Ah, the postpartum body. What a beautiful nightmare. You are so proud of it. But you don’t recognize it. But it feel so amazing to not be pregnant. But it feels so gross to be so… gross.

I am gonna try my best here to keep this as PG and cleaned up as possible, but if you’re a man or not into pregnancy stuff or get grossed out easily just go ahead and pass this one up.

I read a TON of blogs and articles and books about pregnancy. They tell you what’s gonna happen to your body month-by-month. They don’t really give you a ton of guidance or direction when it comes to your postpartum body, though. Probably with good reason, since it depends a lot on your delivery, your body type, your personality, your activity level, and your astrological sign of course. Still, I have loved talking about the postpartum recovery and “bounce back” with my girlfriends and asking/answering questions about what you’ll be feeling and when.

Like I said – your postpartum experience may or may not mirror this. It all depends on you and your life and your baby. I was incredibly lucky to have an easy, normal (?) delivery of an average-sized baby (7 lb 5 oz). I was a fairly active exerciser before pregnancy, and within my healthy weight range, but I gained A TON while pregnant. My recovery went well and I started exercising right before the 6 week clearance mark. Other than anemia/low iron I really haven’t had any health concerns at all my whole life. This was my experience. I share it in the hopes that it can help other pregnant or new moms to have a general idea of what postpartum body & health might look like after your bouncing bundle of joy arrives!

Pregnancy

• Weight gain – 45+ pounds. I know. Yikes, Danica.
• Exercised 1-2x a week, until “lighting crotch” made it too difficult around 24ish weeks. Then down to walking when I felt good and careful weightlifting about once a week.
• Exhausted always, no matter how much sleep I got. Starving always, no matter how much I ate. LOLZ.

After Delivery

• I had a few stitches, general soreness, and my back was a little tender from the epidural and my hand from the IV, weirdly.
• Lots of bleeding (sorry!) and little to no bladder control. Use the big ol diaper pads and don’t feel weird about it, say I.
• I took all the meds they would give me and did my best to stay current. Once we went home I would set alarms to remind me to take my medication. You don’t want your pain to be the reminder, trust me.
• My hormones were nuts just like everyone said they would be. But not ALL the time. I felt normal for most of the time. Then there would be an hour where she would open her eyes and I’d cry about how much I loved her and then The Beard would slam a cabinet too loudly for my liking and I’d censure him and then I would laugh hysterically for far too long at some Mindy Project joke. And then I would go back to being fine.
• Keep yourself as fresh and clean as possible at the baby site. I healed really well and really quickly and I think it was because I was VIGILANT in making sure I was taking care of myself too. Its easy to get caught up in brand new baby. Keep a bathroom kit in each bathroom of your house with the squirty bottles, Tuck’s pads and whatever level of absorbent pantyliner you need. I took a lot of shallow, lukewarm baths too and they were great!
• I think I weighed myself the day of Reese’s 1 week appointment and I was down almost 20 pounds. Like, yeah, you obviously lose the actual baby weight, but you don’t realize how much the entire contents of the uterus and general water/swelling weight there is!
• You still look pregnant, just FYI. About 5 months pregnant. It’s ok. No one cares but you, so try not to care.

3-4 Weeks Postpartum

• Most of the bleeding was gone – I think I was down to a regular pad from weeks 4-6. I was mostly healed and it almost never felt tight or uncomfortable anymore!
• We had figured out a solid rhythm and she was sleeping in two 5 hours stretches at night and very quick feedings between them. I would often take an afternoon nap with her, too, so I was feeling well-rested and like myself again.
• I started taking her out 3-5x a week and loved using the stroller in the mall, grocery store, walking around the park.
• I had lost about 25 pounds at this point. That’s really motivating, so I encourage you to watch the scale. It’s honestly the only time that it becomes fun.
• My appetite was still crazy strong, but I was mostly craving healthy foods. I also started keeping water bottles or tumblers all over the house near my usual nursing spots. I was super thirsty all the time and I would try to make sure I gulped down a whole thing of water in the time I was nursing.
• My shoulder/back/neck started to really hurt and felt like pop rocks a lot of the time. My physical therapist (my dad) said it’s common to see this in new moms and comes from nursing/holding/rocking babies so much. My posture was awful and I should have been better at using my legs for leverage and support, and using better chairs and positions for nursing. I used a heating pad and started pumping a lot more. I also gave Reese her first formula bottle (first bottle was pumped milk around 2 weeks old I think) around this time when cluster feeding was my nemesis.
• I got super discouraged trying to find a nursing bra. I bought probably 6 different ones but ultimately went back to my Target nursing tanks because everything else pinched and made me feel so fat. 🙁

