Q&A: post-partum weight loss

I got a question from an anonymous mom who was very upset that she was still 20 pounds over her pre-pregnancy weight and her baby was "already" 6 weeks old. She was angry that she hadn't lost the baby weight yet. I explained to her that it took her body 9 months to put on that baby weight, so she couldn't expect to drop it all in a month, and that if she did lose so much weight so quickly it probably wouldn't be healthy for her.

She asked me what a realistic expectation was, and I said that I knew very few women who'd lost the weight before 4 months post-partum, but 9 seemed to be the magic number with a first baby. And even women who lost the weight before 9 months felt like things didn't start to go back into place before then.

So I'm asking today for some data points. Tell how long it took you to get back to your pre-pregnancy weight and size, which baby it was, whether you were breastfeeding, and any other special circumstances.

With my first I lost the weight by 9 months, and then lost another size over the next year. I was breastfeeding, and walked a ton with the baby in a carrier, and was basically trying to wil myself to perfection since I knew my life was in bad shape.

With my second I actually put on weight after he was born to hide myself. I was breastfeeding and running after a preschooler, but eating my emotions and maintaining the protective barrier so it all stayed on. It's coming off slowly but surely, so I'm the size I was pre-pregnancy with my first, but still have a way to go to get to my true fighting weight.

What about you? I'm trying to collect as many data points as possible so women looking for the reality of post-partum weight loss can find it here.

Comments

[Neener]

Baby 1, breastfeeding - back to pre-preg weight within 4 weeks. (gained 40 lbs)

Baby 2, breastfeeding - back to pre-preg weight
at 10 weeks (gained 45 lbs)

Baby 3, breastfeeding - back to pre-preg weight at 12 weeks (gained 40 lbs)

Baby 4, breastfeeding - back to pre-preg weight at 12 weeks, (gained 35 lbs) working on losing the 10 pounds I gained before getting pregnant with this baby. Have lost 5 so far.
I do very little exercise, but I really watch my calories and try to get the extra calories burned from breastfeeding to work for me.

[Charisse]

Argh, totally didnt' fill out my stat sheet!

Age when pregnant: 32
Weight at first checkup: 148
Weight at delivery: 193
Breastfeeding: exclusive to 5 mo, continued 2 years
Delivery: NSVD as they say
Exercise: lots of walking

[Rudyinparis]

First pregnancy: 30 years old, 127 lbs, 5’2”. Gained 32 pounds. Lost it all about 9 mos. post-partum. Actually, I went down to 118. Insert neon flashing signs to accompany the following: *muscle weighs more than fat.* I, personally, think it can be a mistake to follow numbers. I was 118—how marvelous! Except I was exhausted, undernourished, and incredibly weak. Skinny fat, as they say. Second pregnancy, about the same stats for weight gain… Lost it all again at about 9 mos. Then decided I was tired of being weak and exhausted and decided to make some changes. Started taking care of myself. Running. Yoga. Weights. Slowly gained 10 pounds. Now I am strong and healthy. *Beware of the numbers.*

Also, I went down a cup size, from a nice B to a fairly boyish A. I like to say that the big huge boobs I don’t have aren’t sagging. It’s something of a consolation.

My biggest thing here is *give yourself time* and *nourish yourself.* We have beautiful bodies.

[akeeyu]

Typical pre-pregnancy: 140/150, size 10/12
Immediately pre-pregnancy: 120ish, size 4
(I was sick)
...Twins...
Delivery: 200
2 weeks postpartum: 160, size 16ish
6 months postpartum: 180--the hell?
18 months postpartum: 160, size 10/12

I think that's pretty weird--I'm the same clothing size that I was before I got pregnant, but with an extra 20 bonus pounds? Eh? I'm not totally sure where it is.

[lucee]

Some cultures say it takes 2 years from conception for a body to return to so called "normal" Breastfeeding lost a lot of the weight for me (I gained 30lbs and lost it by 5 months) and walking walking walking everywhere with my son. 6 weeks is unreasonable for anything to get back to normal after any kind of birth; tummies, vaginas, anything....its just too early. Everybody's body is different.

