So frustrated...

cosmicfly

My baby is 4 weeks old tomorrow, and I feel like I lost a reasonable amount of weight the first two weeks and have not done so well since. I have to return to work in less than 2 weeks (a whole 'nother thread about how much that sucks is in order) and I need to look presentable. I especially hate the belly. I don;t expect it to disappear so quickly but I wish it could at least reduce. Any suggestions, exercises, etc. that anyone knows?

marielle448

have you considered belly binding? Not so much for losing weight but for putting things back in place in the abdomen.

cosmicfly

Hey, i'll try anything that won't mess with the baby or nursing. Besides, it sounds like it could improve appearance.

marielle448

something like this would be super simple to use (just be sure to keep it centered right around your hips, uterus, abdomen area.

http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/B000F4J8T0/ref=ord_cart_shr?%5Fencoding=UTF8&m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&v=glance

some people do an ace bandage and apparently in asian countries there's a whole method:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BU2thhFGnw4

cosmicfly

Ooh- maybe a wrapped bandage at night and something sleeker like what you linked for when I have to be out and about. Thanks, marielle!

deezee02

Spanx. Seriously, I still throw them on under dress clothes somedays when I am feelng poochy and S is 21 months old!

Amneris

Don't be so hard on yourself - it's WAY too early to worry about weight loss (and yes, I did/do too - I don't take my own advice!) You aren't even supposed to think about it till at least 6 weeks postpartum. I'd find a few outfits that you look OK in, eat healthy foods and give yourself time.

Kaia

When I went back to work, I still had to wear maternity clothes. Don't worry too much about it beyond some body shaping undergarments like someone metioned above.

RedCatWaves

The uterus is still involuting at 4 weeks. You need to give it at least another 2-4 weeks before it's back to pre-pregnancy size and you can evaluate how much blub you're left with. In the meantime, belly binding is a good idea, but also treat yourself to a couple new outfits...interim tops and pants in forgiving fabrics, before you go back to your tailored wardrobe. Wearing maternity clothing post-partum is too depressing. You deserve a few new things.

fuzzbucket

My bella band helped. But yes, 4 weeks is really early. Everything is still getting back to normal. Give yourself time - at least until your 6 week check-up.

Simbathekat

It's weird, because a co-worker was just talking to me yesterday about belly binding so to speak. I've never heard of it, but she told me to purchase a tight girdle and wear it everyday beginning the day I give birth. She claimed that afterwards, she was smaller than her pre-pregnancy size.

realistic

I was still chunky until about 12 weeks. :sad8:

Wrapping your belly is a good idea though. I plan on doing that next time. You should also buy some flattering clothes so you don't feel uncomfortable. Flowy shirts are your friend post partum.

marielle448

Although the benefits of belly binding seem to be the slimmer tummy over the course of a couple of months I'm more looking to the reduction of the after birth pain intensity as well as it helping the uterus along in contracting back to size as well as the abdominal wall separation to heal.

Spider

Even if you lose weight (water, fat...) you still have some skeletal changes (wider hips) that may keep your body from being perfectly "pre baby" for some time. 15 months I think for the average woman that eats normally and doesn't workout for 3 hours a day. And there is that age thing...

cosmicfly

Thanks, guys. I know it's only been 4 weeks, but I just feel so blah. I'm going to try the belly binding- too late for it to help with afterpains (though they were mild), but maybe it will help everything fall back into place better.

webjockey

i remember that feeling of my guts falling out and feeling all out of sorts in my abdomen. I think it was as much of an emotional thing as a physical thing for me. i'm also going to try belly binding this time around. nothing wrong with feeling crappy. it does , well, feel crappy.

medussa

{{{Hugs}}}.

inheritedcurls

webjockey wrote: »

i remember that feeling of my guts falling out and feeling all out of sorts in my abdomen. I think it was as much of an emotional thing as a physical thing for me. i'm also going to try belly binding this time around. nothing wrong with feeling crappy. it does , well, feel crappy.

I remember this same feeling and it really freaked me out. Has anybody done this after a c-section??? I"m thinking it might be harder because of the incision.

cosmicfly

webjockey wrote: »

i remember that feeling of my guts falling out and feeling all out of sorts in my abdomen. I think it was as much of an emotional thing as a physical thing for me. i'm also going to try belly binding this time around. nothing wrong with feeling crappy. it does , well, feel crappy.

It was by far the worst after my first baby, especially emotionally, because I did not expect to be fat after I had my baby, and nothing fit me. At least this time around, I have pants in a couple of sizes, so I fit into something. I'm looking for a few cute (and cheap) tops that are long enough to cover my belly all the time and that do not fit like a muumuu over my currently unreasonably large boobs.

webjockey

cosmicfly wrote: »

webjockey wrote: »

i remember that feeling of my guts falling out and feeling all out of sorts in my abdomen. I think it was as much of an emotional thing as a physical thing for me. i'm also going to try belly binding this time around. nothing wrong with feeling crappy. it does , well, feel crappy.

It was by far the worst after my first baby, especially emotionally, because I did not expect to be fat after I had my baby, and nothing fit me. At least this time around, I have pants in a couple of sizes, so I fit into something. I'm looking for a few cute (and cheap) tops that are long enough to cover my belly all the time and that do not fit like a muumuu over my currently unreasonably large boobs.

Sing it.

I've never been this fat in my life. Everytime someone said "oh,it's just temporary" I just wanted to yell BITE ME.

Ok fashion stuff. gap also has 40% off on maternity clothing. I saw a dress or two that I liked. I've also recently taken to putting a brightly colored or pattered sash around my belly, over my belly or below my belly and wearing dark, or monocromatic top and bottom. Target may be a good spot for you to find loose fitting pants and tops (not the maternity stuff). Kimono tops may also be a good bet. Look for big sleeves and a nice sash below the boobage.

Caution: do not do a search on etsy for kimono. you may be distracted by the cute baby kimono shoes.

RedCatWaves

cosmicfly wrote: »

I'm looking for a few cute (and cheap) tops that are long enough to cover my belly all the time and that do not fit like a muumuu over my currently unreasonably large boobs.

Check out SoftSurroundingsOutlet.com. They have many nice tunic-length tops on clearance, and if you use Code 2197370, you can get $10 off of $50:

$15.99



$17.99




$27.99:

Amneris

The bottom top of RCW's looks PERFECT for post-partum belly and boobs. Reminds me of a kameez top, too.

cajuncurls

Love those tops, and may I add I'm loving the fashions right now - I don't even have to shop maternity!!!

I know all about how frustrating it is not to get your pre-baby body back right away, especially when you're standing in line at the checkout and the magazines are shoving "How I Got My Body Back" stories down your throat. Makes you want to grab a Snickers and call it a day. But it DOES come off. You gotta remember it took nine months to put it on, give yourself that long to watch it go. Your body IS in there somewhere!

sunday

I'm sorry. I know how frustrating this time can be. Even though I lost most of the weight right away, my body was a mess. At 4 weeks I still looked pregnant and was nowhere near fitting into any of my prepregnancy clothes. The best thing I did was buy a pair of Spanx Higher Power Panties. I swear they sucked in every inch and made a huge difference in how I looked and felt.