How much did your body change after pregnancy?

I have a sizing dilemma. I'm a BM in SIL's wedding in May. I'll be 5 months post partum. The BM dress is from JCrew. It's silk and very pale pink. I need to order it within the next few weeks so I can be sure that the dress is still in stock. The dress is supposedly A-line. However, I've always had fairly large hips. JCrew pants tend to not fit me well.

JCrew is running a free shipping promotion until Wednesday. If I order the dress in 2 different sizes, I think I'd only be able to get store credit when I returned one of the dresses. I like JCrew, but I'd rather not have store credit there. JCrew allows returns up to 60 days.

If I were to only order 1 size, I'm torn about ordering 1 or 2 sizes larger than I normally wear. So far, at 28.5 weeks, I've gained 20-25 pounds. Since I've always had large hips, I don't think they've changed much.

How much did your body change after pregnancy? How much weight did you lose by 5 months post partum? Were you wearing a different size at 5 months post partum? Do you have any advice about ordering the dress 1 or 2 sizes bigger? Should I just suck it up and order 2 dresses?

Re: How much did your body change after pregnancy?

I'm five months post-pardum and I have lost all preggo weight and then some (I'm actually thinner than I've ever been). This was my second child, and I did not gain as much weight as with my first. But, a big thing was that I lost all the weight due to stress (a lot of bad news came to my family right after I had my daughter).

With my first child, I gained a lot of weight, and I think most of it came off of me by 5 months.

I think it's going to be a tough one, because everyone is so different.

When I was leaving the hospital with my first child, I saw other mommies who looked like size 2s, in skinny jeans! Then there are others who take longer to loose it.

Re: How much did your body change after pregnancy?

Personally - I would do 2 sizes bigger (but that's just me).
I gained a good amount of weight. Would normally have been a 2 or a 4 JCrew pre-pregnancy (damn my size 2 suit collection that is collecting dust in the back of my closet right now and I'm now wearing "career separates" ).
Anyway, I gained 59lbs. I am now 6.5 months PP. I have done NOTHING to lose weight aside from the fact I'm still EBF. I'm down 54lbs or so and wearing a size 6.
HTH

ETA: I change my mind based on the A-Line shape of the dress - I think you can do 1 size bigger and some SPANX

Message edited 10/6/2008 4:55:29 PM.

Re: How much did your body change after pregnancy?

I was 5 months PP for my best friend's wedding, and thank goodness I didn't go with my stubborn self and order my regular size, it may not have fit. Although I did have to have the dress I ordered taken in, it didn't need to be taken in everywhere, especially in the hips.
I would go 1 size larger than norm. But only you know ourself, do you eat healthy? Work out?
Definitely call and check the return policy........

Re: How much did your body change after pregnancy?

I gained 50lbs with DS, and did nothing to try to lose the weight....I lost 35 by 3 months and then maybe another 10 from 3-7 months. now at 9 months when I finally decided to TRY to take off the remaining.

I wasnt hippy before but find now that alot of my pre pregnancy pants wont fit over my hips. ( I did have alot of hip pains later in my pregnancy) A friend said it took hers about a year to be normal again.

I also gained almost all my weight in my belly so I still have a "pouch" . And my boobs, most of my tailored button down shirts pop at my boobs and I dont BF.

Anyway I would go 1 size bigger based on the cut of that dress.

GL!

Re: How much did your body change after pregnancy?

Are you planning to breastfeed? I know if you do, it often takes a little longer to lose all the weight, so figure that into it.

I would go a size larger than usual. If you lose all the weight by 5 months, you can always have the dress taken in--if you really want to be safe, so two sizes larger.

I am 10 months pp, and still have 8 pounds to lose. And I have to say, even putting that weight aside, my body has changed. My butt is bigger than ever and my breasts are tiny (didn't think it was possible). So you may need to take the dress in or out a bit anyway. Chances are, you won't be exactly the same.

Re: How much did your body change after pregnancy?

Message edited 10/6/2008 5:00:01 PM.

Re: How much did your body change after pregnancy?

Re: How much did your body change after pregnancy?

I would go up a size. I lost all of my baby weight by 6 months. But like other posters said it come soff in different places. I still have a stomach but my butt is gone.

Re: How much did your body change after pregnancy?

Go two sizes biger... you can always have the dress taken in, but you cannot have it made larger! Though you may lose all the weight, the body doesn't always go back to the same shape.

Re: How much did your body change after pregnancy?

I lost 45 lbs in 8 weeks, but my body was not back to normal until at least 9 months pp. I would do at least one size bigger.

Re: How much did your body change after pregnancy?

I ordered a dress two sizes up when I was 3 weeks PP and BFing. It fit me perfectly then, but the wedding was 6 months later and I was swimming in it.

Just to be safe, I'd say go one or two sizes up. You can always have it altered.

Re: How much did your body change after pregnancy?

I lost all of my pregancy weight plus 5 pounds BUT I still have a lil bit of swelling from my c-section and some droopy skin. I am almost 6 weeks post-partum and I still wear the compression bandage they gave me at the hospital. If I were buying for myself, I would go one size bigger.

Message edited 10/6/2008 5:56:35 PM.

Re: How much did your body change after pregnancy?

I'm in a similar situation. I am going to be 5-6 months PP at my best friend's wedding. I have decided to get one size up from what I'd normally order. I was back to my normal weight by 5 months PP the first time, but my boobs were still much larger than normal so I think I'll need the size up just for the top & hopefully I can have the waist taken in a little if I do manage to lose the weight.

Re: How much did your body change after pregnancy?

Re: How much did your body change after pregnancy?

I was very lucky...by 5 mths PP I was back to my origional pre prego weight, actually a lb. or 2 thinner.

Re: How much did your body change after pregnancy?

by 5 months pp I was able to fit into all my clothes and my jeans and were even a little lose. I am not as tone as I used to be, but the clothes fit just fine.

I don't know my wt, but I think I wt less.

I am still BF (will you be) because that could change your top size.

I would wait to see, but since you have to order it, then I would get bigger and have it taken in.

Message edited 10/6/2008 9:00:29 PM.

Re: How much did your body change after pregnancy?

I had a similar situation, it was a Jcrew dress as well---I called Jcrew to find out how much the dress could be let out/altered and what they recommended size wise---I ended up getting 1 size up for 5 months PP and ended up having it taken in a little (I gained 35 lbs with DS)