blessed2berosie
New member
Hi all! I’m now 4 weeks postpartum and wanted to share something I could’ve used when I was pregnant. That said, this post will not be everyone’s cup of tea, so skip the pics if you think happy results photos will make you feel bad—that is NOT the intention.
Like many of you, while I cared about a healthy baby most, I was a little stressed out over what my body would look like after pregnancy. I knew most likely I would have stretch marks and it would take me a long time to lose the pregnancy weight...and then that didn’t happen. Here are pics at 39 weeks and 1 week postpartum:
The internet is full of “snap-back” photos of Instagram models and other celebrities. I’m just a college professor and FTM, and an older one (38) at that. Here is what I did:
1) Gained right in the middle of the recommended weight range. I did this by:
A) Listening to my body and eating when hungry. The only nutrient I tracked was protein, since I’m a vegetarian. I indulged some cravings now and then (yes to ice cream!), but I didn’t keep it at the house. I had to want it bad enough to go get it (avoided asking my overworked husband to go on junk food runs, too).
B) Doing some kind of activity 6-7 days/week. In the early 1st trimester and late 3rd trimester, this just meant walking. In the middle it was often a YouTube video—Pilates, barre, kickboxing, light weights. I like Popsugar Fitness and Fit by Larie.
2) I saw a pelvic floor physical therapist BEFORE birth to strengthen my transverse abdominal muscles. Did those exercises maybe 3 days/week from mid-2nd-tri on.
3) I used almond oil on my midsection twice a day. Stretch marks are largely genetic, and I have some on my hips from teenage weight gain. Assumed I’d get them in pregnancy too, but I didn’t, so I think the oil helped (recommended by my dermatologist).
4) I am exclusively breastfeeding.
By 1 week pp I’d lost about 3/5 of my pregnancy weight and have continued to lose a pound or two each week since. Admittedly I was fit before pregnancy, and I didn’t have very bad pregnancy symptoms (mild nausea in the beginning, minor aches and swelling in the end), but I think the main thing that helped me, other than genetics, is consistency. I didn’t calorie restrict or go to a fancy gym. I just moved every day and ate mostly (though NOT exclusively) nutritious food. If I had known how things would go for me, I would have spent less time worrying and more time enjoying my pregnancy.
Hope this helps someone out there.
ETA: I have been doing pelvic floor work 3 times/week and walking daily since the day after I got home from the hospital. Occasional very mellow baby-wearing workouts or super-low-impact postpartum cardio on bad weather days. Hoping to get cleared to resume regular exercise after postpartum checkup tomorrow, though she may tell me to wait a couple more weeks (I only had one small superficial tear, so OB said I could make my postpartum appointment as early as 4 weeks).
Like many of you, while I cared about a healthy baby most, I was a little stressed out over what my body would look like after pregnancy. I knew most likely I would have stretch marks and it would take me a long time to lose the pregnancy weight...and then that didn’t happen. Here are pics at 39 weeks and 1 week postpartum:
The internet is full of “snap-back” photos of Instagram models and other celebrities. I’m just a college professor and FTM, and an older one (38) at that. Here is what I did:
1) Gained right in the middle of the recommended weight range. I did this by:
A) Listening to my body and eating when hungry. The only nutrient I tracked was protein, since I’m a vegetarian. I indulged some cravings now and then (yes to ice cream!), but I didn’t keep it at the house. I had to want it bad enough to go get it (avoided asking my overworked husband to go on junk food runs, too).
B) Doing some kind of activity 6-7 days/week. In the early 1st trimester and late 3rd trimester, this just meant walking. In the middle it was often a YouTube video—Pilates, barre, kickboxing, light weights. I like Popsugar Fitness and Fit by Larie.
2) I saw a pelvic floor physical therapist BEFORE birth to strengthen my transverse abdominal muscles. Did those exercises maybe 3 days/week from mid-2nd-tri on.
3) I used almond oil on my midsection twice a day. Stretch marks are largely genetic, and I have some on my hips from teenage weight gain. Assumed I’d get them in pregnancy too, but I didn’t, so I think the oil helped (recommended by my dermatologist).
4) I am exclusively breastfeeding.
By 1 week pp I’d lost about 3/5 of my pregnancy weight and have continued to lose a pound or two each week since. Admittedly I was fit before pregnancy, and I didn’t have very bad pregnancy symptoms (mild nausea in the beginning, minor aches and swelling in the end), but I think the main thing that helped me, other than genetics, is consistency. I didn’t calorie restrict or go to a fancy gym. I just moved every day and ate mostly (though NOT exclusively) nutritious food. If I had known how things would go for me, I would have spent less time worrying and more time enjoying my pregnancy.
Hope this helps someone out there.
ETA: I have been doing pelvic floor work 3 times/week and walking daily since the day after I got home from the hospital. Occasional very mellow baby-wearing workouts or super-low-impact postpartum cardio on bad weather days. Hoping to get cleared to resume regular exercise after postpartum checkup tomorrow, though she may tell me to wait a couple more weeks (I only had one small superficial tear, so OB said I could make my postpartum appointment as early as 4 weeks).