2 Months Postpartum

• I was absolutely ITCHING to exercise. I felt like I had been so slow for FOREVER. I was ready to run. Until my 6 week appointment I promised The Beard I wouldn’t do anything too strenuous, so I started around 2 months doing weightlifting, light elliptical, and walking briskly around the park.
• Fun Fact: Your abs? They’re not where they used to be. I went to a yoga class with my SIL around 5 weeks postpartum and WOW a plank????? Just beware, ok?
• Once I was cleared I started doing intervals on the treadmill right away because I was supposed to start an indoor soccer league at around 8 weeks postpartum. I was honestly surprised at my endurance! I guess you don’t realize how much work your body was doing pregnant and then hauling around a little baby for 8 weeks. I certainly hadn’t been sprinting, of course. But your body has been working so hard and has definitely built up a pretty incredible endurance.
• My parents have a treadmill and a weight bench at their house, so I’d go over there and run or walk and then lift, all with Reese laying on a blanket or napping in her carseat right next to me! I also started going to a free Zumba class taught by a high school friend once a week. It was in a church gym so I just took Reester in there in her car seat and she would literally sleep through the blasting music every time.
• I didn’t look pregnant anymore, but I was still really flabby basically everywhere. I could feel it all flapping around when I was running on the soccer field. Ugh.
• I wish I had worn my Bellefit girdle more religiously from the beginning, but I started wearing it a lot more at this point. It made putting on clothes less traumatic.
• I had lost a little over 30 pounds at this point, with no dieting and very little exercise. Thanks, nursing!!!
• I think I was still wearing a thin pantyliner, but no pants. Definitely no pants. Leggings only, fam.

3 Months Postpartum

• GOODBYE HAIR. There were days where I had the irrational but very consuming fear that all of my hair was going to fall out and I’d be bald.
• Oh but don’t worry. The hair on my body made up for it. Suddenly my legs are growing BLACK HAIR WTF??? My whole life I’ve been able to get away with shaving the thin and soft white hair on my legs once a week. Armpits? Almost 2 weeks! Nope. Postpartum Danica needs a shave every 3 days because apparently she’s a gorilla.
• I lost another 5 or so pounds, but at this point I know I was also gaining a lot of muscle because I started lifting more intensely. My body finally started to feel normal again. Don’t get me wrong – I was still flabby and had a ways to go. But muscle tone came back, the flabbiness decreased, and I started to feel strong and powerful again!
• I didn’t need pantyliners anymore and I was actually able to wear formfitting stuff without feeling too gross!
• We went to Disneyland and I felt AMAZING. I was able to keep up and push the stroller and hang with everyone the entire time. I nursed at the park when convenient and gave Reese formula bottles when it wasn’t. I had amped up my workouts and worn Reese in my Solly Wrap a bunch in the weeks leading up to our trip and it definitely paid off.
• I wore a swimsuit! And while I wasn’t in love with the way I looked, I recognized my body and got so excited to see the changes. Stretch marks were still a pretty angry purple, but I didn’t mind them too bad. They were worth it.

4 Months Postpartum

• I see now why 35 is the recommended weight gain for pregnancy, because this is exactly where I plateaued! It appears that for me 35 pounds was what was going to come off fairly naturally. I was going to have to work to get the rest.
• My milk supply had slowly decreased, what with supplementing and exercising more intensely. I didn’t do anything to keep my supply up – I wasn’t married to the idea of nursing. Around 4.5 months I had tapered down to 1-2 feedings a day and then eventually we just stopped. I felt fine about it, and Reese didn’t seem to care at all! I think with my next babies I’ll try to nurse longer, but I’m happy with the way we did this one. 🙂 (this is also a big contributing factor to the weight plateau)
• Hello, Postpartum Anxiety!!! This is where it really started to get bad. I wrote about it here, but basically I felt happy and good and amazing all day, but would freak out at night. It was making me tired. I didn’t have the energy to work out as hard or consistently, and I think it also made me eat more!
• Between Disneyland, my brother coming home from his mission, and blessing Reese we were super busy. I wasn’t as diligent with my workouts, ate a lot of delicious food, and got ready on the regular. So a mixed bag, but pretty awesome.
• I had my first period since Reese and it was a doozy (but mine always have been). Just… be gentle with yourself. Stick to pads for this first one if you need to. And my doctor told me that periods can be pretty unpredictable postpartum, so just talk to yours and try to keep track.
• I went to the eye doctor with a sinking suspicion and… yep! Pregnancy made my eyes worse!

5 Months Postpartum

• Once it was obvious that my weight was plateauing I made a plan. That’s when I started going to Zumba twice a week, lifting 1-2 days a week, and got really into doing my walking group with my mom friends.
• This is when I signed up for Vasa Kid Care and started using it like crazy. Dang I love them.
• I started my modified South Beach diet – basically I avoided carbs, fruit, and sugar for about 80% of my meals. I would eat them if we went out to eat or for a special treat. The discipline was SO GOOD for me.
• Our pediatrician told us Reese didn’t need a night feeding anymore, so we decided to move her into her own room. It was AWESOME. She slept so much better, and so did I!
• To combat my anxiety and insomnia I started waking up at 9 am every single day, no matter what. Reese would sometimes sleep until 11 or even later, but I realized if I did that it made me feel gross and then I couldn’t sleep at night. I also forced myself to stop taking naps with Reese, as much as I loved them. By waking up at 9 am, staying awake all day and exercising regularly I was finally able to fall asleep easily most nights and felt much more rested.
• My hair stopped falling out and started to finally thicken up again, at least partially because I started taking the prenatals again. I stopped about a month after having Reese, but my doc said they would help with my hair regrowth, energy, and weight loss if I picked them back up, so I did.

