I had my first baby last Friday! It's my birthday today but feels like just another day in baby land.

My delivery was great! I had one teeny internal tear and got stitches but no first-fourth degree tears. The doctor and nurses were literally telling me I should brag about it. To say my horn was tooted is an understatement. I had a great team and it was a really lovely experience considering I was actually terrified of the whole thing.

I walked a mile yesterday with my baby and then decided I'd walk to get my free birthday coffee today. My sister asked how far away I was walking and then told me I'm doing too much and need to take it easy. She sent me a screenshot from chatgbt stating that I'm doing too much and should only walk 5-10 minutes. It would've been maybe 1.5-1.75 miles round trip and in my opinion, a nice easy walk. I could've sat down in the coffee shop and taken a little break before walking back home also.! know it comes from a good place and she just wants me to be safe and not mess up my recovery, but is she right?

So l've come here to see if I'm just insane or if anyone else has felt good enough and normal enough to start walking a week postpartum.

Before my baby, I'd walk 3-4 miles every morning before logging on for work. We went to Japan three times last year and each time walked 70 miles in 5 days. I think | just have a different outlook on walking and honestly thought a mile was easy peasy.

Am I crazy? Or is this okay to be wanting/doing it?

I’m 9 weeks postpartum. I need to strengthen my pelvic floor, and I want my abs back. I have a diastasis recti. I don’t exactly know how bad it is compared to other women’s—I just feel the separation and see it when I try to sit up.

I’m looking for people who have used any of these trainers’ pelvic floor programs and postpartum exercises. What do you think? Did they help you or not?

Or if you have any trainers that you recommend, let me know and why!

Thanks in advance.

this picture has zero editing!!! Omg I honestly never thought this was possible, let alone AFTER a baby!!! I made a post on here recently, but this is the update! I have always been chubby pre baby, and I gained 50lbs when pregnant! 11 months postpartum I cut out added sugars and focused on eating whole foods, amd started weight training again. and omg!!! I have visible abs!!! like I actually cannot believe it, my brain keeps thinking this isn’t real! anyone still in the trenches, you can achieve so much, for real! Sending love and good vibes to all the moms out there! ❤️❤️❤️

I gained 30kg during pregnancy despite not overeating and exercising most days, and I’ve lost 25.7kg since giving birth. But getting here has been a SLOG. Time in the gym, eating well and trying to focus on how I feel rather than counting calories.

I was shamed during pregnancy by my high risk OB for gaining “too much” weight, and honestly, it messed with my head because I was trying everything to reduce that number.

Now I’m 8 months postpartum, and even though I’ve lost most of that weight, I still see myself as that early postpartum version of me. The one who couldn’t fit into her old clothes and barely recognised herself and I love my body but it’s changed. I was getting ads for GLP-1 not even a week postarrum and my feed was full of women who shrunk back week’s postpartum.

And the funny thing is, I STILL don’t fit into all my old clothes. I still see myself as bigger than I was before pregnancy. I have loose skin, rolls and a body that looks and feels different.

I know I’ve made progress, but mentally, I’m still catching up.

And can we talk about how everyone has something to say when you gain weight during pregnancy, but no one questions you when you lose it postpartum and instead congratulates you? Or if you don’t lose it you’re told numerous ways you need too through unsolicted advice .

Just looking for some reassurance, I guess! Anyone else experienced this? Does it take a while for your brain to catch up with the changes in your body? ❤️

I had a c-section 6 weeks ago and I’ve been wiping these out when I go pee, I’m so worried they might be worms I’ve never seen anything like this before! They’ve been different sizes but this one’s been the biggest one and it’s scared me so much. I ask here because I saw a similar post, but the person in that post from what I read had vaginal birth, I had a c-section.

Just wondering if anyone has experience with any nonsurgical solutions that work for this degree of skin laxity. I do not want surgery. I dont need to look like I’ve never had kids. I’ve had three big babies and proud of my body. I just wonder if there’s a way to smooth this skin out? Radio frequency? Micro blading? Any experience with something that actually makes a difference?

