What I'm Not Doing: Working on Getting My "Body Back" After Pregnancy... Here's Why.
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Wanna know what I’m doing right now?? Typing this with a baby sleeping on my chest.
Wanna know what I’m NOT doing right now? Trying to get my “body back” after having a baby.
First of all, my body will NEVER be the same as it was simply because it birthed a human. I read somewhere that once you have a baby you’re never not postpartum again… that one was a real *huh* moment.
Real talk: I’m currently much softer than I have been in recent years. I weigh more than I ever have, outside of when I was actually pregnant. Weight is not just “falling off because you’re breastfeeding” as people said it would. I have a little diastasis recti ab split. My belly is and skin is still quite loose.
I would show you a picture of what things currently look like (you know I love a mirror selfie) if I had a picture to show… but I don’t, which probably speaks to how I feel about the whole situation.
Things are still healing and shifting back to their regular places internally, too.
If I’m being honest, it’s challenging to embrace these differences sometimes.
I think I thought that I’d be losing weight, even slowly, over these 8 weeks, but that is not the case.
Here’s the reality:
4/1 164, week 1 (I weighed 171 on the morning I gave birth, 3/29, then had a 7 pound baby + a placenta…)
4/5 157.8
4/6 155.8
4/11 153.0, week 2
4/13 152.8
4/15 152.2
4/21 153.4, week 3
4/27 152.3, week 4
5/2 154.2, week 5
5/6 154.3
5/17 155, week 7
For the record, I’m not taking down weight measurements with the goal of getting to any certain weight over time, but more so out of curiosity. Pregnancy weight gain was fascinating to me, so I thought this postpartum period might be as well. Also, my body looks way different today than it did on 4/13, even though I technically weigh more now. And remember when I said my boobs were huge when I was pregnant?! You should see them now! haha.
Okay, okay, okay. Now back to my titular point. What am I NOT doing right now? Trying to get my body back. Here’s why:
*My milk supply needs the calories, so this is no time to restrict any calories in an effort to lose weight. If you’re breastfeeding, you actually need the same, if not more, calories in the “4th trimester” than you do in any part of pregnancy.
Check out this study for more on caloric needs. And, see this chart from the most recent Dietary Guidelines for Americans:
If I’m being honest, could I eat fewer cookies, or at least replace them with more nutrient-rich foods? Definitely.
*My body is still healing, so this is not the time to go back to crushing workouts before I’m ready. Am I currently working out? Yes. Is it anywhere near past levels of fitness? Nope!
More honesty: Is it hard to embrace the slow process that is happening right now and NOT doing those things? Yup. Do I also embrace why I’m doing it? Yes… she’s currently sleeping on my chest!
So, if not cutting calories or working out harder, what am I doing?
*I’m eating quite a bit. I won’t say a lot because it’s likely not too much. It’s similar to what I was eating when I was pregnant, with the occasional extra coffee and alcoholic beverage ; )
*I’m also trying to keep my food quality relatively high, with the exception of those aforementioned cookies. I’m eating protein at each meal, and sometimes at snacks. Even if I’m still eating more, at least I’m eating hearty and balanced foods… that’ll help me in the future.
*I’m working out/walking/moving 5-6x per week… and still allowing my body to heal. Yes, I’m moving, but as stated, it’s appropriate for where I’m at right now. I’m letting my abs heal so not doing any core focused movements. My pelvic floor is still recovering, so I’m not yet running or jumping very much. I’m not lifting heavy. But I’m moving!
*I’m also trying to sleep as well as I possibly can during this newborn stage. I know sleep is super important for body composition changes, recovery, and food choices, so I’m getting as much as I can! As the weeks go by, I’m slowly getting more sleep, with fewer wake-ups. Baby Girl did a 6 hour stretch of sleep last night! Mama was verryyy excited about that!
What am I getting at with this whole post?!
I know that there will be a time to work on my body if/when I want to make changes, and right now is NOT it. So, as challenging as it might be to embrace my current form sometimes, I’m working on it.
Maybe I wrote this blog post for my own benefit just as much as for anyone who’s reading it?
Feel free to let me know your thoughts and questions on all of this in the comments or via email at sara@nutritionforlifeproject.com.
As always, thank you for reading!
xoxo,
Sara