postpartum body

[alison]

I hate my clothes! Dh is going to kill me if I buy a whole new wardrobe, but I'm sick of wearing things that have an elastic (or worse, cinching!) waistband or clothes that simply don't fit me.

I mentioned to Cheri that I didn't gain any weight while I was pregnant. When I gave birth, I instantly lost something like 20 pounds. None of my pre-pregnancy jeans fit any more, yet I've got this pouch that even the tightest of belts doesn't hide. It's the area right above my c-section scar, so I think that flab is here to stay unless I get a tummy tuck.

Am I supposed to wear mom-jeans that simply ride above the pouch? How do you hide something like that? Which colors and patterns work?

TIA!

[alison]

My arms are lookin' good these days. What about something like this?

http://www.anntaylor.com/catalog/pro...zeType=Regular

Ugh. Nevermind, that thing hanging down the front will probably drive me insane. But heyo, it's also a free burp cloth!

[houseelf]

Not fashion advice, but I just wanted to advise you to be kind to yourself. You just gave birth! It takes time.

I would give yourself a small allowance $100-$200 to buy "right now" clothes. Nothing makes you feel frumpier than wearing your hubby's clothes newly postpartum. Just pick up a few pieces that fit right now and are flattering. You can reassess what your body settles out to be in a few months. Feeling presentable helps me to feel like I'm on my way to returning to my former self rather than giving into the sloppy look.

Best of luck!

Kelly

[migirl]

Don't get discouraged!! It usually takes me a good six months to lose the weight and get back to my "normal" shape. Like Kelly said, give it some time. You'll probably look much different in a few months.

Sadly, my midsection pooch seems to be here to stay, but I can still pretty much wear my regular pre-pregnancy clothes. Although I'd love an excuse to buy a new wardrobe...

[HouseofWool]

Allison - it takes time for you ab muscles to retain their tone. The pooch might go away. I still have a bit of a belly from Sophie and she is 8 months old. I know that my weight loss will improve once I stop nursing (I know this isn't your case) and all of my hormones settle out. Give yourself time M is only a month old!

I agree with Kelly that having at least 1-2 pair of jean that fit (hello Target) and some tops really helps. It makes all the difference in the world in my mood to be moderately presentable looking versus new mom slovenly.

[alison]

I think I'm one of those odd people who weighs 20 pounds LESS than her pre-pregnancy weight. So, NONE of my clothes fit. I'm 2 dress sizes smaller than my pre-pregnancy clothes, BUT, have this extra c-section roll that I don't know how to accommodate in my (new wardrobe). So, I've got a good problem!

[houseelf]

hello Target

Yes, this is where I have bought my transitional pieces after babies one and two.

While my body has come back to me somewhat, be assured that I'm four months out and still have 8 pounds to go. The remaining baby weight has all attached itself to my midsection. I have always packed a lot of back, but my abs have always been lean. Accordingly, my entire prepregnancy wardrobe entails pieces that showcase my midsection and minimize my butt. Sadly, this is no longer working for me because the muffin belly isn't a flattering look.

I'm doing a lot of pilates and light weight lifting, but I'm not sure that it will go away. Weirdly, I'm somewhat o.k. with my new body for the most part for the first time in my life.

Remember to purchase wash and wear and things that aren't too fussy. My mommy uniform is a great pair of jeans and a fine gauge sweater or single colored t-shirt. Spending a little time to make myself look somewhat presentable deludes me into thinkign that I have my life more together than it is.

Kelly

[SuzySunshine]

alison, I'm not advocating this because its not something I did myself with #1 but if it really bugs you it might be something you want to look into. There has been a lot of talk about it on the one mom board I belong to.

Bellybinding

[Pollyanna]

alison, I'm not advocating this because its not something I did myself with #1 but if it really bugs you it might be something you want to look into. There has been a lot of talk about it on the one mom board I belong to.

Bellybinding

I did this after #5 and wish I had done it with all my pregnancies. It was a huge help with recovery. I highly recommend binding.

[Vishenka69]

I'm not sure if I have any solid recommendations but I'm following this thread avidly.

[MrsK]

Same here. Tara, what was the belly binding like? Was it uncomfortable? Which one did you use?

alison, I'm not advocating this because its not something I did myself with #1 but if it really bugs you it might be something you want to look into. There has been a lot of talk about it on the one mom board I belong to.

Bellybinding

I asked my OB about this and she advised against it. She felt that the muscles needed to do the work on their own rather than having something hold me all in.

That said, I'm far from my first pre-pregnancy weight and am back at the gym to work on it.

[SuzySunshine]

Tara, I would also be interesting in knowing which one you used. TIA!

[Pollyanna]

I used the Brooke Burke one, I think it was called Tauts. Sometimes it was uncomfortable but mostly it just helped provide support for my back and floppy ab muscles. I didn't wear it for as long as they recommend (which was like 16 hours a day or something), I probably used it for 10-12 hours per day for the first 6-8 weeks on and off. My only issue with the one I bought was the sizing. Seriously, I bought an extra large and it barely fit. I know that lots of women make their own with stretchy fabrics but I am not nearly that creative.

[Ladybug]

I wore girdle (super inforced spanx with boning in the abdominal area from Macy's) after each c-section. I could only wear it for a few hours a day and worked my way up timewise. It does teach your abdomen to go back inside your pelvis. My grandmother recommended this since she had Csections too. A lot of my friends that wish they had gotten the same advice and their abdomens never recovered after surgery. I've done it after all 3 Csections. Highly recommend it. I invested in two and they've made it through 3 post partums. They're indestructible and bullet proof.