I need some help here. Little dude is four weeks old today and I'm still up 15 pounds over my pre-preg weight. By this time after the birth of my older son, I was within 3-5 pounds of fighting weight.

I am seriously hating myself right now for gaining 40-45 pounds; what was I thinking? I'm breastfeeding but not really getting much exercise. Hoping that will change once the baby has a decent schedule and I can sneak off at night to the gym.

What did you do to lose the postpartum pudge?

Emily - I gained 60, and a year later - I still have 8-9 to go.

The biggest weight loss for me has always been through running. That's always been a sure thing for me. Clearly healthy choices with food too, but exercise really does it for me.

I didn't have time for WW this go round either, but I lost 40 pounds of nonbaby weight through WW + running before. It works because it isn't a diet but more of a method for learning how to eat healthy and manage portions. So if you watch those two things - and basically sub in fruit for snacks - you should drop weight. However, I had a hard time losing weight very fast. And I dropped the most weight after I stopped breastfeeding/pumping.

I hated myself for gaining so much weight too. It was craziness. I was on call with a surgery resident who is pregnant last night. It was ridiculous. Pregnant, I would've looked like I had some sort of systemic illness next to her.

I gained about 50 with my first two pregnancies. It took me a year to lose it all. I didn't exercise due to fatigue and general business, but I'm sure it would have helped. I agree that I didn't lose the last bit until I was breastfeeding very little. It's the one time in my life where I was ok with being overweight, so I'm sticking to that philosophy and plan to lose it in a year or less.

Gained 57 w/#1, lost all but 10, then got pg again and gained 36 on top of the 10 I didn't lose the first time. Breastfed 14 mos w/each of them, and now 16 mos postpartum, STILL had 17 lbs to lose to get to the BMI of 22 I used to be. Hated myself. And *hated* having to buy a new "fat suit" for residency interviews.

"It takes a year to melt off" definitely was not my case. It takes hard work! So I joined Weight Watchers online 2 weeks ago, and lost 7 lbs so far. Cost $65 for 3 mos, and it's the best money I've spent in recent memory. I can't believe I'm still losing weight even in the minefield of pre-interview dinners.

Good luck!

Asunshine - I'm so glad WW is working for you! It really was amazing for me the first time I did their program. Maybe I need to try it again and work harder with it!

geez you lost it all in 1 month last time?! I gained 29 lb the first time and took a solid year to lose it all (granted I wasn't particularly trying).

I gained 34 lb this time but now I don't even know what I weigh bc our bathroom scale went missing when we moved last year. I am just about squeezing into my most forgiving prepreg pants, which is I think about where I was at this point last time.

The gut isn't as bad as last time, I think since I was more religious about the belly binding this time. My rear is still enormous though - stupid pelvic spread.

@southern, running, yes. Trying to get back to it. So far, I've gone on a total of four runs. Seems like the planets just don't align frequently enough (baby just nursed, older son playing happily, husband at home). Hopefully this will get simpler over time!

@asunshine, seven pounds in two weeks?? No wonder everyone rave about WW.

@tr_, I only gained 25# last time; much easier to lose. Re: pelvic spread, I bought this, but haven't been very consistent about wearing it.

I gained about 30 lbs last time, and I was 15 lbs plus when I got pregnant again. I was still breastfeeding when I got pregnant when my son was 15 months old. So don't feel like you aren't losing weight because you gained too much. I didn't gain that much, and look where it got me.

I agree that exercise is key. I just don't have the time to exercise as long as I am used to before kids.

I feel very large right now, and I am still in my second trimester. Yikes. I have so far refused to buy any new clothes since my previous pregnancy other than maternity clothes, one sweater, and one pair of jeans in hopes that I will one day fit into my pre baby clothes. As I look at my x small and size 0 clothes, I wonder if I should burn them all, urr, I mean give them all away, and start over. I guess I will see after weaning this little guy. With my supply issue, diet was out of the question last time, so I don't plan on dieting while I breastfeed this time.

I miss being thin

Question about belly binding: I have heard mixed opinions on it (the nay-sayers say it cuts off circulation, I think, and somehow that makes it harder to lose the tummy? Not sure). In any case, next one is a few years off but just curious if it's worth doing next time around.

I gained 50 lbs with #1. I didn't weigh myself really so hard to say, but I think I lost the bulk of it by 3 months, all of it by 1 year (BF for 14 mos). I'm at prepregnancy weight, but still have a little belly - it's just so loose! If I lay down it's flat, but when I sit up it squishes over. Ew. Wish I could firm it up again. I jog, but I don't do ab exercises or anything - I suppose that would help. Hubby says I'm too hard on myself but I wouldn't really want to wear a bikini these days.

Yeah! It's seriously like boot camp, though. You have to be ready to be hardcore. They do have plans for breastfeeding women, too.

Okay, seriously guys, is there *any* scientific evidence behind belly/pelvic binding? Inquiring minds want to know.