Postpartum pounds- January 7, 2011
Oh, the weighty issue of baby weight! How much do you gain? How much do you lose after delivery? Do you wait to lost the weight?
I’m not big on talking about weight. After years of therapy and treatment as an eating disordered teen I learned to merely think of weight as the gravitational pull on your body. I healthfully lost weight before our wedding after post-college beers gave me a few extra pounds. I considered that a major sign of my mental and physical good health. (Please email me if you want to know more about my battle with Anorexia and treatment. I am happy to help. If someone you know is sick. Get them help.)
I gained about 22 lbs.during my 9 months carrying Charlotte. The doctor told me a woman at an average weight should gain 20-25 lbs. Done.
I gotta tell ya’ll this. I’m not trying to brag. Seriously. I really say this out of utter amazement. I only have a few pounds to lose. I got into my skinny jeans about 3 weeks postpartum. Don’t get me wrong, they’re snug, but I got them on. And no, I will not post a picture because there is more muffin toppage than I care to capture on film.
I attribute the quick slim down to two things…
- I was active during my pregnancy. I kept up with moderate workouts. I also worked. My job requires me to be out-and-about, and on my feet. I kept plugging away full force at work until 39.5 weeks.
- I’m breastfeeding. I’m not kidding, it’s like running on a treadmill. Breastfeeding can burn 500-700 calories a day. A day! Due to my former days of obsessive calorie-counting, I know how hard you have to work out to burn that many calories.
Spread it around:
Well way to go on saving yourself and learning a healthy perspective! And for wearing your skinny jeans of course!
Congratulations on being HEALTHY! And on providing a healthy start for your daughter.
Breastfeeding rocks for so many reasons.
great perspective and for not having to buy new jeans! breastfed babies tend to run a little on the long and thin side in most cases – at least that is what our lactation consultant told us – good for Charlotte in the double digets!
Breastfeeding is awesome like that! Most of my weight with my first son melted away thanks to nursing.
Congrats!
Congratulations!!! I was the same way. Loved it!!! Breastfeeding has so many benefits! LOL.
i was also down to my pre-prego weight 3 weeks after birth. i attribute that to a few things: 1. good genes (thanks mom!) 2. breastfeeding 3. profuse sweating (no kidding! -> http://themommyhoodmemos.blogspot.com/2010/06/dont-sweat-it-momma-or-do.html)
i was very grateful… counting my lucky stars.
BUT the downside is that i've found it very hard to keep weight on while bf-ing this last year. i've gotten too skinny, am always hungry, and my skinny jeans now make me look frumpy.
so, although i'm glad i've not struggled to lose weight… i've also found the flip side of the problem.
ah, motherhood. there's always sacrifices that we aren't expecting…!
BY THE WAY, i've been terrible at reading and visiting blogs for a LONG TIME! getting back into the swing of things now… and realized that i don't think i have even come and visited since you had charlotte!
SO… 1. congratulations! good job mama!!!! 2. she is GORGEOUS! 3. love, love, LOVE the name! (it's one of my TOP girls names of all time!)
so happy for you, and glad that you're doing well. take it easy lady, and soak in all the preciousness of these early days!! x
I got lectured by Dr. Mong's nurse at my post-partum check up for being two pounds less than my pre-pregnancy weight. Like you I had my normal jeans on two weeks after he was born. I attributed it to breastfeeding (I went seven months), and also to the fact that when I had a time to eat, that meant there was time to sleep. I chose sleep. Either way, Charlotte is a beautiful baby. Some babies just stay more petite than others. Will was a tank. He's just now grown into his thighs almost two years later. I think he sucked some weight out of me along with milk.
Caught up on the blog tonight (delaying accounting). Congrats on the baby weight (or lack there of). Of course, I think I'm going to be the one with the longer term muffin top. Love you! Love reading the blog as always!!!!!
That's awesome! Congratulations!!