Postpartum weight loss
When a woman is preparing and planning to bring a new life in the world, she finds herself best with a ton of worries. Will the baby be healthy? Will the delivery hurt? Are we financially secure enough to give our new little bundle of joy the very best? Will the baby’s room be ready? What will we name him or her? But one thing they may not think of is the subject of postpartum weight loss. Many mother’s do, of course, worry about the weight gain during pregnancy and try to exercise and maintain a healthy diet to ensure that they do not gain too much weight, but sometimes, during all the shuffle and excitement of bringing a new little life into this big world, mother’s do not make the time to think too closely about postpartum weight loss. If you are an expectant or new mother, here are a few facts you need to know about postpartum weight loss.
Though the number is different for everyone, women generally gain between 25 and 35 pounds during pregnancy. And no matter if women go through their pregnancy “eating for two” or not, you can be sure that not all of that weight is a tiny baby! Women do experience postpartum weight loss to the tune of 12 to 14 pounds during the delivery itself, but that leaves another 12 to 21 pounds, on average, of postpartum weight to be lost. Further, some pregnant women suffer from pregnancy-related complications such as gestational diabetes that cause them to gain even more weight. For many new mothers, who are busy just taking care of their brand new baby, postpartum weight loss is the least of their worries. But there are ways to get back that pre-pregnancy body back.
If you are a new mother and concerned about the changes that took place in your body, do not fret. Postpartum weight loss should be the least of your worries – at least for awhile. And if you are like many women, you will find that you are able to regain your pre-pregnancy body within 8 months to a year of delivery.
So how do new mothers achieve postpartum weight loss? Unfortunately, there is no quick and easy fix for postpartum weight loss. The keys to losing weight after delivery of a new baby are the same as the keys to losing weight at any other time – eating a healthy, balanced diet and exercising regularly. But for new mothers, there are special considerations when it comes to dieting and exercise.
For the first three months of new motherhood, you simply should not worry too much about postpartum weight loss, even if you are not breastfeeding. There are steps you can take in those first few months though, and they include eating healthy and staying as active as possible. After about three months your baby will be growing up a bit and your periods and hormones should have returned back to normal. If that is the case, it’s time to start following a healthy, low fat diet and doing some exercises daily, or at least three times per week. At this point, postpartum weight loss should occur.
As a new mother, you may have heard that breastfeeding your new baby assists with weight loss, and you are absolutely right! Studies have shown that breastfeeding in the twelve months after delivery help new mothers lose that pregnancy weight. This is because the process of feeding new children with the breast releases hormones that help your uterus return to its pre-pregnancy size and shape. On the other hand, other weight tends to come off after the breastfeeding stops.
Finally, if you are trying to achieve postpartum weight loss, be sure to consult your OB/GYN or primary care physician before going on a diet or other weight loss plan. Pregnancy and post-pregnancy are stressful times for your body. Lose weight, but be safe about it.
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