It can be disappointing to return home from the hospital after giving birth to find that not only do your jeans not fit but also your body still looks pregnant. Fortunately, there are steps you can take to lose weight at a reasonable pace so you can soon fit into your favorite jeans and feel comfortable with your post-pregnancy body.
First Weeks
During the first six postpartum weeks, the size of your uterus returns to its pre-pregnancy size and you both absorb and lose excess fluids from the pregnancy, explains LaLeche League International, or LLLI. Your body stored extra fat during the pregnancy, and the fat will not disappear without dedicated diet and exercise. How quickly you lose the weight you gained depends on how much weight you gained. LLLI recommends committing to a weight loss program but doing it "gradually and with love," remembering that it took you nine months for your body to change and immediate change after giving birth is not usually possible.
Realistic Expectations
Having unrealistic goals for postpartum weight loss might make it difficult to get back to your pre-pregnancy weight. BabyCenter states that although the average woman loses about 10 lbs. very soon after delivery, it takes most women months to lose pregnancy weight. Setting a goal of losing 1/2 to 1 lb. of weight a week after the initial six- to eight-week postpartum period is realistic and healthy.
Eating Strategies
In the days following delivery, eat and drink when you are hungry in order to provide adequate calories for your body to heal and recover. When you doctor gives you permission, eat at least 1,800 calories if you are breastfeeding and 1,600 calories if you are not, recommends Family Education. Schedule small snacks and drink water throughout the day to stay full. Eat low-fat milk and yogurt, consume at least 2 cups of vegetables and 1 1/2 cups of fruit a day and eat lean protein such as chicken, fish or beans. Continue taking your prenatal vitamin if breastfeeding.
Time Frame for Exercise
Exercise can help you lose weight after delivery thanks to the extra calories burned and temporary increase in metabolism. Although doctors used to instruct all women to wait for between six and eight weeks before beginning an exercise program, MayoClinic.com states that if you had a vaginal delivery with no complications you can begin a gentle exercise program as soon as you feel ready. In the case of a cesarean section, consult with your doctor. Begin with non-jarring exercises such as walking or riding a stationary recumbent bicycle. As your strength returns from the delivery, increase the amount of time and frequency of your exercise to lose weight more quickly.
Considerations
Although it can be difficult to lose pregnancy weight, a 2010 study published in the "American Journal of Clinical Nutrition" and led by Abdullah A. Manum found that women who gained more weight than recommended during a pregnancy were more likely to be overweight or obese years later. Even if you gained more weight than you intended, beginning a healthy weight loss program soon after giving birth can help you achieve a healthy weight that you can maintain throughout your life.
References
- La Leche League International: Postpartum Body Image and Weight Loss
- BabyCenter: Diet for Healthy Post-Baby Weight Loss
- FamilyEducation: Breastfeeding Diet and Health Basics
- MayoClinic.com: Weight Loss After Pregnancy: Reclaiming Your Body
- American Journal of Clinical Nutrition: Association of Excess Weight Gain During Pregnancy with Long-Term Maternal Overweight and Obesity: Evidence from 21 Y Postpartum Follow-Up