I think I have the ‘c-section shelf’. I also think I have DR, and I don’t know what is pelvic tilt? Is my pooch a lost cause? I don’t know what my next step is
Also I have so many stretch marks everywhere 😭

Hi! I am 18 months PP (2nd pregnancy) and it took me a little over a year to get to the point I am now. I was 220 pounds when I gave birth and I weight 180 now. Granted, I started GLP1’s about 2 months PP and got WAY carried away. I basically starved myself down to 123 pounds (I’m 5’10”) and ended up having a lot of health issues (please, don’t do this). I have since put 57 pounds back on healthily. GLP1’s can be a good tool if done correctly. However, if you’re like me, mental health disorders can create a predisposition for addiction, unfortunately. My family had to intervene because I developed an ED. You could see my ribs! 😭

I am a former amateur bodybuilder, back in my glory days (lol), and I’ve always been into working out. I didn’t workout when I was pregnant due to severe depression and I just kind of let myself go. I continued to not workout until about 6 months PP when I decided to get healthy again.

I have a home gym with very minimal equipment. Dumbbells, a yoga mat, resistance/mini bands, and a barbell with various plates. I have gotten into one of the best, athletic shapes of my life from home. It can be done! I just wanted to share my story 💗
I am thinking about making a YouTube channel sharing my workouts that are usually under 40 minutes.

I’m 2 months postpartum and I’m feeling ready to get this weight off. I’ve never worked out or lost weight before. I’m 185lbs right now and pre-pregnancy I was about 160lbs. I would loooove to get back to pre-relationship weight of 130lbs lol. I’m also a stay at home mom and can’t afford a gym membership. So what kind of at home routine or schedule has been working best for you guys?

This is absolutely not a humble brag, I was in no way fit before pregnancy, my core is actually pretty weak LOL, but when I went to my PT yday and she said I only had a finger width of DR I was so overjoyed. Idk if it's "common" as a FTM, but I needed to share. I'm so happy I could cry. I was sure I had like 3-4 fingers width lol. When you're in the newborn trenches, small wins do make a difference 😭😭😭

Im a little over 5 months postpartum and have been able to lose a good amount of the baby weight already but I got a lot of stretch marks and a bit of loose skin that I would like to try and tighten. Im wanting to work on my confidence to be able to wear crop tops and eventually a bikini out in public again. I included a picture of the products Im currently using 1-2x a day. Looking for any recommendations or advice. I know stretch marks and the loose skin won’t ever go away entirely but even just a bit of improvement I’d be happy with. It’s mostly just the sagging around the belly button that Im the most insecure about because I’ve worked on making my peace with the “stretchies” since I started getting them during my pregnancy 😅 I’ve debated getting a belly button piercing so there could be something prettier there especially with the little dent I’ve gotten right above my belly button because of the loose skin but am not sure about the pros/cons with that especially since I plan on having another child a couple years from now. Any advice would be greatly appreciated!

Hello,

I am 5 months PP and back to all my pre pregnancy weightlifting workouts. I do not have any issues with my workouts but when I do certain ab specific exercises such as modified leg lowers or crunches I noticed doming. I know I am able to engage my deep core as I can see it engage but I am unable to hold it for the duration of those exercises. I have a follow up with my pelvic floor therapist in a week but was wondering if anyone had any tips in the meantime.

I’m 7 weeks postpartum and still having on-and-off bleeding, although it’s nowhere near as heavy as it was before. Most of the time my pads are completely empty, then I’ll have a small bleed before it stops again, and the cycle keeps repeating.i am noticing a decrease in bleeding but prior to this cycle, I had almost stopped bleeding before it ramped up again to this.

I’ve had an ultrasound and everything has come back normal, but I’m still not sure what’s causing the bleeding.

Has anyone else experienced bleeding on and off postpartum? Did you find out what caused it, and if so, when did it finally stop for you?

Just hoping to hear from other mums who have been through the same or something similar! ❤️

Hey I’m 6 months postpartum and I can’t manage to lose any weight so far. I’m still 40 pounds over what I usually am and I just can’t take it anymore. Please give me tips on how to slim down

Hi,

Just want to ask if anyones belly pooch looks similar to mine. I see mums look like or back to their prepartum bodies and here I am still looking like im 6mos pregnant and it’s making me very sad. Very much losing confidence.

