Healthy eating, regular exercise and breastfeeding. Returning to your pre-pregnancy weight.
It takes forty weeks to gain the extra pounds needed to create a baby but unfortunately, the weight does not disappear right after delivery. The average weight loss at delivery is probably about 12 pounds (approximately 8 pounds of baby, 1.5 pounds of placenta, 2 pounds of amniotic fluid and 0.5 pounds of blood).
Weight loss should happen slowly over weeks or months; the majority of women will be back to their pre-pregnancy weight 6 to 12 months after delivery. Many women find breastfeeding helps with weight loss – but it also increases your appetite so your body can keep up with the demands of milk production. Dieting is not recommended for breastfeeding moms, focusing on healthy nutrition will help you lose the weight and keep it off. For more information, download the Canada’s Food Guide: Servings Tracker for Breastfeeding females.
Don’t push yourself too hard or too early, the first six to eight weeks after delivery most women are dealing with sleep deprivation and exhaustion as they adjust to life with a newborn. If you haven’t been able to start an exercise regime, or change unhealthy eating patterns after six months, contact a personal trainer or dietitian in your local area to give you the help and motivation you need.
The following websites offer useful information on healthy lifestyles, recipes, weight loss goals and local contacts: