs and butt, which seemed to have doubled in size with delivery! In addition, the stretch marks are bumming me out big time. I didnt get any on my tummy until 2 wks before delivery but they managed to get pretty bad in that time. My breasts are completely different and I am fearing that they will never be the same again since BFing.
and the brown line going down my belly is still there. Will it ever go away??!??!
 
#54 ·
Joining the 'UGH I hate my body' chorus, sadly. I'm not sure why I had the expectation that by 6 weeks pp I'd have my normal body back...and here we are, 5 weeks pp and my weight is exactly what it was the day after DD was born. I gained about 25 pounds and lost about 10 with the birth, and now I'm sitting here with 15 pounds left to lose and I'm just stuck. Why do all of those people say that breastfeeding makes a person lose weight? Cuz I think that's a crock.

Anyway, I can't fit into any of my pre-preg. clothes - they were all fairly slim fitting. I have hardly any maternity clothing and it's mostly summer stuff, so I've had to buy a few new things to wear.
Sigh. I want my body back.
 
#55 ·
I'm there with the last couple posters....mind is okay, but body is sad, very sad.

Been trying to eat more healthy past week and have gained 2 pounds
Am same weight as after the birth and barely anything fits. This is hard when baby pukes on me a couple times a day - on my only 2 or 3 shirts that do fit! I feel sluggish and hungry all the time, my skin is gross, my hair is incredibly dry. My "downstairs" still aches sometimes, especially at end of the day. Haven't even tried to DTD yet. And I have a hemmeroid
: (But at least that has got a lot better)

I'm in Australia so we're coming into summer, which is good in terms of being able to go out walking, but bad in terms of exposing fat! (arms, legs, etc yuck!) Especially because we're going on vacation in 3 weeks to the beach. Argh!!!

Oh, and I also have no shoes at the moment and live in flip-flops.

On the flip side, I just remind myself that there are far worse things in this world than some extra fat. Especially as I've been watching the entire series of Six Feet Under on DVD over the past few weeks...watching a TV series where every episode is about someone dead makes me really appreciate my life, fat, stretchmarks and all!!!
 
#56 ·
Sometimes I feel good about my body, other times not so much. Usually when I have to go out and realize that only my sweats fit, I feel fat. I can fit into 2 pairs of pre-preggo jeans, but I end up with a muffin top-not a cute look for me. I hate this in between stage where I hardly have anything to wear.
 
#57 ·
Quote:

Originally Posted by amberg007 View Post
and the brown line going down my belly is still there. Will it ever go away??!??!

Quote:

Originally Posted by Emily's Mama View Post
My "downstairs" still aches sometimes, especially at end of the day. Haven't even tried to DTD yet.
This is me!
 
#59 ·
I still have 30lbs to lose to get to my pre-preg weight.
Yeah... it's gonna be a while. I'm breastfeeding exclusively and not losing an ounce. And it's not like I eat a lot or anything. I eat tiny little meals... and sometimes it's hours before I realize i'm starving! I don't know what the deal is. I'm mostly a vegetarian... so this really shouldn't be a problem.
 
#60 ·
Quote:

Originally Posted by funfunkyfantastic View Post
My midwife told me not to expect to gain or lose any weight between 2 and 6 weeks PP. She said most women stay at the same weight during that time... some lose 5 pounds... and some gain 5 pounds. But she said that it's not the time to be expecting any major weight loss. So, I guess I have a ways to go yet.
Ahhh. I wish I would have known that. Those were a frustrating few weeks but now the weight is coming off again.
I gained almost 50 pounds this time. A little over 35 is off so I still have about 15 to go.
The belly and love handles are killing me and my face is still a little fuller than I am used to but no major stretch marks to speak of.
I haven't looked down there yet. I had a labial tear that is still a bit sensitive sometimes but I want to give it a little more time so I don't freak out unnecessarily. I had dh look at and he said it looked ok just a little red and then it got him all excited
so I guess he doesn't mind if it looks a little different.
 
#61 ·
Today was a big day. I was able to fit into a pair of pre-preggo jeans. Yes, they were my "big" pants but still, there is no elastic waistband! According to the scale, I have 18 pounds to go. However, the ratio of fat to muscle is not good. I really didn't get much exercise for so very many months and it sure shows. I also spotted some new stretch marks on my hips/tush area. At least they won't be lonely
 
#62 ·
Quote:

Originally Posted by trayls View Post
Today was a big day. I was able to fit into a pair of pre-preggo jeans.
Congratulations!

