Losing Baby Weight

You’ve experienced the ups and downs of pregnancy and childbirth and now you find yourself adjusting to the concept of motherhood. For most women, the first adjustment they want to make is losing all that excess baby weight. The important thing to remember is that with a new baby to care for, a sudden lack of sleep and the physical effects of recovery, losing weight will not be easy. But it can be done.

Most women gain an average of around 30 pounds during pregnancy. The good news is that 18 to 20 of those pounds are usually lost within the first month after giving birth. The bad news? Well, that would be the remaining 5 or 10 pounds, which tend to be a little stubborn. But a good postpartum exercise program can go a long way toward helping you shed those extra pounds.

Just like it was during your pregnancy, exercise is essential in the postpartum period. It not only builds your energy level, which can be helpful during all those sleepless nights, but raises your metabolism and helps relieve stress and tension. In short, it makes you feel a lot better. The important thing is going about it carefully. Yes, you need to exercise, but you need to do it the right way.

First, remember to take things slowly. Your body is still recovering from a major event and you need to let yourself ease back into an exercise routine. Consult with your doctor to find out simple exercises you can do to help ease your recovery and regain fitness. In the first couple of weeks after birth, Kegel exercises can be a good place to start to help strengthen vaginal muscles. The easiest initial exercise is walking. Short walks can help prepare your body for more strenuous workouts later, plus they can be a chance to get a breath of fresh air and some down time for yourself.

Getting the belly back into shape is a priority for many women, but don’t overdo. Take things slowly and do only as much as you feel able to. Exercises such as pelvic tilts and ab contractions can go a long way toward firming up distended muscles. You can even include your baby in these. Simply lie on your back on the floor and place the baby on your stomach, then as you inhale lift the baby up and pull your abs in and squeeze them. Exhale and lower the baby to your stomach again and repeat as many times as you can.

As you get stronger, you’ll be able to incorporate more exercises into your routine, but you shouldn’t return to a full aerobic workout until at least six weeks after birth. If you’ve had a Cesarean, you’ll need to let your body heal before resuming exercise. Check with your doctor before you do anything.

Remember, it took nine months for your body to reach this shape – you shouldn’t expect it to go back overnight!