We've watched the scale go up together, wanna watch it go down? - Page 5

[akind1]

Emma - I am 4 weeks PP and still spot on occasion! (I'm chasing a nearly 2 year old and carrying him around sometimes so that probably has something to do with it!) - give the PP bleeding some time.

Rosemary - if she's happy in the bassinet part of the stroller, that is great! what sort of carrier(s) do you have? I have a baby k'tan and was trying to do the pouch(kangaroo?) hold - and DD wasn't tolerating it and it made me sort of nervous. tried her in the hug hold, and she loves it! and it is a much safer position. I have a Boba for my toddler, and can't use it with her for a few more months yet.

I am down about another pounds so 24 lbs lost all together. want to lose another 11 before the end of the year, that would be fantastic! I'd be at a weight I've not been since my wedding (I think) 6 years ago.

[emmaegbert]

thanks Katrina. The MWs are making me feel like it means I am not healing fast enough. I honestly don't really remember how much I bled with my previous two births. But I didn't have two older kids to run after then.

Rosemary- thanks for the youtube suggestion. I actually found some good stuff there, so I'm looking forward to starting. Some are very basic core reconnection exercises- look just right for now. And some simple yoga routines that I will add when the bleeding stops. But yeah, mostly I will add walking back into my life first, once I stop bleeding. Sick of having to say that for sure! 

[DragonflyMom]

So wait, I see you guys talking about still spotting....

I have been having bright red bleeding and I kind of just assumed it was my period returning because I went about a week with no bleeding.

Its been a month, its it unlikely that this is my period?

Kind worried now because the past few days since it started I have had some soreness around my incision...

I have not been doing much really...running errands but nothing really stressful.

[emmaegbert]

I got my period right back after my first. Maybe not quite a month but by 6-8 weeks sure. So I don't know. But maybe call into your OB office?

[dollyanna]

Originally Posted by DragonflyMom 

So wait, I see you guys talking about still spotting....

I have been having bright red bleeding and I kind of just assumed it was my period returning because I went about a week with no bleeding.

Its been a month, its it unlikely that this is my period?

Kind worried now because the past few days since it started I have had some soreness around my incision...

I have not been doing much really...running errands but nothing really stressful.

I'm not sure. Seems very early to get your period, especially since you're pumping.

I know with my 1st (vaginal) birth I bled on & off for like 9 weeks PP.  In retrospect, I probably should have been taking it easier, but I had no idea what was normal or not.

There's been a lot less bleeding in general with the c-section this time around, but the volume goes up & down a lot.  I'm about 2.5 weeks PP and I'm definitely still bleeding.

[lifeguard]

Seems unlikely dragonfly but worth getting checked if you are worried.

I'm a full month out & still getting some spotting. Kind of sick of it quite frankly, but I honestly don't find a correlation between doing something "difficult" & the bleeding - the spotting seems very random.

I am so frustrated with my body. I was down 20lbs now I'm back up 5lbs. Why is that I must be 100% perfect with my diet to keep from gaining? It is SO hard to be 100% when I'm not getting enough sleep - so hard! And seriously, even with my indiscretions my diet is better than 95% of the people out there. NOT FAIR! Some days it just so does not seem worth it.

[kindyll]

re: bleeding- I'm 3 weeks after a c-section and I'm still bleeding.  It isn't a ton, but it's enough that I have to use a liner.   Some days are heavier than others.  Allegedly it's normal.

gained 35 lbs with the pregnancy, and dropped 25 of that back off within the first 2 weeks PP.  I got all excited, thinking this wouldn't be so bad.  Haven't lost another since, and gained a pound back instead.  Haven't started being particularly active yet, but am eating SO MUCH BETTER than pre-pregnancy and am BFing, so I'd like to think that the weight would continue to leave.  Nope.

My belly looks like a deflated balloon, and I have insane stretch marks everywhere.  I'm never wearing a swimsuit again.  I'm also apparently never wearing my old pants again, because my belly size continues to require me wearing my maternity pants.

I feel the frustration, Lifeguard.

[DragonflyMom]

Originally Posted by lifeguard 

I am so frustrated with my body. I was down 20lbs now I'm back up 5lbs. Why is that I must be 100% perfect with my diet to keep from gaining? It is SO hard to be 100% when I'm not getting enough sleep - so hard! And seriously, even with my indiscretions my diet is better than 95% of the people out there. NOT FAIR! Some days it just so does not seem worth it.

I feel you, I have always been like that.