[wealhtheow]

22 months after first (and only so far) I'm still 25 pounds above pre-pregnancy weight. I've been exercising so I'm in MUCH better shape than I've ever been, but I've also been eating, especially lately to deal with frustration (keep your eyes open for an e-mail from me soon if the Get Sam To Nap Again plan doesn't work this week, Moxie!). I think my big problem is that I'm not prioritizing myself enough to be my healthiest.

[Joan]

With my first, I was able to take off the weight by 9 months or so, which I attribute to structure. I went back to work at 3 months and had gym time and structured eating time.

Second baby, I became a stay at home and with two little ones I didn't have gym time and ate all the time, so I still carried the 20lbs a year later!

I breastfed both, but for me breastfeeding made me extra hungry and extra tired all the time. It was after breastfeeding that I felt like I was somewhat myself again.

[Val]

I gained about 30 lbs in my pregnancy (at 30). Within about a month of delivery I had dropped all of that weight and within another month or two another 20 pounds. Yup, that's right, I'm one of those annoying people that ended up SKINNIER after having a kid than before! In those first weeks I was pumping exclusively, for a kid that insisted on eating every two hours, night and day. I *earned* that weight loss. I did nothing else to lose weight, did not exercise and ate anything and everything I wanted.

Sorry.

[Ck.]

I was the heaviest I had ever been when I got pregnant at about 150. I got back to that within a couple months but continued to hang out there ever since (15 months later). I breastfed, and still do once a day.

I just feel..... squishy. And I miss my (not very big) boobs being up *here* rather than way down there.

[Johanna]

I had a 6.5 lbs baby, gained 30 lbs, lost all but 10 lbs by 4 months, but the rest didn't come off until 9 or so, for sure. I breastfed for 8.5 months. I did start exercising lightly after the 6 wk postpartum appt. Running started at about 8 wks postpartum, but, like, 5min at a time! Ramped up to my normal running pace/duration by about 5 months. This was my first baby.

[Jessie]

This may or may not be helpful, but my first is 4 months old on Wednesday, and I'm still about 10 pounds up from my pre-pregnancy weight. This has been pretty constant since about a week after she was born, and it's starting to driving me a little batty. :-) But to be fair, I don't get much exercise.

[Jessie]

Oh, and I'm exclusively breastfeeding on demand.

[Carrie]

It took me a year to get down to pre-pregnancy weight with my first (only) baby. I was breastfeeding. Nothing ever did go back in place where it belonged. My stomach is much larger and flabbier than it's ever been before and I'm four years PP.

[Susan]

I was 34 and 145 pounds when I got pregnant. I gained 35-40 pounds. I breastfed for 11 months, exclusively until 9 months. I dropped about 20 pounds by 6 weeks postpartum, then was back down to pre-pregnancy weight by about 5 or 6 months postpartum. I actually dropped below pre-pregnancy weight (137 lbs.) for a while while bf-ing and exercising (swimming vigorously 2x a week, mama-baby bellydance 1x a week, walks in the neighborhood, etc.) Now, almost 22 months postpartum, I am about 7-10 pounds OVER my pre-pregnancy weight. That's driving me crazy! But I have thyroid issues too, which complicates things.
AND, my boobs and stomach will never be the same again, no matter the number of pounds. I went from a B to an A cup, and have a stomach pooch that just won't quit. So my clothes feel a bit different even when I'm at my prepreggers weight.

[Jen]

I lost all my weight within six weeks, but it took a lot longer for my shape to come back. I'm only just now starting to look thin again (eight months later). I still have more of a stomach pooch than I used to though. I gained 35 pounds with the pregnancy and had a seven and a half pound baby. First baby and I am (still) breastfeeding. Also, my shoe size and ring size went back to normal after about five months.

[Rachel]

I was still 20 pounds over my pre-pregnancy weight after baby was born. I remember being so depressed leaving the hospital, as my mom apparently could wear her pre-pregnancy clothes upon leaving the hospital.
I think I lost 5 pounds during the first two weeks, mostly water I'm assuming. And the last 15 came off super slowly over 6 months or so. Breastfeeding, still at 12 months. And weight maintaining at pre-pregnancy, although hoping I'll drop another 5 lbs or so chasing a toddler. Also, even though weight is the same, my shape is totally different, carrying weight in tummy area now while hips, tush , and legs seem disproportionately small.

