Lost Height?

Pregnancy can cause the arch of your feet to flatten out which can cause both a loss in height and a change in shoe size (width, length or both). This was an issue for me after my pregnancy. If you think this might be part of it, the best fix is a good pair of shoes. Most brand name shoes (Nike, New Balance, Adidas, and so on) have much better arch support and can actually help to bring your arch back to a healthy height. Good luck!

You got shorter? It wasn't the pregnancy, it's the child rearing!! lol You're so worn out you're loosing your posture.
Seriously, did you ask your DR? Was he concerned about your bone strength? If not, you might not have been standing straight.

When in the day was your appointment? I saw an episode of 20/20 or Dateline or some show like that and evidently you shrink throughout the day. If you measure yourself when you get up then again before you go to bed there can be over an inch difference. I've also noticed that just like scales, no too meausurings will be quite the same. I've been to one doctor and measured 5'5" and another that said I was 5'3' both with no shoes!

I agree with the posture thing. Are you nursing? Are your breasts larger than before? If you have more weight on top, you might be slouching forward. Also pregnancy can change the ways your muscles support your spine, making it more into an S shape and taking away inches.

If you feel like your posture is fine, I would lean to a quirk in the measurement. But if you feel different when you put shoulders back and stick your chest out, you probably do need to work on your posture. Check out http://www.clevelandclinic.org/health/health-info/docs/03... for more info about a healthy posture. You might also want to try lifting some light weights to strengthen your muscles or doing Pilates or Yoga to strengthen and focus on posture. I bet you can gain back that inch and a half and feel better all around! Take care of yourself Mama!

one thing that can change the height is the whether or not you have shoes on or not when your heigh is taken

Posture changes dramatically in pregnancy and the aftermath of carrying a baby allll around while our ligaments are still in flux (for 12 months following delievery OR after finishing up breast feeding). I bet your shoulders are more rounded, head a bit forward and upper back slumped. Also, your lower back is a bit curvier with the weakened abdominals, right? The posture should be ear over outside shoulder which should be over the side hip then over the outside ankle bone (that is if you drew a straight line down the side). Try this, pull your lower tummy in (don't "suck" it in but pull the belly button towards your spine) and lift your chest bone (sternum) to face up. Those two things alone will allow you to begin regaining your old posture (or at least to some degree).
Good luck
A.
(Mom and Physical Therapist)....PS: this information is considered common knowledge and should not be in lieu of a medical professional who has evaluated you in person.

It could also be the way you were standing. I've normally always measured at around 5'6" and when I went last August I was measured at 5'4 1/2" I'm not that short trust me.. my mom is 5'4ish and I'm a good few inches taller than she is...but they had me standing really funny.... I wouldn't worry about it to much