I'm not even going to try pre-preg jeans for at least a couple more weeks. My big victory was getting back into my skinny maternity jeans this week
 
#65 ·
I'm a walking stretchmark with an extra 30lbs and cellulite on her ass. *laughs* I'm not too pleased with my body but two back to back pregnancies will do that to you. I'm working on losing the last 30lbs to get down to my pre-pregnancy weight, I'm pretty impressed with myself anyway because in the last year and a half I gained 70lbs and have lost 40lbs of it. Oh babies. At least my husband still thinks I'm hot.
 
#66 ·
My weight went down pretty quickly and I feel healed up. I think this pregnancy did a number on my joints, though. I've only been able to get my rings back on in the last couple of week. I feel it's had more to do with my joints, not my fingers, being swollen. Pelvic pain/discomfort never went completely away for me and I'm 8wks pp. In fact, it's actually been worse the last couple of days. It only got mild enough that I forgot to mention it at my OB follow up.
 
#67 ·
Quote:

Originally Posted by lwuertz View Post
I'm not losing any pounds right now, but somehow I'm still thinning out. I don't get it. The pants I bought a couple weeks ago already need a belt, but the scale still reads the same.
I'm in the same boat as you, cept I know why i'm getting smaller. It's the hips. Your hips are slowly going back to their original size. Your tummy isn't shrinking though, right?
 
#68 ·
Quote:

Originally Posted by Lexi_029 View Post
I'm working on losing the last 30lbs to get down to my pre-pregnancy weight,
Same here. It's weird for me cus i've always been a thin person up until I met my DH and he made me gain 20lbs in a short amount of time. I was of course still pretty thin, 128lbs and so I wasn't really self conscious or anything. Now I keep looking at my body with disgust. I have no idea how long it's going to take for me to thin down again. Right now it feels like i'll be stuck this way.
 
#69 ·
Quote:

Originally Posted by ShiningStar View Post
I've only been able to get my rings back on in the last couple of week. I feel it's had more to do with my joints, not my fingers, being swollen.
I have no idea why I still can't get my rings on. My fingers aren't swollen... and My joints don't seem bigger... but if I try to get that ring on it gets stuck and I have to work hard to get it off again (and that's on my pinky!!) I think my fingers just got bigger in general. Do fingers ever go back to normal? Or is this permanent? Should I get my rings resized?
 
#70 ·
Quote:

Originally Posted by funfunkyfantastic View Post
I have no idea why I still can't get my rings on. My fingers aren't swollen... and My joints don't seem bigger... but if I try to get that ring on it gets stuck and I have to work hard to get it off again (and that's on my pinky!!) I think my fingers just got bigger in general. Do fingers ever go back to normal? Or is this permanent? Should I get my rings resized?

Mine do this too but they go back. I could wear my rings until much later this time around but it has taken a while longer for them to fit comfortably, they are still a little tight even now.
 
#71 ·
Quote:

Originally Posted by funfunkyfantastic View Post
I'm in the same boat as you, cept I know why i'm getting smaller. It's the hips. Your hips are slowly going back to their original size. Your tummy isn't shrinking though, right?
Oh, that makes sense. Yeah tummy is just pouching all out.
 
#72 ·
I finally bought a new (temporary) wedding ring this weekend. My DH had to CUT my wedding ring off my finger in month nine and I still can't get my engagement ring on. My fingers don't seem swollen to me--but I am up at least 15 pounds from my higher-ever non-pg weight, so that probably has something to do with it. Anyhow, had to buy a 7 instead of the normal 6. Seems like it might be my ring for a while at the rate I am losing weight....
 
#73 ·
Phew, I just came back from my yearly check-up and I asked the NP about the tear-scar... It is still bright red and really tight, even she can tell it's too tight. She said to give it another 4 weeks and if it is still tight to see the doctor.
I'm a bad healer overall, whenever I run into something I have a big blue spot for weeks.... I hope it will heal soon, it is really annoying.
Do any of you have a similar experience?
 
#74 ·
Quote:

Originally Posted by nia82 View Post
Phew, I just came back from my yearly check-up and I asked the NP about the tear-scar... It is still bright red and really tight, even she can tell it's too tight. She said to give it another 4 weeks and if it is still tight to see the doctor.
I'm a bad healer overall, whenever I run into something I have a big blue spot for weeks.... I hope it will heal soon, it is really annoying.
Do any of you have a similar experience?
I got a small labial tear during Z's birth. I had just left it alone until about a week ago when I felt to see how it was healing. I felt a small bump that was a little painful. When dh looked at it he said that the bump was actually not connected to where the tear was. I had stitches after my first son's birth and it seemed to heal a little quicker but this tear didn't really require stitches. So while it is annoying I am generally happy with how it is healing even though it is taking a little longer.
 
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