[lisa]

I was rather overweight when I got pregnant, and based on observation, I've noticed that women already packing extra pounds tend not to gain so much weight while pregnant. That said, I only gained about 15 lbs, due to some sad life circumstances and my fire-breathing heartburn. My OB was not at all concerned (at least at first) because "I had some reserves." (Her polite phrase for "you are 25 lbs overweight to begin with.")

So, my son weighed 7.5 pounds when he was born, and once I shed all the excess fluid, it probably took very little time to lose the actual weight. I wore regular pants to his bris, eight days later. Granted, I still looked 6 months pregnant, but that was something.

I breastfed for 9 months, and was never so hungry in my life. I'm sure I was making up for 9 months of not having an appetite, but wow, I could easily eat every hour. I remember my blood sugar just plummeting. Unfortunately, my metabolism adjusted to eating so frequently, that after I stopped breastfeeding, I retained the appetite. So I gained weight after the fact.

I went back to work after about a year & sitting all day is not doing me any favors. I'm probably heavier now than I have been in a while. I blame a little of it on age & my sedentary day. I was definitely leaner when I was home all day with a toddler!

For what it's worth, I was almost 36 when I gave birth, and I'm 39 now.

[julie.]

These are making me feel a little better.
I am 4 months postpartum with baby #2, baby is EBF. I am still 10lbs over my pre-pregnancy weight. Just noticed a few weeks ago that my hips are coming back together - less spread out.
With baby #1, I remember not feeling "myself" body-wise until around the one year mark, and he nursed until about 16 months.

I read somewhere the other day that for some people it's hard to lose that last 5-10 lbs until you stop breastfeeding...your body holds a couple of fat pads in reserve in case of starvation conditions. I'm clinging to that theory.

[pennifer]

I only gained 25 lbs during my pregnancy, and G weighed in at 5lb 14oz. Turns out I had preeclampsia, diagnosed at term, so I think some of that was water weight too. I had dropped all 25 lbs in the first few weeks and then another 15 lbs in the next 4mos of breastfeeding. I'm back up a few lbs (<5) now, but am happy to be where I am. I could tell that breastfeeding and hormones kicked up my metabolism, but it's slowing back down now a bit, post-breastfeeding (thru 18 mos).

[Amanda Too]

I gained 50 pounds (on dr. recommendation) with my twins. I only lost 25 pounds in the weeks following their birth. They are now 20 months and with regular YMCA visits and Weight Watchers, I have only ten pounds left to lose. I breastfed until they were 18 months.

I will be really angry if it turns out that the research about mandatory 50 lb weight gain with twins is really bunk. I will be so pissed that I had to work SO HARD to put on that much weight and then SO HARD to take it back off. My girls were healthy at 5'3" and 5'4", though, so that's all that matters in the long run.

[Blythe]

Age at delivery: 35
Pre-pregnancy weight: 130
Weight at delivery: 170
Vaginal delivery, nursed for 10 months.
Gradually lost weight over 9-10 months. Was back in my pre-pregnancy wardrobe at 8 months.
Current weight (my son is 2 1/2): 128

I never had that precipitous weight drop - just a gradual loss over time.

The fit of my clothing drove me crazy. I was too small for maternity clothes, too big for pre-pregnancy clothes, but didn't want to spend a bunch of money on stuff that (I hoped!) would be too big in a couple of months. I remember feeling very frustrated about having to buy new jeans at 3 months.

Now, my body doesn't feel much different than it did pre-pregnancy, with the exception of cup size. I used to be an almost-B and now I'm barely an A cup. I loved those few months when I'd lost most of the weight but was still nursing and actually had a figure!

[libbyllama]

Ugh. It can be so hard not to obsess about the weight!

I was 39 when I gave birth, turned 40 just four months later. Gained 40+ lbs during pregnancy. At 6 weeks, I had only lost the initial "baby" weight of about 20lbs.

By 9 months I was still about 15 lbs over pre-pregnancy weight of 135. Now, DS is 2yo and I'm still about 5lbs over.

