 The
average woman gains more than 25 pounds during her pregnancy.
The procedure of childbirth may result in a weight loss of up to
14 pounds, which means that new moms still have considerable
weight to lose once they leave the hospital. However, some
women simply assume that this 'baby fat' will never go away.
Yet, it is entirely possible to lose weight during the
post-partum period.
A number of medical experts recommend easing into a weight loss
program after the birth of your baby. This means that you
will not start dieting until about three months following birth.
You should combine a low-fat diet with moderate exercise in
order to achieve weight loss.
Don't expect instant results. It will take you a good nine
months to get back to your weight prior to pregnancy. A
go slow approach is best because you need to give your body time
to recover after childbirth. Certainly, you might be able
to lose weight faster, but you might be sacrificing valuable
nutrients as a result.
Interestingly enough, breastfeeding actually enhances weight
loss. The American College of Obstetricians and
Gynecologists has found that breastfeeding leads to the release
of hormones which enable your uterus to return to its normal
size. However, breastfeeding alone won't bring down your weight.
You need to combine it with a sensible diet and a moderate
exercise program. Keep in mind that you need to have at
least 1800 calories a day while breastfeeding in order to keep
yourself and your baby healthy. Still, stay clear of junk
food during this period. You should rely on food with high
nutritional value to maintain the proper level of calories each
day.
There are many good reasons to exercise during the post-partum
period. In addition to helping to accelerate weight
reduction, exercise can help alleviate post-partum depression,
improve your mood, and boost your confidence. Exercise can
also 'clear your head' so that you're better able to meet the
demands of motherhood. You might consider joining a 'Mommy and
Me' exercise class so that your baby can exercise right along
with you. Another helpful hint is to enlist the help of a
friend or relative to act as your exercise buddy so that you'll
have some emotional support while exercising. An added
bonus of exercise is that it should boost your energy level,
which is quite important when battling the fatigue which comes
from caring for a newborn.
Your diet should generally be low-fat but not fat-free; vitamin
rich; and high-fiber. Under no circumstances should you go on a
fad diet. Such a diet could be quite harmful to your
health and could actually slow your recovery from childbirth.
It's a good idea to set weight-loss goals, but don't go
overboard. Recognize that there's a limit to the amount of
weight you can lose during a given period of time.
The time right after the birth of a child can be quite
challenging, taxing both your physical and emotional strength.
While it is certainly a good idea to eat healthy, you'll need to
pace yourself as far as weight loss is concerned. Over
time, you should be able to lose the weight you gained during
your pregnancy. In fact, you might find that you're
actually healthier after your baby is born.
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