I can eat nothing but salads and veggies and good stuff and if Im not working out hardcore I gain weight...it sucks :(
 

[DragonflyMom]

Originally Posted by dollyanna 

I'm not sure. Seems very early to get your period, especially since you're pumping.

I know with my 1st (vaginal) birth I bled on & off for like 9 weeks PP.  In retrospect, I probably should have been taking it easier, but I had no idea what was normal or not.

There's been a lot less bleeding in general with the c-section this time around, but the volume goes up & down a lot.  I'm about 2.5 weeks PP and I'm definitely still bleeding.

After the first week my bleeding went to just the occasional dark brown spotting, after two weeks I had clean liners for a week...so I just assumed it was over with.

Now Im going through about two "super" tampons a day.

I have an OB appointment next week and if its still going on Ill mention it.

[~pi]

Rosemary, if she is happy, what is your concern about having her in the stroller? Holding in arms is great, but so is a nice, long, comfortable walk. I agree with Katrina: in your shoes, I wouldn't worry, I would just thank Iona for being an easygoing baby about this!

lifeguard, it does suck and it isn't fair. I am sorry.

Emma, I believe spotting at 4 weeks is well within the range of normal.

Dragonfly, I was told not to use tampons. And also to call if I had bright red bleeding start up again. I hope everything is ok.

NAK now, off for a long walk in the rain when he is done eating.

[RosemaryS-F]

pi: Not nak but holding iona...my concern is likely left over from my friend who was one of those "you should always hold your baby" people and who was my only mom friend when i was pg/new mom with ds...I have always felt that ds benefited greatly from the early attachment days. I'm just trying to find a balance now. For carriers, I have a Moby, an Ergo, a Snugly, and a ring sling. HATE the ring sling, won't even touch it. The snugly is comfortable for me, actually, but Iona is too little for it and I get really nervous about her breathing. The Ergo feels weird with the infant insert--more of the breathing paranoia. The Moby is ok in the hug hold, but I am not used to it (it's new, I have only used it once.) I feel like I still need to support her somehow. The stroller...feels fantastic.

Lifeguard, I'm really sorry about your plateau and I can definitely understand your frustration. Been there. Blah.

[emmaegbert]

Rosemary, girl, you need some new friends. If your baby is happy then there is nothing wrong! I used to leave DS on the floor on the blanket a lot. And I felt sort of bad about it. Then this amazing pediatric PT that we know saw him on the floor and started raving about how "the floor is where babies belong" and how amazing it is for babies to have time to explore their bodies on the floor, etc. Now I feel sort of bad b/c I totally can't leave Vera on the floor or else my older DD (who is 2.5) will just be all over her. Ugh.

Bleeding: its not spotting. I am definitely still bleeding. Not copious amounts, and its a slightly darker red. But not even close to being brown or "spotty". Sigh. What is odd is the rest of the healing has been so much better this time. But the bleeding just goes on and on. Still using 3 "overnight" pads a day and sometimes bleeding through them.

So yeah- I am pretty impressed with some of the stuff on youtube! I am totally going to start with some exercises today- they look very good: gentle, focused on "reconnecting" to core muscles, and I can add one at a time as they feel good. Then I will start walking for transpo next week (babywearing... I don't have a double stroller so Vera will go in the moby and 2yo walks or goes in her stroller), and I will add some postnatal yoga/pilates exercises when I feel ready. So, yay, feels good to have a plan. Oh, and when I get out of the house, definitely getting a belly binder (thanks rosemary for reminding us about that). And this gross cold just can't possibly go on more than another week right? Its been 2 weeks already... 

[~pi]

Originally Posted by emmaegbert 

Rosemary, girl, you need some new friends. If your baby is happy then there is nothing wrong!

I took a 1.5 hour brisk walk today with DS in the pram. It was great, I feel fantastic, and have zero guilt. The only time DS seemed the least bit unhappy was when I stopped to check my sugar and treat a low.

[lifeguard]

emmaegbert - fwiw - my bleeding, this time & last, never turned to brown. Went straight from bright red to gone. So I think there is some variation in this.

Strollers - I've never gotten into the habit of them but I think if it's working for you that's great. The few times I used one with ds I ended up pushing an empty stroller while carrying a baby!

Had a good workout today, still keeping the weights low & focusing on form which is starting to get boring. Dd usually does pretty well during my workouts but today she fussed almost the whole time. The poor girl goes from 0-60 in no time flat - sigh. My trainer ended up holding her for the last two sets of my workout (thank goodness for a small town gym!!!) which was ok as the gym was empty but realistically I can't have that happening through my workouts. Part of me feels like I'm being really selfish for making this such a priority but then I remember how painful it was to get back into shape after ds & what a good example I am setting for my children & how much better I feel when I'm in decent shape. Sigh. Hopefully soon I'll be able to leave her with dh while I'm at the gym & it won't be so stressful.