I am still breastfeeding, so I don't worry too much about the extra 5lbs right now. I'll worry more if it's still there or I gain more after I stop nursing.

As for exercise, I run around with DS and I "work out" sporadically. (Like, maybe 1-2 times a week, if that.)

Good luck and like Katy said, Be gentle with yourself and give it time.

[paola]

I put on around 12 kgs ( 27 lbs) when I was pregnant with my first(son). I lost the first 10kgs ( 22lbs) in the first week and the other 2.5 kgs ( 6lbs) by the end of the first month. I was breastfeeding, happy and wasn't doing much exercise as it rained for 2 weeks non-stop after my son was born. I lost another 5kgs (11lbs) in the following 5 months, 4 of which I have managed to keep off. That was mainly due to his being such a voracious nurser, and daily walking.

With my daughter, I put on around the same weight, but it took 6 months to get back to my pre-pregnancy (before my first pregnancy, that is) weight. She nursed far less than my son ever did. I lost another 3 lbs along the way but that was temporary, during some developmental or growth spurts.

Since I stopped nursing (when dd was 30 months old), I have noticed it is really very easy to add kilos. I have started running, which has helped, but nothing beats nursing a baby.

[birdie]

Um...my first kid will be two next month and I still have about 10 lbs to lose to get back to my pre-pregnancy weight. I exersise every day but work full time at an office job and I am a stress eater. I'm working on it!

I'm with Bessie (above) in that it seems way easier to gain weight now than it ever did and way harder to lose it. I'm also still nursing so maybe my body is keeping a little buffer weight in case of famine? At least that's what I tell myself :-)

[libbyllama]

@auburnlocks-I just saw your post. My DS did not sleep through the night (meaning I was still getting up with him twice a night) until he was 17 months old.

I think it absolutely affects weight gain/retention. Not only are your adrenal glands all out of whack from the terrible sleep, but you just don't have the energy to be that physical and active.

Little by little, as you get more sleep I bet your body will get back in balance and you'll have the energy to guide it there. The lack of sleep thing is horrible, absolutely horrible.

[Jennifer]

I lost the weight from baby number one in about six months, but gained some of it back after he weaned himself at ten months. Didn't get back to and under my pre-preg weight (I was overweight to start with) until a year later when I started running.

Number one was ten pounds at birth, so I that helped.

[Jennifer]

Gained 30 pounds during pregnancy (age 36, first & only child); the first 20 were gone by the 2-week postpartum checkup. The last 10 pounds didn't drop until the baby was a year old and I decided to make a concerted effort to lose them. This, despite breastfeeding and walking 200 miles in the second half of that first year. But even back to pre-pregnancy weight (and now about 7 pounds less yet), the pre-pregnancy pants are only barely starting to fit. [And we won't discuss the 30 pound gap between pre-pregnancy weight and pre-infertility, pre-tenure-denial, pre-work-like-a-maniac-trying-to-get-tenure-thereby-ignoring-nutrition-and-exercise weight.]

I think the point I especially want to emphasize is that while breastfeeding apparently helps a lot of women lose the baby weight, for a few of us it seems to do the opposite. Breastfeeding during the first 6 months made me RAVENOUSLY hungry, so that although I was expending lots of calories to produce all that milk, I was eating every last one (and maybe then some). That tapered off after six months, and though I'm still breastfeeding now at 19 months, the feeling of having calories literally sucked out of me is long gone.

It takes time, especially if your body is the type like mine which seems to resist losing weight.

[Amy W]

I gained about 30 lbs with my first, and was back to my pre-pregnancy weight by about 4-5 months. I weighed a little more than I'd like pre-pregnancy, though. And like most everyone else, my body wasn't quite the same post-partum. I walked a lot and carried/wore the baby constantly, but didn't do any organized exercise. We breastfed for 18 months - weaned when I was about 3 months pregnant with #2. I'm 29 weeks pregnant with #2 now, and I've already gained 30 lbs, so I'm a little more concerned this time. I was 33 when Baby #1 was born.

[Froggiemeanie]

With the first I got a bit below my prepreg weight by nine months. I was breastfeeding and when she weaned at 10 months I gained weight and ended up at prepregnancy but was amazed at how different my body was shaped. Styles that previously fit just didn't even though I was the same size.

