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You guys, I just had the best dream ever. I had a dream that two days after I had the baby, I put on an outfit to go out somewhere and I looked in the mirror and noticed my stomach was totally flat. Not only flat, it was toned and nicer than ever! It felt so real, I was grinning from ear to ear in my dream(I’m pretty sure I was grinning in real life too), and was jumping up and down with joy. I wanted to run outside while screaming with pride and joy, “Look everyone! Look how flat my belly is!!! And I just had a baby two days ago!”
But then I woke up and realized it was only a dream. Darn it!
I’m pretty sure I had that dream because I’ve talked to several women who told me they didn’t have a problem losing weight and getting back in shape after their first two children, but with their third, it’s been much, much harder and taking a lot longer. And even after you do lose the weight, your stomach is more soft and pudgy than with the first two, or bigger stretch marks, and so forth. So I’ve been worrying a little bit the past couple of months about whether I’ll ever have my previous body back and if not, what the changes will be. Yes, I’m shallow and vain I guess. I never worried about it before, even with my first two children, and not with the first 5 months of this pregnancy, but it’s been sneaking up on me every once in awhile, especially when I’m looking at swimsuit websites and see amazing, flat, toned stomachs of the models.
Did your body change after having a baby? Mine sure did, some are good, some are not good, but it definitely changed. Some not so good changes have been what’s very common such as hair loss & loss of shine and luster of hair, smaller, not as firm and perky chest, wider rib cage, lack of sleep therefore aging and looking worn out, but some good changes have been a wider hips so my waist to hips ratio is more prominent, giving me more curves, and…. well, that’s about it haha. Everything else has been a negative change(like even though I went back to my normal size with both of my first two pregnancies, all the pants never fit me the same so I had to get all new pants after my first pregnancy. The butt, the hips, the thighs, it all changed somehow so while the waist of the pants size still fit me, it didn’t fit the same or flatter my body anymore. Weird, right?) So anyway, I just wish other mothers would only tell me good things about having a third baby instead of being so eager to share all their horror stories and the negative things, so I can look forward to the positives about having a third child instead of all the negatives. But in the end, even if my stomach is going to be pudgier and softer, I might age more, my pants won’t fit me the same, those worries are not what I’ll be thinking about on my deathbed but instead I will be thinking about how glad I was that I had all my children and how it was worth it all. All of it.
Annie says
That does sound like a dream come true! I'm sure you will have no problem getting rid of the extra pudge/baby weight π
Annie
The Other Side of Gray
Megan Vaughn says
It's definitely worth it in the end! π
Terje says
It is all worth of it π Your kids love you the way you are and nothing more really matters π
Kayela says
We must have similar body types because you described the exact changes I feel like my body went through. And even though after two kids I'm back to my pre pregnancy weight and I can still fit into my old jeans, it's not the same. They just don't look as flattering with a "soft" tummy. No more low-rise jeans, that's for sure.
Kayela says
By the way, here is a great article that I just read on this very topic:
http://jezebel.com/how-to-lose-the-baby-weight-in-just-three-lightning-fas-5993518
Rachel B says
I just had my first baby two months ago and I'm pretty sure I'll end up wih the same changes you described, so I can't tell you about any positive changes to your body, but I was worried about the changes to mine and knowing that my body is finally doing what it was designed for made me feel better. That and my husband said he didn't care what my body looked like after. That's a good thing, right?
Jamie Nicole says
I just read this earlier today on this very topic and think it sounds like something you may enjoy as well.
http://www.stevewiens.com/2013/03/06/these-are-the-lines-of-a-story/
Kelli Murray says
Totally worth the extra few pounds! π I have a one year old daughter and everyone tells me how it's so much harder to loose the weight on the second! (and I can imagine the third!) But those babes make it all worth it! π
xo Kelli
kellimurray.com
Jennifer Chau says
I also agree that it's all worth it π I just had baby #2 in February and am having a bit harder time getting that soft belly bit to go away but then again, I'm not trying as hard as I should. I do know it's possible for you to look fabulous right after baby is born though. Elizabeth Kartchner (a scrapbooker/blogger) had a baby a few weeks ago and you can't even tell that she just had a baby if you saw her in her photos. So there's hope!
Libby says
After my fourth, I had a much harder time getting back to my previous size. She is three years old now, and after serious exercise (4 times a week, 20-40 minutes aerobics or weights plus ab work for a year), I finally got my abs, and everything toned again. There is hope!
Sarah says
I know those changes are very very common, so I'm not surprised yours is the same! π And yes, low rise jeans are not a mommy's best friend!
Sarah says
Thanks for sharing that article, I'm so glad you did!
Sarah says
Your husband sounds awesome! That's a great thing. π
Sarah says
I love the story, thanks for sharing with me!
Sarah says
I believe some people are just genetically blessed that way. But yes, there is hope! π
Sarah says
Wow, great for you! I never really had abs so that's my goal but thanks for giving me hope! π