title: Experiences accompanying postpartum weight loss: benefits, successes, and well-being.
abstract: Obesity is a growing problem in the United States, and research has supported the theory that pregnancy contributes to long-term weight gain. This phenomenological study investigated the postpartum weight loss experiences of 24 women. Women ranged in age from 25 to 35 years, were mostly Caucasian with adequate resources, and about half worked either full or part time. Women described both positive and negative experiences associated with weight loss. Themes included issues related to exercise, weight struggles, pregnancy contributions to weight gain, eating, breastfeeding, motivation for weight loss, time issues, miscellaneous struggles, realizing benefits, social support, quick weight loss, personal well-being, and successes. The overarching theme that represents these women's experiences was the need to balance weight loss activity with other responsibilities, which resulted in challenges and triumphs in women's pursuit of returning to their prepregnancy weights. Realizing benefits, successes, and personal well-being are addressed in this article.
authors.affiliation: School of Nursing, University of North Carolina at Charlotte, NC, USA. krismontgomery@hotmail.com
authors.forename: Kristen S
authors.initials: KS
authors.lastname: Montgomery
authors.forename: Tracy D
authors.initials: TD
authors.lastname: Aniello
authors.forename: Jennifer D
authors.initials: JD
authors.lastname: Phillips
authors.forename: Terrie
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Kirkpatrick
authors.forename: Courtney
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Catledge
authors.forename: Kristin
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Braveboy
authors.forename: Carol
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: O'Rourke
authors.forename: Neema
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Patel
authors.forename: Malshundria
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Prophet
authors.forename: Anita
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Cooper
authors.forename: Christie
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Parker
authors.forename: Lori
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Mosely
authors.forename: Gaye M
authors.initials: GM
authors.lastname: Douglas
authors.forename: Lindsay F
authors.initials: LF
authors.lastname: Schalles
authors.forename: Elizabeth
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Hatmaker-Flanigan
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D015444:Exercise; D005260:Female; D015438:Health Behavior; D006801:Humans; D007407:Interviews as Topic; D009042:Motivation; D009765:Obesity / Q000517:prevention & control*; D010549:Personal Satisfaction; D049590:Postpartum Period; D011247:Pregnancy; D036301:Qualitative Research; D012649:Self Concept; D012944:Social Support; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D015431:Weight Loss