For context, i do this 10-20mins core exercises everyday since sept. Im still breastfeeding. Still struggling with sleeping and dont really have the best diet.

I just probably want to see if this is normal, what did mums effectively do, when it does better, or just tips and advices you can share. Help 🥲

First 3 photos were taken upon waking up today. It is usually worst during the day or before bed. Last 2 photos were from april 2025.

Do you also think i have pelvic tilt?

Hope to hear from you guys! Thanks!

Second-time mom struggling with body image and self-esteem

I’m a second-time mom to a 4-month-old and a 3-year-old. I’m EBF, primarily nursing and pumping two days a week while I’m at work.

I’ve always struggled with my weight, food, and body image, but 6–12 months before getting pregnant with my second, I had finally reached a place where I felt comfortable in my skin and at a weight I felt good about. Now, my clothes don’t fit, I hate how I look, min looking in the mirror and seeing myself in pictures is awful. I feel gross in my body, and even struggle to feel good when I try or put extra effort in like dressing up and doing my hair and makeup. It’s also affected my relationship, as I have almost no interest in intimacy with my husband.

Between working, caring for two kids, the house, the dog, and cooking, I’m completely drained. When I get free time, I just want to sit, breathe, scroll, or watch trash TV. Exercise and getting back to the gym feel so far out of reach, even though I want to feel better about myself.

I try to eat well, prioritize protein and fiber, drink plenty of water, and enjoy treats in moderation. I know I need to eat enough to support breastfeeding, but I wish I could find the motivation to exercise. I wonder why feeling so unhappy with my body isn’t motivation enough.

Honestly, I’m eager to finish breastfeeding so I can explore trying a GLP-1 to help kickstart weight loss. I know I’ve lost weight naturally before, but right now the effort feels overwhelming and unreachable.

I know my body has done something amazing, and I can appreciate that but I’m still struggling with how I look and feel.

Has anyone else experienced this after having a second baby? Did things improve with time or after weaning? Any realistic advice for rebuilding confidence and feeling comfortable in my body without adding more pressure to an already exhausting season of life?

I am 9 weeks PP with baby #2 (both c-sections). With my first, I feel like I bounced back so fast and didn’t have any struggles nursing (she nursed for a solid 9ish months) or with my weight. Yes I was a little chubbier than usual but I still fit in most my pre-pregnancy jeans etc

This time around I just have been struggling so much. I exclusively breastfeed and I can’t stop gaining weight. I lost 20 lbs the first 2 weeks of being PP and have gained every pound back. I feel like nursing 24/7 makes me insanely hungry and all I want to do is eat all day because my baby is ALWAYS on my boob lol. It’s been so discouraging and hard and I hate even looking in a mirror now it just makes me cry. Any advice/words of wisdom please ❤️‍🩹

I'm celebrating being below my pre-pregnancy weight after 2 years of hard work and consistency.

Top pic is the day I found out I was pregnant! I was only 4 weeks, around 135 pounds, and very active (3 days/week weight lifting, 2-3 days running, average 10-15000 steps/day not including runs). I was in a slow pitch softball league and I finished out the season around 5 months pregnant! This pic was August 2023.

Middle pic is 42 weeks pregnant 😅 on a 5'0 frame, a fully developed baby takes up way too much space! I was around 175 pounds and still weight lifting 3 days/week until 38 weeks. I stopped running but kept getting 10-15000 steps/day. I definitely gained more weight than I meant to, but I weighed 150 a few days after he was born and 145 within a couple of weeks. He was born May 2024. I did not attempt to lose weight until I was done breastfeeding, around December 2024. Then, my goal was to lose weight slowly and sustainably.

Bottom pic is today (Oct 2026) 120 pounds. Still lifting weights 3 days/week and lifting heavier than I did before. I stopped running mostly but I go on long bike rides 2-4 times per month. I plan to keep slowly converting fat into muscle until I feel like I'm done. I am super proud of how far I have come, though, and am feeling better about myself than I ever have, minus the empty baby pooch that will hopefully keep shrinking!