My friends and coworkers continue to comment that I'm "all belly" and that I'm going to be back to my pre-pregnancy size as soon as I leave the hospital. I protest! At +45 pounds versus my pre-pregnancy weight, that'd have to be one dang big baby!!
But that leads me to this thought. We're anticipating a baby that is within a few ounces of 7 pounds. So between delivering the baby and all of the other fun stuff that comes out at the same time, it would be sensible to anticipate leaving the hospital 10 to 15 pounds lighter than going in, right?
What have you experienced, Mamas? Is that a reasonable amount to figure on losing while in the hospital?
What about in the first few weeks afterwards, especially if you breastfed your babies? I've also heard that breastfeeding can stimulate weight loss...even though I've also heard that I'll need to consume an extra 500 or so calories a day to feed Spoiled Baby adequately.
So what do you think? Tell me all about your experiences!
I was down 10lbs after my recent one was born. I don't breastfeed though, so I know it would've been more if I had. I know it's also taken longer with each kid, too.
ReplyDeleteI know I was down about 10-12 pounds after the kids were born, i nursed, and it didn't necessarily stimulate weight loss, but it did not cause gain either. I always encourage gals to nurse at least the first 2 weeks to give the baby vital nutrients.
ReplyDeleteWith my first baby I was able to get my figure back fairly quickly, but I was young. With my second, it was much harder as I was 13 years older and I have yet to really return to my old weight--24 years later! I'm working on it, though.
ReplyDeleteI had a 9lb baby, a 5 lb placenta and lost about 5 more lbs in water-weight before leaving the hospital. I nursed my son for 7 months, but I didn't really start losing the weight until I went on weight watchers and started working out a lot. Some women it just falls off, but some of us have to work at it ;)
ReplyDeleteI lost a little over ten pounds in the hospital and then very gradual over the first year 30 pounds came off with not a ton of effort. I really like your blog!
ReplyDeleteBreastfeeding burns calories like you wouldn't believe. The downside to that is that your body needs to consume more calories to make up the difference LOL. And some of those calories need to be fats for the baby's neural development.
ReplyDeleteStill, I look at photos of me with KT as an infant and I looked "puffy" for the first few months after birth. Most of the weight loss is dumping excess fluids (pregnancy = more blood, amniotic fluid), especially if your body only put on as much weight as it needed to support the baby. I, too, had a basketball tummy. I nursed for 27 months (she started eating solid foods at 6 months--Mommy was a supplement) I don't remember when I stopped losing but I stabalized at ~4 pounds more than pre-pregnancy weight. (Don't hate me, but there was no work involved in the loss). All thighs and boobs. Not a bad thing, according to the husband...