After the second, I'm not sure I ever got back down to prepregnancy weight. I breastfed for five months and at that point was close but again, after weaning I went up about 5 pounds.

With the third I got back to prepregnancy within a month. However, he is absolutely voracious and I chase two others (almost five and just turned three) around all day. He's four months old now and not quite as hungry and the weight is coming back on again. I figure I'll settle in at prepregnancy weight soonish. If he weren't trying to eat me alive, I think I'd have taken longer to lose the pregnancy weight. Breastfeeding has always been the great equalizer for me.

[Rayne of Terror]

Baby #1:
Age 27
Height 5'9"
Prepreg weight: 155 lbs
weight at birth: 220 lbs
I counted weight watcher points during that pregnancy. I restricted my eating and would still gain 10 lbs in a month. It wasn't until I gave up and starting eating intuitively that I stopped gaining weight the last trimester. I gained all that weight between 12 weeks and 28 weeks preg.

Breastfed exclusively, weaned at 18 months
at 1 year postpartum I was down to 200 lbs.
I had ppd, completed law school, failed the bar, passed the bar, took two succesive jobs that required 3,000 miles a month of driving for 2+ years, and got pregnant again.

Baby #2
pp weight: 240 lbs
weight at birth: 270
In one week postpartum I'm down to 260, but am still very swollen from the IVs and the cesarean. I plan to take better care of myself this time, starting with more walking and eating 3 nutritious meals a day, none of them consisting entirely of ice cream.

[andrea]

I gained 45 pounds during pregnancy. I'm 7 months postpartum and have been stuck with the last 15 pounds for months now. I sincerely doubt it'll be gone by 9 months postpartum, as it hasn't budged at all no matter what I do. Oh and I'm breastfeeding, so I haven't gotten the magical breastfeeding meal ticket that people seem to allude to. (Wow, I just realized I sound really bitter!)

[tallgirl]

I put on 50 pounds with both kids. I exercised like crazy during the first pregnancy and barely at all with the second.

I lost all the weight at about 9-10 months with the first and 14 months with the second. It seemed to me that when I quit breastfeeding all the time with the second, the last five pounds came off. I don't think it had anything to do with increased activitiy. With my second, I did a half marathon when he was 6 months old, but still had 5 to 10 pounds to take off for a long time after the race.

I wasn't really worried about the number on the scale once I fit into my clothes.

[wavybrains]

I am not a good data point, but I'll throw it out there in case there are other up-down-up-up-up-down moms out there wanting commiseration. My highest weight ever was 250, 7 years ago (gulp) I took off 100 pounds, Then 5 years ago, I gained 40 pounds back, then 4 years ago, I lost 30ish, Then 3 years ago, I had a bad job and broke my foot and gained most of that back so that I started my pregnancy around 190. I told my midwife that I wanted to enjoy my pregnancy and not beat myself up over weight gain, so unless it became a medical concern, I didn't want to know numbers. DH who looked over my shoulder, tells me that I gained around 25 pounds. At 6 weeks post partum, I had lost most of that, but nothing fit still, and then the stress of having a new baby and now toddler has kept me solidly around the 200 mark. So, yes, I GAINED weight while breastfeeding. Breast fed for 17 months. I walk for exercise, baby wear, and keep moderately active. My body just loves to hold onto weight. I'm contemplating another pregnancy, and I really, really, really want to take some more weight off. It's hard. I was 28 when I had DD, and am 30 now.

[Robynn]

Back into pre-baby clothes and at pre-baby weight at the 4-month mark, with my first. I'm breastfeeding, I get to go to gym occasionally, but really what's made the difference is that baby is a seriously kick-ass personal trainer - for a really long time I couldn't get her to sleep except by walking her up and down stairs for at least 10 minutes. Repeat that around 5 times a day and you see results! Even without the stairs, I've been taking her on a *lot* of walks in the sling, and am pretty active with her at home too. I also run an online shop which requires me to spend a fair bit of time on my feet, packing orders and lugging them to the post office. So, I've been eating far from healthily, but all this activity clearly has some effect.

