[ocelotmom]

It takes time. There's a saying "Nine months on, nine months off". I was reading through my old journal the other day, and found an entry where I wrote that I tend to lose a bunch between 6 and 9 months, which is what I needed to hear, because I've been a little discouraged myself - I've lost quite a bit, but have been plateaued there for a good while now, even gaining and then re-losing a few pounds.

I do need to exercise more. I just live in the middle of nowhere, and there's really no destination to walk to around here.

 

[carnelianlight]

My cruciferous greens are supposedly off limits so I am not getting my favorite vitamins and minerals and I am RAVENOUS. BLAH.

 

[sierramtngirl]

I second what ocelot said above, I lost the majority of my baby weight last time between 6-9 months. It happened so quickly then without trying! So hang in there ladies!!

 

[baileyb]

Ive been eating everything in sight do to my very hungry baby also. She is 7 weeks and has gained 1 lb per week since we left the hospital except for week 5. Now she is 13 lbs! We struggled majorly this past week with the 6 week growth spurt. Wednesday she nursed every hour during the day, every half hour in the evening, then nursed for 2.5 hours straight at bedtime, then was up 6 times that night!! The rest of the week she pretty much gave up daytime sleep and took 2 hours of nursing to get to sleep. Today she is finally back to taking her 3 hr afternoon nap and a more reasonable feeding routine. The bad news is I am pretty sure she has an issue with dairy because she has a diaper rash that wont go away and desitin actually makes her skin peel : ( It looks kind of like a yeast infection but then she has some marks that look like she has been burned with a cigarette on her butt and she has also had an off and on (but always a little there) rash on her face, neck, and back.

I'm excited to only have 6 lbs. to lose but I done think they will be going anywhere until after nursing. I'm very 'rounded' and not toned at all. Ive been finding at max I only can get 15 minutes to decide a few times a week.

 

[carnelianlight]

I'm about 12 pounds over my pre-preggers weight, and given the restrictions on dairy and favorite vegetables, it seems doubtful I would get back to it ever while nursing. Not having those foods makes me crave random macronutrients which honestly doesn't make sense to me - wouldn't my normal vegetable-rich, grain-low diet be a better set of building blocks for a new babe?

My chiro said for me not to do any strength-training type exercise until week 8 postpartum, to conserve energy and rebuild. I was bummed, but it makes sense. When you sleep as little and as badly as moms of newborns do, your cortisol levels are probably high and that alone would make it hard to lose weight around the midsection.

B, that is a lot of weight gain! My little one isn't gaining that fast any more - I think, though I've cut out so much, the gas really frustrates her. The ped scared me when we visited her - she said, "Oh, your baby isn't colicky. Colic doesn't start til 3 months. This is just fussiness." Does that mean the restricted diet has to last as long as I nurse?

 

[mrsgail]

carnelionlight--I always heard that colic usually starts around 2wks and is pretty much over by 2-3 months.

awesome weight gains for your little girl BaileyB. You must get a little thrill seeing her grow so well. I feel quite proud of Levi's weight gains and he isn't growing a pound a week like your little one.

I lost another pound this week and now I'm "only" 20 over my pre-pregnancy weight. I felt like celebrating and was so happy all day--when I lose another pound, it will be less than 20.

Does anyone else feel like your milk runs low in the evening time? Levi takes longer naps in the morning and afternoon and then nurses a lot more frequently in the evening. He ends up getting upset and continually pulling off of my breasts. When I squeeze my breasts, milk still comes out, but I don't think there's as much as he would like or else it just doesn't come as fast. He sucks 4-8 times between swallows. During the night and in the morning/afternoon he swallows after each suck.

 

[ocelotmom]

B, that is a lot of weight gain! My little one isn't gaining that fast any more - I think, though I've cut out so much, the gas really frustrates her. The ped scared me when we visited her - she said, "Oh, your baby isn't colicky. Colic doesn't start til 3 months. This is just fussiness." Does that mean the restricted diet has to last as long as I nurse?

My experience is that I can relax on the diet restrictions at about 6 months - when they're ready for solids, basically. At that point, their gut is sealed (at least compared to how it is when they're younger) and the little bits of whatever in breastmilk are less likely to be a problem.

I still avoided large amounts of the problem foods, but a little bit on occasion wasn't a problem.

 

[sierramtngirl]

Mrs Gail- lower milk supply is common in the evening. Prolactin levels are lowest at that time. Frequent night nursing can help build tank baby up (we cosleep for this purpose- not sure if you are, but that can help to ensure a good supply). Kellymom.com has some good info.

 

[EnviroBecca]

Welcome, KrisiPontieri!

MrsGail, congratulations on your new job!

Bailey, did you try coconut oil on the diaper rash? It worked wonders for us! It also was great on my stiches while they were healing and the skin felt really tight. (I guess it would be dangerous if baby has a nut allergy, though--you wouldn't know yet, and this would be a scary way to find out.)

