Over the six (nearly seven!) weeks since Lucy was born, I’ve been thinking hard about the 51 pounds that came along with the baby-growing package. I lost about 23 of them within the first two weeks, but I figured I’d probably need to be a bit more intentional about the rest of them. So I feel good about my decision to go back on Weight Watchers.
Now, I know that many people would say I don’t need to worry about my weight so soon after Lucy was born. But this feels like a really positive decision for me. Take a look at a few of my reasons:
* Weight Watchers (WW) has a program specifically for nursing mothers.
* Debi the Midwife gave her approval for me going on WW when I went in for my six-week postpartum appointment this week.
* I know the WW system quite well. I followed it about two years ago and lost 35 pounds back then. It works really well for me!
* When I’m on WW, I am more intentional about my eating (instead of grabbing a handful of cashews every time I walk through the kitchen). It helps me a lot to have a budget for food, especially when I’m trying to reform bad habits (e.g., cashews).
* The WW program helps me to eat more fruits and vegetables (since they are “low-point”).
* WW allows for the extra calories needed to maintain a good milk supply and lose weight while nursing. This means more food! And that means the diet is easier to follow.
* From a purely financial perspective, losing a few pounds will help me to at least fit into my “fat pants” (which are currently still too small) so that I don’t have to buy new ones!
I know that I could just wait and see what happens for a few months. I do feel good about my body and health. And I have a beautiful baby! This feels like another small way to help me eat better, exercise more, and live a healthier life. My goal is to lose 28 pounds. I’ll keep you posted on how it’s going!
(Meanwhile, of course, Lucy is heading the other direction. As of yesterday, she hit 9 pounds 8 ounces. She’s already got some clothes that don’t fit her any more! Way to go!)
Dear Ann,
One piece of advice I got from Sharon Gartland, IV staff, was that it’s worth it to buy at least a couple of things in whatever current size you are. I didn’t follow this advice until summer when Miriam was 3-4 months old and none of my shorts fit. I wish I’d followed it sooner because I just hated still wearing a lot of maternity stuff for so long. For me, losing the weight took intentional exercise as well as diet, and I didn’t really have time for that until Miriam was 6 months and we had free gym membership at Karl’s college. I didn’t get the total diet and exercise package working together until a couple of months before Miriam’s first birthday. Hopefully, you’ll have an easier time losing weight because of breastfeeding and being intentional earlier on. But don’t stress. I finally lost the last ten pounds right before Miriam was 1, but I still am not totally where I’d like to be. And I have to say that I never got back to the same bra size as I was; reward yourself for all the breastfeeding with good bras! I also waited on this too long and was wearing maternity bras far too long. If you have good friends or family that have lost weight, maybe they have clothes you can borrow short term also. I felt good when I could borrow my sister’s “fat pants”!
Ann! You are such an inspiration. I can’t wait to hear how it falls away… and it sure will with the breastfeeding AND your intentional eating. I, with Lucy and Baby C, am moving in the other direction. Already at least 10 lbs up and counting… one more reason this is my last go at the whole baby making thing… I am a yo-yo of pregnancy and weight!!!!
Glad you feel good about your decision Ann. It’s much easier when it’s not something we have to do, but something we want to do. You’ll be amazed at how much easier it is to lose the weight the second time around. I gained 41 pounds and have already lost 25. Most of it has been chasing Kaia. I’ve also really started making sure that the meals I cook are healthy for all of us. (much to the dismay of my husband, who wants to know why there are so many veggies on his plate) And on that note, I’d like to recommend that you steer clear of the WW cereal. I bought it thinking how great it would be, only to find it’s spongy once milk is added. The good news is, I don’t have second helpings of it.
I forgot to say: That is a beautiful photo of you.
Valerie, congrats on losing your last ten pounds! that is an awesome achievement. They say that it takes nine months to put it on, and at least nine to take it off, so it sounds like you are right on schedule.
I did end up buying several big-ish tank tops (Old Navy — $5 each!) since, even if I were thinner, my slim-fitting skinny tops aren’t great for nursing. And I borrowed some jeans from a friend in the meantime. I can barely squeeze into my “fattest” pants, so I figure I have a good chance of them fitting in a few weeks.
Oh, and one of the things I forgot to say (Valerie’s mention of exercise reminded me) that I love about WW is that you get incentives to exercise — you gain “points” depending on how much exercise you do, and that means you can eat more that day. It definitely motivates me! Today Jon and Lucy and I went for a walk and I earned two points. :)
Allison, keep on gaining! that is awesome that your pregnancy is going well.