[Melanie]

I don't have time to read all of the comments here right now, but I will say that this post went straight to my rawest nerve. I am 10 months PP with my second baby, and I'm 20 pounds over my pre-pregnancy weight (and I started 10 pounds up from my previous pre-pregnancy weight!). I have been on WW for 4 months and have lost a whopping 8 pounds. I work out religiously -- run 3x/week, swim 2x -- and the scale is. not. budging. Talk about a primal scream -- I have to hold one back at every weigh-in!!!! I am still breastfeeding and am hoping that I'll start losing again once babygirl weans.

The alchemy of postpartum weight loss escapes me this time around -- last time, I dropped all but 10 pounds of pregnancy weight by 6 weeks, and the rest of it dropped off when my son weaned at 17 months.

[Kara]

I think that losing weight postpartum depends on how one gained or lost weight before pregnancy, and how long it takes for the hormones to return to "normal". The hips, however, will never be the same no matter how little fat they have. The very anatomy of the pelvic area is changed by childbirth.

I guess I'm weird, but I welcomed the baby weight and didn't really try to lose any of it. I weighed 125 prepregnancy and gained 45 pounds with my daughter. We breastfed for 12 months, and during that time I lost about 15 pounds. I went back to a moderately active job at 11 months, and after maybe three months at that job I lost all but ten pounds of the rest. I suspect the biggest impact there was not having time to snack anymore. After I left that job, my weight stabilized at 145.

Even after four years, I never went back to my prepregnancy weight. And I won't struggle for it. After all, my new weight is healthy (although now that I'm about to turn 35, it's creeping up), and my new shape is still beautiful. It wasn't easy to get used to the differences, but I think I look better now than I did ten years ago. And I have an amazing child to show for it, too!

[Alexicographer]

@auburnlocks I'm glad you posted, because I'm with you. Except I ended up having a c-section, which you might think would have left my nether regions relatively unchanged, but I found intercourse painful for a long time PP, too (maybe it got better at 1 year? or 1.5? Actually now at 2.5 I'm not sure I'm really back to where I was before, though it's much better.).

My stats are
Age when pregnant: 37
Weight at first checkup: 138
Weight at delivery: 173
Breastfeeding: every drop I could produce, never enough ... exclusive for 1 week, supplemented as needed after that, BF on demand (never giving formula before nursing or without pumping) for 13 months.
Delivery: c-section after 36 hours of labor
Exercise: when? I walked a bunch when pregnant, swam 3 times/week once I could start (c-section healed) after that until about 6 months PP, then running (3 miles 3 times/week), then elliptical (gave that up because it hurt my knees), now swimming again plus a fair amount of walking throughout, much with DS, now 30 lbs, strapped to my body. Oh, and a little work with free weights here and there, but never as reliably as I should. And some cycling.

And I still am not back to my pre-PG weight, or size. I'm about 8 lbs up and 2 sizes up, and yes, it's much easier to gain and harder to lose than it was before I was pregnant. It's irritating, but what can you do? I have so much less free time now than I ever did before DS was born (though I am getting enough sleep); it's hard to fit stuff in, and I always feel harried.

That may sound aggravated, and maybe parts of it are. But 2 weeks PP, my dad sat on my sofa and asked me, "What have you gained?" (oh yes, he did, and oh yes, he meant "how many pounds?") and after 5 years of infertility treatments I had the perfect answer, "A son."

[Jamie]

With my first, I was about 15 pounds overweight to begin with, and then gained 22 pounds in the pregnancy. It took me about 18 months to get back to my pre pregnancy weight.

With my second, I exercised faithfully throughout the pregnancy (3X per week) and gained 17 pounds. Unbelievably, I was back into my pre pregnancy pants after the first week. Over the next year, I then lost more weight and was one size smaller, but still about 10 pounds overweight.

Now seven months pregnant with my third, I have gained about 12 pounds so far, and imagine it will take a lot longer to lose the weight as I have not exercised at all this pregnancy (other than chasing around a very active two year old).

Seriously, in my case, the lesson learned is to exercise if at all possible during one's pregnancy. The weight literally fell off.

Now, if only I can lose the 10ish pounds of prepregnancy excess at some point.