6-7 Months Postpartum

• I saw some success with my new diet & workout routine! I was down about 40 pounds, with only the last 5 to go to my pre-pregnancy weight!
• Thanks to the weight loss and summer tan I was so happy to see that my stretch marks were shrinking and fading! They were still visible obviously (still ARE visible) but they were no longer purple or red.
• I can finally say that with the exception of my stomach that is still a “pooch” I no longer felt flabby or too jiggly. Weightlifting helped me get back good muscle definition in my arms and legs. So did hauling around a 20 lb baby I guess.
• One weird realization at this point – I HAVE to wash my hair more often now. I used to be able to go like 9-10 days with a good wash and dry shampoo. Now 6 is pushing it. I guess I’m oilier now? idk.

8 Months Postpartum

• Right on Reese’s 8 month mark I weighed myself and saw my pre-pregnancy weight! That was a really good day and I was so so proud. That post here.
• Weirdly I was still 1-2 pant sizes up from where I was, and 2 bra sizes away. It was ok though! I felt more comfortable wearing actual pants, non-baggy tees, and stretchy dresses. I bought new bras and pants to celebrate.
• I wasn’t completely happy at my pre-pregnancy weight, and I still wanted to lose 10 pounds. I also knew that the holidays were coming and I needed to be smart or the weight would come right back.
• I felt amazing in September – like I was crushing life. I felt like we were totally out of the woods and figuring this whole thing out!

9-11 Months Postpartum

• I was discouraged to see a weight plateau again between 8-10 months, but I wasn’t too hard on myself because it was the holidays and I didn’t really try that hard.
• I noticed I was really really tired. More than normal. I attributed it to a brief return of my insomnia and the business of the holidays.
• I found myself feeling a little less certain of myself, less motivated to do the things I loved, less able to conquer my to do list, just… less.
• In January I felt bloated and fat and gross, but somehow I was down 5 pounds?
• I thought my boobs had normalized after I quit breastfeeding and the weight loss slowed, but I was mistaken. Now I’m back to ~kind of my pre-pregnancy bra size. I wear a more firm cup with lift since I’m not as *ahem* perky. Sorry everyone.
• I hadn’t had a period since I quit breastfeeding in May, but suddenly I had a CRAZY one. Like 2.5 weeks long crazy. Finally I had to concede that maybe there really was something wrong with me, and called my doctor.

12 Months Postpartum

• After stopping my bleeding with some estrogen pills and doing some blood work, my doctor diagnosed me with hypothyroidism and started me on some medication. I did NOT like it and didn’t feel like it was working. I was up all night, groggy all day, had small bouts of irrational paranoia about people in my life, and my energy came in short bursts.
• I dropped another couple of pounds and still dragged myself to the gym as much as I could! For those of you counting at home I lost over 50 pounds this year LOL.
• I bought something in a size SMALL and it fit!!!!
• I put on a bikini from last year and didn’t hate it. I don’t look ~good, but I don’t hate it! Wondering if this little pooch is here to stay because despite core workouts, planks and situps it seems pretty determined to stay.
• I went to the dentist because I felt like I surely had a MILLION cavities. Nope. Apparently I have sensitive teeth now and have to use Sensodyne like an old lady. They said they see it in postpartum moms sometimes? Boo.

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Currently

• I am 4 pounds from my goal weight, and still pursuing it. These Nerds Bumpy Jelly Beans aren’t helping.
• I went in for my 6 week check on this medication and it appears to be working! Now we just need to decide if the general lameness I’m feeling is due to this medication and switch it, or if there’s something else going on.
• I’m focusing on my legs for the next month or so, hoping I can work out in shorts when it warms up! I’m also upping my core workouts to twice a week in case I want to don a bikini this summer. 🙂
• Feeling so grateful for everything my body did for me and Reese.
• Realizing that hypothyroidism, sensitive teeth, aching shoulders and a poochy tummy are all small prices to pay for the amazing life I have now, and I’d never take it back.

Pregnancy is no joke, and it takes a toll on your body. I made the mistake of thinking delivery was the end of it, and that all I had to deal with was weight loss once Reese arrived. There are a lot of weird and complicated things that can happen to you because of pregnancy and delivery. Just try to be grateful and flexible, and don’t wait too long to go see a doctor like I did.

Was this helpful or just gross? Either way, if you wanna talk postpartum bodies I am your girl because I can’t get enough. Hit me up.