Sorry to keep complaining about it but I really am feeling incredibly disappointed with how the pp weight loss is going. It was stupid of me to think it would be easier than after ds but I had SO hoped that all the lifestyle changes I had made since then would make it easier. How I envy those women who lose all the weight easily while eating whatever they want - hmmm, envy might be too nice a word.

[RosemaryS-F]

Ha, ha, I realized that a long time ago, and I'm not friends with her any more. None of my friends now would blink an eye at me using a stroller, since all of them do, it's just a lingering instinct, like Pavlov's dog. Ring the bell, he's gonna drool, kwim? And there is all that babywearing advice in the Sears books that I read...thanks for the encouragement. Intellectually, I know it's fine.

emma, when I bled too much my mw prescribed me something to make it calm down, and it worked.

Pi, how far are you going on these epic walks?

I'm not hurting anymore, but blood picked up a little bit yesterday. I took a walk, went to the doctor, did the laundry, picked up dh and we all went to the mall to exchange my ridiculous bras. I exchanged 5 bras and a nursing top for just 4 bras that are much better quality and one of them is a sleeping bra, which I've never used, but it really helped me out last night!

[emmaegbert]

ok so last night I just did some abdominal "exercises" that were basically lying on my back doing deep belly breathing and concentrating on bringing my transverse muscles tight (and belly button in and back) with each exhale. Ugh core muscles get so weak from pregnancy. I also tried some breathing that focused on moving ribs in and out. And I did a bunch of cat/cow stretching/breathing and some gentle leg slides/circles. I was only 11dPP so not trying to do anything strenuous, just working on those basic core muscles. Like super duper basic pilates mat stuff. I had sort of avoided touching or thinking about my mushy belly until then :(

and yeah, "envy" of the people who can "nurse off the pounds" is a mild way of putting it! I have a very, very efficient body.

[~pi]

Originally Posted by RosemaryS-F 

Ha, ha, I realized that a long time ago, and I'm not friends with her any more. None of my friends now would blink an eye at me using a stroller, since all of them do, it's just a lingering instinct, like Pavlov's dog. Ring the bell, he's gonna drool, kwim? And there is all that babywearing advice in the Sears books that I read...thanks for the encouragement. Intellectually, I know it's fine.

Totally makes sense. It's hard to turn off those voices.
 

Originally Posted by RosemaryS-F 

Pi, how far are you going on these epic walks?

Well, only one long walk so far, but I just mapped it and it was about 5 miles. I took it pretty easy until my bleeding totally stopped, which meant a max of 2 miles to and from DS1's school. Yesterday, I really wanted to get to the water, which is a 20 minute walk from my house, and then once there I walked a ways along the waterfront.

[emmaegbert]

so Friday was 2w PP and my bleeding has finally slowed a lot, so I am starting to walk again- where I live this is for transpo and sometimes its with my 2yo, so not necessarily very quick. I am babywearing the whole time, but baby is still pretty light! So far I am doing about 1-2.5 miles a day (more to the lower end) and it seems that is enough for now. Still sore tailbone and pubic bone especially by the end of the day. I weighed this weekend and I am down 16lbs (gained between 34-38 depending on what starting weight I count... I wasn't weighing regularly before I got pregnant). Eating not exactly a low carb diet... more like a moderate carb diet... trying to eat plenty of protein and fat, not much in the grains and sugar department though I haven't been terribly strict with myself. I definitely don't feel the crazy hunger I had in my previous PP periods, I think b/c I am being more careful to actually eat every few hours.

Edited by emmaegbert - 11/23/11 at 2:26pm

[RosemaryS-F]

That's great news, Emma. Good that the bleeding has slowed so that you can walk.

I am wearing pp jeans and freaking myself out. Not my skinny jeans, but my jeans nonetheless. I still have 10 to go until at pp weight. My hip binder will likely arrive today. The belly binding has done wonders for me.

[cbeclipse]

I am ready to join this thread now! At almost 3 weeks pp I am down 20 lbs from my highest pregnancy weight. I have about 8 more lbs to go before I am down to my pre-pregnancy weight. I have been eating TERRIBLY the last few days though. I am totally stress eating. Ugh. I need to figure out some kind of plan I can follow. No exercise yet, I have a gym membership I plan on using soon, but not until Landon is older so he can stay home with dp.