As for my body being different, I definitely have more of a belly postpartum and loose skin, which is such a bummer. And, I can't believe that no one has mentioned the stretchmarks. My tummy will never see the light of day again. I look like I've been slashed with knives all over my stomach.

But, it's been worth it! Somewhat depressing, but worth it!

[Torrey]

I was 28 and 200 lbs (about 50 over what I should be). I gained about 40, which everyone was telling me was bad, but when I finally got up the nerve to weigh myself about 2 weeks after birth I had actually lost it all. (Although I think if I hadn't started overweight I wouldn't have all of these stretchmarks!) Every body just does things differently. I guess I just had crazy amounts of blood and water. And while the belly was still sort of "floppy" I did also fit back into my pre-preg clothes at the time. My sister (who started at an ideal weight, but I don't know how much she gained, but she didn't get any stretchmarks) also shed hers fairly immediately. We are both breastfeeding and have maintained stable weights since, but not lost any additional, even with all of the walking as well. I think we're both just enjoying too much the ridiculous amounts of food we can consume right now.

But I also agree with what a couple of people have said - your body just went through A LOT and you should focus more on trying to stay happy and as healthy as you can when you're all of a sudden caring for two people all of the time. You shouldn't just go nuts, but you still have time to get back on track once they're more capable of caring for themselves. Even if you had it all together before baby, it's a big life change and takes time to work out new systems. And if you didn't already have it all together before baby, talk about putting pressure on yourself to think you have to work it out now when there's already so much other new stuff, too.

I've decided the phrase "baby steps" isn't referencing the small steps that babies take when they first learn how to walk, but the small steps WE have to take in our own lives when caring for a baby!

[Michelle]

I gained probably 35ish pounds with my first pregnancy and I was probably 25ish pounds overweight prior to conception. I was within a couple of pounds of my pre-pregnancy weight by 6 weeks postpartum. However, I had a fair amount of swelling so a lot of the loss was probably water. Due to lots of complications, I didn't breastfeed but did pump exclusively for 4 months. Then I ended up gaining some weight because life was so stressful (husband laid off, dad dying of cancer, brother with a brain bleed due to a fall) since I'm a stress/emotional eater.

Which meant I started my 2nd pregnancy a good 40ish pounds overweight. Given that I hadn't lost weight prior to pregnancy as I had planned, I was really diligent about eating healthy and not gaining too much weight. I gained about 24 pounds and at almost 4 weeks postpartum, I have lost all but 1 pound of the pregnancy weight. However, I had a 10 pound baby and a 3 pound placenta. I am breastfeeding and eating like a horse (I was actually scolded by both my OB and pediatrician for not eating enough at 1 week postpartum) but mostly lots of protein as I crave it, fresh fruits and veggies and limited carbs. Um, except for my daily bowl of ice cream. I'm not doing any exercise yet other than wearing the baby and chasing around after my 3 yr old.

However, my body is not back to normal at all! I'm still having to wear some of my maternity stuff or yoga pants/t-shirts. My stomach has a fair amount of extra skin and has a lot more of a pooch than before. My OB did say my uterus was VERY stretched out and probably wouldn't fully contract to pre-pregnancy size until at least 6 weeks. And my breasts are ENORMOUS! Granted I was a DD pre-pregnancy but still.

[pixie]

I was 5'2 and 120 pounds before my first baby, it took exactly 9 months to get back to that place. I BF'd the entire time and never dieted or excersized. I just ate healthy and walked and moved around etc. I gained over 40 pounds with her also.

For this pregnancy I gained about 5-10 pounds less, but the baby weighed about the same and I "feel" like I've gotten back to normal faster (stomach shrinking) but it may just be my imagination!

[nancy]

I honestly don't remember how long it took, but I did want to pass on this great website: http://theshapeofamother.com/ that takes a look at what "real" bodies look like after having a baby. I found it very helpful after baby #1. Baby #2 is one week old today, and I still look about 5 months PG, but that is OK. My body works, my baby is healthy, and the rest will take care of itself.