Tysa, thanks for the compliment on the photos! Jon picks ’em. :) Yeah, I generally avoid WW products, I don’t think they usually taste that great. Our favorite cereal when we are on WW is FiberOne — it is especially yummy with strawberries.
Ann, Thanks for sharing this. When Naomi was three months old I asked our family doc. if I could join WeightWatchers. She told me that I should go easy on myself I just had a baby but if I really wanted to begin loosing weight….she would reccomend a nutritionists because they were the experts! Your post has encouraged me to go with my instinct. I have done WW before as well and their nursing plan makes things sensible. I started counting points again today. I am hoping to train for a 5K later this summer as well.
Way to go! Blessings
Nicole
Well, it’s the perfect time of year to be eating fruits and veggies – we just had fresh Michigan strawberries today – yummy!
Some thoughts about body image for Ann and her fan club: Ok, so nine months on, nine months off. This gives moms permission to take things nice and slow. I like it. So once the number on the scale is within range, why don’t my clothes fit? Why does my body seem to have redistributed itself in these last 3 years? Why does my body shape tend to resemble my mother’s and all my aunts’? Am I destined to look like them? Is that a bad thing or a good thing? They are beautiful women; beautiful in the sense that their bodies have passed challenging tests and are alive and well. Beautiful in the sense that their bodies have loved, nurtured, served many. Certain parts are not flat, other parts are not perky, and yet, they are beautiful. Maybe it just means that I will have to be extra selective in what I choose to wear. Hmmm. Thumbs up to all you moms who are purposefully maintaining a healthy body!
Beautifully said Keri. Having a baby definately changes our bodies. Thanks for putting beauty into perspective.
Nicole Wetzel
I must also say that if you plan on having more, don’t kill yourself getting back into shape. I didn’t really stress about it after Benjamin was born – I did watch what I ate and I did a lot of walking (and chasing, once he got mobile), but beyond that I didn’t really focus on it. Now that I’m pregnant again, I’m glad I didn’t spend a ton of effort trying to get my tummy flat again, etc… I would just have to do it all over again after this one is born! I’m not advocating completely ignoring your body image, just maybe being okay with the tummy flab that never seems to go away (I lost 12 extra pounds after Benjamin and still had this wierd flabbiness going on)!
I’ll second what Nicole said — I am 5 lbs below my pre-pregnancy weight and my skinny jeans still don’t fit because of the extra flab on my tummy. If I were more diligent about sit ups, it may go away (at least partly), but I don’t like sit ups because it feels weird on my c-section incision.
I think it’s great you’re going on WW — I think that, combined with breastfeeding, will yield quick results for you!
Hi Ann!
I just noticed my first stretch mark this week! I didn’t even know what it was until I asked John what “this weird line going up my stomach” was… I cannot imagine my waistline getting any bigger, but I still have 10 weeks left to go!!
Thank you so much for this website – it has encouraged me in so many ways!!
Grace,
Sorry to butt in but not to worry… If the line is straight up the middle (basically) of your belly its your linea negra (common and temporary sign of advancing pregnancy) and not a stretch mark. : )
Best wishes as you move toward the official starting line of parenthood!
Hey we wanted to let you know (in case you haven’t read our xanga) we are moving to Wausau, WI. We have a lot of responsibility there…
a shelter, church, feeding program, thrift store, day camp and some 25 employees. Phew, no stress at all! :-)
Grace, I’m so glad you’ve stopped in! I can’t wait to see pictures of your little nubbins! Good luck figuring out if you have a stretch mark or a linea negra. :)
Katrina, I’ve been meaning to check your xanga to learn where you are going — awesome! Wisconsin isn’t too far away. I hope you aren’t too stressed, I bet you’ll do great there.
Hey, When you are ready for a road trip come to our place. There is always a room for you and we are equiped with toys and there is a lot of mountians/farms and God’s country around the new place.
love,
kati
Jon — did you, by any chance, check out the sponge-like quality of the postpartum belly? I’m not talking about about weight gain or how clothes fit or anything like that — I imagine any concerns there will be resolved before you know it (as they were with Kathrin). I’m talking about the unearthly flappy-ness that was Kathrin’s gut (note I said “was”). After Charis was born, her stomach felt like a giant “Stretch Armstrong” doll — it was like I could punch her and lose my arm all the way through to her spine! Cool! I mean, the baby was nice and all, but the Pillsbury tummy? Priceless! I want a pillow made outta that stuff!