The weeks following childbirth bring many changes to your body, and your post postpartum stomach may never look like it used to. Changes in the stomach area often result from laxity of the abdominal muscle wall. The stomach area usually returns to...
After having a baby, regaining core strength can be difficult. What's worse, the stretching and separation of the abdominal muscles during pregnancy makes standard ab exercises like crunches less effective for postpartum moms. Nonetheless, if...
Weight retention varies greatly among postpartum women. In fact, some women gain weight after delivery due to changes in diet or physical activity, while others lose weight quickly. In general, women typically lose 15 lbs. within a few days after...
MayoClinic.com advises that exercising after pregnancy can provide numerous benefits. While exercising during the postpartum phase can help you begin working towards your goal weight and size, certain factors may affect your exercise regimen....
After you have given a birth, getting your body back in shape may be at the forefront of your mind. Common activities after giving birth include walking, stretching and riding a bicycle. Depending on the type of delivery you had, you may need to...
The combination of pregnancy, child-birth and motherhood can make physical activity seem like a thing of a past and nearly impossible to fit into a busy parenting lifestyle. New mothers rarely have the time, energy or motivation to follow an...
Although you might only be in it for the flat stomach, exercise after delivery has several benefits. It gives you the energy to meet your new baby's needs and helps enhance your mood, according to the American College of Obstetricians and...
In the same way that mothers watch their diets while pregnant, they must value their post-partum nutrition even more because everything they ingest goes directly into their breast milk. Not only does a new mother need to fuel her own body and...
Although you may be busy with your newborn, you should make time to exercise. Regular exercise will help your body get back into shape while providing you with cardiac benefits. At your six-to-eight week post-partum visit, your doctor will likely...
Weight gain is unavoidable during pregnancy as the body nourishes the baby and prepares for childbirth. Some women gain a lot of weight, and some gain just a little, but the quest to reclaim the pre-pregnancy body can be a challenge for all....
In the nine months leading up to the birth of your child, you have likely put on a healthy amount of weight to support growing the baby. Once you have gotten home and settled into a routine, you may begin to concern yourself with the extra weight...
After you've delivered your baby, you might be eyeing your old wardrobe with some nostalgia. With patience--remember it took nine months to gain the weight--a healthy diet and some basic exercises, you'll be wearing your old jeans again. Wear a...
If your thyroid makes too much thyroid hormone, you have hyperthyroidism, or an overactive thyroid. According to the National Endocrine and Metabolic Diseases Information Service, about 1 percent of the US population has hyperthyroidism, and most...
Gaining weight is a normal part of the pregnancy process. However, once you give birth, not all of this weight will necessarily go away automatically. Even after six months post-partum, you might find yourself needing to lose weight. A combination...
Once you have brought your little bundle of joy into the world, you probably noticed that Mother Nature left you an extra bundle of less-joyous baby weight. While lots of women quickly shed baby weight, you may not be as fortunate. Also, losing...
Although you may be eager to get your body back after having a baby, you need to give yourself time to recover from labor and delivery. For a vaginal delivery, most doctors recommend waiting six weeks until resuming diet and exercise. If you...
If you suffer from a loss of libido after giving birth, you are not alone. A depressed libido is normal following childbirth. Once your doctor has cleared you for having sex, usually about six weeks postpartum, you can make a few lifestyle changes...
Pregnancy and childbirth are tough on your body. While it's normal and healthy to gain weight during pregnancy, you may have a difficult time getting rid of it after your child is born. You can lose weight after childbirth with patience, careful...
Adoption is typically viewed as a happy event by the new parents. It is often the culmination of years of infertility treatments, interviews, home screenings and other preparatory activities. A long-time goal is finally reached when the baby is...
Under the right conditions, breastfeeding can be an effective form of birth control. But fertility returns for different women at different times, and it is possible to get pregnant while breastfeeding. It is even possible to conceive with your...
Vitamin K is a fat-soluble vitamin necessary for the formation of clotting factors in the blood. Vitamin K deficiency in newborns can occur one to seven days post-partum and can occur for any of the following reasons: Vitamin K does not readily...
Gaining weight during pregnancy is unavoidable for the health of your baby. After the baby is born, you may be ready to shed those excess pounds. However, if you are breastfeeding, you may be concerned about producing enough milk while on a diet....
When you are pregnant, the food you eat affects both you and your baby. Western diets are typically high in omega-6 fatty acids and low in omega-3 essential fatty acids, which humans need to consume in order to maintain good health. Omega-3 fatty...
After the many changes a woman’s body goes through during pregnancy, she may be surprised to see that the physiologic changes do not stop once the baby is delivered. A woman’s breasts begin the process of lactation during pregnancy,...
The stress of having and caring for a newborn can place an excessive amount of bio-mechanical strain on a new mother's back, according to Dave Van Zandt of Guilford Orthopaedic and Sports Medicine Center. Overall, postpartum mothers have a higher...
Everyone suffers from states of sadness and fatigue. However, chronic and persistent unhappiness may lead to a clinical diagnosis of Major Depressive Disorder. According to mental health guidelines provided by the American Psychiatric...
After nine months of weight gain and stretching that occurs in your stomach, losing belly weight post-pregnancy can pose a challenge. During pregnancy, you can gain anywhere from 15 to 35 lbs., depending on your pre-pregnancy size, according to...
Obtaining proper nutrition is important for both you and your baby's health when you are nursing. Losing your extra baby weight is possible, and actually may be easier, if you breastfeed. Approach a weight loss plan while nursing with realistic...
Many people are left with wrinkled, excess skin on the lower abdomen after weight loss. If you are a new mom, it is likely that the stretching of the skin that took place during pregnancy will not instantly snap back and leave you with firm,...
Postpartum depression refers to the clinical depression that can occur in women after childbirth. Learn more about post partum depression, including symptoms and treatments, in this health video.