CarnelianLight, I have heard and read (Dr. Sears) the same thing as MrsGail about colic typically being OVER around 3 months.

I learned last night that a nursing pad makes a good coaster for your cold drink. :grin:

 

[carnelianlight]

6 months ocelotmom. I can go a summer without ice cream but not without kale!

Am going to try adding things back in, & hope baby girl's gas fussiness ends sooner rather than later - funny how one random comment from a ped can send you into a spiral of thought and activity.

We had our 6 week checkup with the midwife today and although I am healing all right from the pregnancy & delivery, I have diastasis recti. She demonstrated one exercise - basically a slow mini-crunch while you push the two plates of ab muscles together with your hands - but the pilates classes she suggested look kinda pricey. Anyone else get this, or recommend any good exercises?

 

[baileyb]

Weighted squats with a belly binder for diastasis! It tones the under layer of your stomach muscles.

 

[MrsRoss]

@carnelianlight, Look on YouTube or Google diastisis recti exercises. There are a lot! Also, regular walking really helps. And just being conscious of pulling in your belly button while you tighten pelvic floor muscles is something easy to do during every day activities.

I am about to start working on healing mine. I have a huge one b/c it never closed from my first baby nine years ago. I didn't know about special exercises or what exercises to avoid. So I did push ups and crunches for years, which strengthened the muscles but didn't bring them any closer together.

 

[ocelotmom]

6 months ocelotmom. I can go a summer without ice cream but not without kale!

Alternative milk ice cream. So Delicious lives up to its name. We have an ice cream maker that we've been using near-daily (also makes it easier to control the sugar levels and additives).

 

[carnelianlight]

just being conscious of pulling in your belly button while you tighten pelvic floor muscles is something easy to do during every day activities.

That feels really good and centering, thanks. I have seen some youtube vids from BEfit mom and others but wondered about really good ones. Weighted squats sound good as well The midwife also reminded me to use the 'roll over onto your side and push yourself up with your arms' method of getting out of bed which is good. The subtle changes make a big difference, like not trying to get out of a horizontal or reclined position while the babe is still in arms.

Coconut milk ice creams are the best! This list is also helping with kale/chard withdrawal symptoms: http://www.livestrong.com/article/500595-what-vegetables-dont-cause-gas-while-breastfeeding/

Also need to find some 'fast food' that doesn't bother baby. Yesterday we were at a lovely BBQ with a lot of gourmet food that I couldn't eat, so feeling sorry for myself I over-ate on junk. Sure enough after feeding lightly during the night, baby vomited this morning Today is another all-day-out affair in wine country! Sounds tiring more than relaxing though. What to do, bring my own food and sneak off to eat it :nerd:

 

[EnviroBecca]

For diastasis, try balancing on an exercise ball.
http://articles.earthlingshandbook.org/2010/04/14/balancing-on-the-ball/
I just started doing this again, and my muscles are pulling together better than they did after my first baby when I did not have the ball.

 

[carnelianlight]

Thank you EnviroBecca, that's a good idea!

Mamas, I STINK. Seriously. Even my hardcore zinc creme based deo doesn't stand up to this odor. I cannot find any research articles on the subject of postpartum / breastfeeding body odor changes either, or what to do about them. Am sure my LO would be just as calmed by my smell if it was pleasant!! Is this really necessary.
Any tips on how to manage it, since big dietary changes are not really an option?

 

[ocelotmom]

Any other weird symptoms? Are you sweating more than normal, or just smelling differently? Can you describe the smell (I know that's not always possible)?

From a medical standpoint, thyroid would be the first thing I'd look at - hyperactive thyroid is relatively common postpartum, and can cause increased body odor. There could also be some other sort of endocrine problem.

I'd guess the problem isn't strictly dietary if you haven't changed your diet recently, but personally, I can go without deodorant if my diet is very clean (probably wheat-related, but possibly something else).

And I'm sure this is too obvious, but could it be clothing-related? BO is much more noticeable in sleeveless shirts, and it's sleeveless shirt weather. My DH also gets bad BO if he wears shirts made of synthetic fabrics.

I use homemade deodorant (equal parts coconut oil, cornstarch or arrowroot, and baking soda. Add a little vanilla extract or a drop of essential oil if you want a scent), and it works better than most commercial deodorant for me.

 

[carnelianlight]

ocelotmom, THANK YOU, you are right on. I forgot to reduce my dose of natural thyroid after the pregnancy was completed! Didnt notice any hyperthyroid effects but maybe the smell is one. I dont know, it definitely seems my body chemistry has changed to a third chemistry postpartum - it's not that of pre-pregnancy or pregnancy.
The cornstarch deos make me sensitive and itchy, unfortunately, bummer as these are the most natural seeming recipes.

 

[ocelotmom]

The cornstarch is mostly there for texture and to help make it more solid - the coconut oil and baking soda are both effective as deodorant on their own. So you could just leave it out entirely if you don't want to substitute arrowroot.