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Vital statistics.

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9 comments on Vital statistics.

My readers can probably tell by now that I am trying to come down hard on the remaining postpartum weight, because weight loss is obviously on my mind.  I have been writing a lot about it.  

Here's where I am.  I'm not quite 5 feet 

  • Baby:  3 months old
  • Pre-pregnancy:  108 lb
  • Immediately post-pregnancy:  140 lb
  • Post-pregnancy goal:  113 lb
  • Current: 123 lb

I'm on track to reach my goal when Leo's between 5 and 6 months old, which is great.  There is no reason to be impatient and I wouldn't mind going slower, except that I do not have many clothes in my current size.

  

Comments

9 responses to “Vital statistics.”

  1. Amy F Avatar
    Amy F

    I can’t remember — how much weight did you gain with your earlier kids? I know you ended up around (or less than) your pre-loss weight while 9 months pregnant, but did you also gain less this time while paying more attention/being more careful about eating while pregnant?
    I’ve been curiously comparing my weight gain with baby #3 to babies 1 and 2 and wondering how much of a difference it will make to have a spring/summer 2nd/3rd tri and a more active lifestyle with slightly more restraint and care taken in regards to food consumed. I started this pregnancy 7 lbs less than with baby #1 and 2 lbs less than baby #2 and seem to be on track to end up slightly below or even with baby #2 weight gain and 10+ lbs less than baby #1’s gain.

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  2. bearing Avatar
    bearing

    I gained the most (50 lbs) in pregnancy #3, which I started at about 135 pounds. All three of my previous pregnancies, I weighed 156 when the baby was 6 months old.

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  3. Christy P. Avatar
    Christy P.

    It has been my experience that postpartum weight loss accelerates once baby is taking more nourishment away from the breast. With baby #1 an extra 10-12 pounds hung on until she was about a year old.
    With pregnancy #2 I gained more weight and started at a higher pre-preg weight, but the loss has been faster. My baby #2 is 11 months now and eats food several times a day in addition to nursing, and weight is coming off fast (probably faster than it should, but I’m eating in response to hunger). I’m now back to less than pre baby #1 weight, but with a different (worse) ratio of muscle to fat. Still dreaming of getting back to the gym.

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  4. bearing Avatar
    bearing

    Christy — wonder why weight loss would speed up with a decline in bf’ing?
    I set my postpartum weight goal 5 lbs higher than my pre-preg weight because I assumed that lactating for a young baby would require a little more body fat. We’ll see if I get there or not — but since the bulk of my wardrobe is still out of my reach, I really must try if only for the sake of frugality.
    Good luck getting back to the gym — is it time crunch, or children unwilling to stay in child care, or injury keeping you out?

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  5. Tabitha Avatar
    Tabitha

    My experience is the same as Christy P. My body holds on to 10+ pounds until the baby starts eating solids–then as soon as the baby is eating more food calories (but still nursing plenty–at around 6-7 months old) my body just drops that weight. There are often a few more pounds that drop off around 1 year when food intake increases more.
    I know it’s counterintuitive, but I’ve always thought that my body was holding onto weight for the baby’s needs and once it was clear the baby was healthy enough for or capable of taking other sustenance, my body was able to let go of more weight.

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  6. Christy P. Avatar
    Christy P.

    I’m with Tabitha – it is a self-regulating system. Your body is protecting the nursling. There is some magical point of equilibrium at which your body says, “ok I can let those 5 pounds go and the nursling will be fine”.
    Can’t get to the gym with duration of work week and failure of negotiation with husband. Childcare at the gym is non-existent.
    I too need to figure out what is going to be my weight set-point and purchase clothes appropriately. The jeans I got 5-6 weeks ago can now be removed without unbuttoning, but I don’t know where I will bottom out or how shape will change with more strength training.

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  7. bearing Avatar
    bearing

    Well Tabitha and Christy, I’m glad you guys weighed in on the bfing/weight loss question. I lack experience since I was still quite heavy after all my other pgcies. Gotta be careful with that message though — don’t we all know of women who weaned early because they wanted to lose pp weight faster?
    I thought UT would be better about family friendly gym options, bummer. Time to start Shovelglove?

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  8. Christy P. Avatar
    Christy P.

    I think that the important bit of the message is that weight started dropping when solids were introduced as complementary foods with continued nursing. Abrupt or complete weaning may make you hold on to weight in preparation for next pregnancy! It’s what our bodies were designed to do after all…

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  9. Tabitha Avatar
    Tabitha

    I totally agree with Christy P. I always cringe when women say they’ll lose weight faster without nursing! You gained that way so that you CAN nurse!
    I’m in an odd/first time situation right now because my youngest just weaned and I just had a miscarriage. So, I have about 8 pounds to lose from the pregnancy and I’m not nursing. This is the first time in 12 years that I haven’t been either nursing or pregnant…so losing this weight is a learning process for sure. All of these posts are so timely for me.

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