[suzanna]

My weight has been 105 +/- 3 since I was 18, and this has never been a struggle for me, so I must have a well-regulated system. I gained 50 lbs with my twins. I breastfed, ate like a horse and didn't weigh often, but I think it came off really fast, maybe a month or 2. At 5 months I was famished all the time and hovering at 100lbs and got scared. I'm now back to a stable 105 or so, but still have flabby twin skin on my tummy. I run 3 times a week but haven't gotten back into yoga or pilates, which I think would help the twin skin. I also developed a hernia during or shortly after pregnancy, so that contributes to a very unsightly tummy.

[Gina]

First: put on 35 pounds, lost 20 in the first month and then was back down to pre-pregnancy by 6 months.

Second: got pregnant when first was 20 months old, put on 35 pounds, lost 20 in the first month and now at 5 months have only lost another 5 pounds so I have 10 more to go. More stress eating this time.

FYI: nursed both kids (actually, still nursing both kids).

[murphy]

here's my stats:
36 yo 5'11'
skinnest at wedding, 175 (that's ideal for me)
6 months later, pre-pregnant weight 180

weight at birth 265
so, that's 85 pounds gained.
Baby was induced vaginal birth, 8 pounds 10
lost half before three months PP
Breastfed for the first 4 months
I walked a lot as soon as i could move (around 4 weeks PP)
Started back to work in about 3.5 months

She's 7 months old yesterday and I am 199
20 pounds to go

I'm doing South Beach, because he focusses on being full. I don't have the energy to be hungry, but I do want to lose weight. I lost about 15 pounds in the last two months on SB.

[Becky]

I gained about 35 pounds during my pregnancy and actually lost it all in five weeks. I did not breastfeed and I had a c-section. Buuuuut... as soon as I went back to work, I started eating like it was my job, I think because I actually had two free hands to do it. I now have a 13-month old and am actually 15 pounds OVER my pre-pregnancy weight, so I have a little work to do.

[a]

First baby (of 1) at age 35. Vaginal birth, still breastfeeding at 10 months. 5'8" and 160 lbs at the start, which is about 5 lbs higher than I wanted to be. Gained 45 lbs despite regular exercise and eating well, and was very stressed about it. Lost all the weight by 6 months, but clothes fit weird. Am now 5 lbs under pre-preg weight and feeling pretty much the same, tone-wise, that I was before pregnancy. Rib cage still feels huge though. Lost the weight through lots of walking with baby in carrier (hour at a time or so), then a bit of running once she was big enough for the jogging stroller at about 7 months. Now starting back to pre-preg routine of lifting and cardio.

[a]

Should also say that I was a fairly regular exerciser all my life and throughout my pregnancy, and I feel like that helped me bounce back fairly easily.

[anontoday]

no time to read--sorry if too redundant.

My data points--both kids, breastfed to 15 months or so. Lost lots of the baby weight (and more, once), fast, like 6-9 months out, until I quit breastfeeding, when I bumped up an extra 8-10 pounds over where I used to be. I think I got used to eating certain portions when I was nursing, and didn't really stop, as I still felt just as hungry. Also, I had kids on the mid-to-later end of the spectrum, so part of this is also, I think, my metabolism changing due to age and all, and me not quite having the mental space to catch up with it. It's taken a while for my body to seem to return to anything regular enough that I can call it a new normal--weight, menstrual cycle, bra size, sleep cycle, skin problems, you name it. And I'm three years out from it all, already. I'm not complaining--we're all happy, healthy, very, very lucky. (Starting a cheesy Pilates dvd routine has helped me feel better about all this body stuff, though I don't look or weigh anything different. I'm calling that a victory, and a happy one, too.) Still, it seems like flux is the new normal, for me at least. I hope this random data point helps.

[Cloud]

Eeek, like Charisse, I totally didn't do the stats the question asked for.

OK, here they are:

Age at pregnancy: 34
Height: 5'6". Average frame.
pre-preg weight: about 160 lbs
Weight at the end or pregnancy: about 190 lbs
Back to pre-pregnancy weight at about 1 year. Lost all but the last 5 lbs in a couple months.
Breastfed for 23 months
No exercise beyond walking until about 1 year, then added gentle yoga and chasing a toddler who has always preferred to run rather than walk.

Pregnant again with #2 (now I'm 37). Weight gain is freakily consistent with the first time (same weight, week by week. WEIRD.) so I'm hoping the weight loss will be, too.