Let’s face it, there’s not one of us who doesn’t want to shed a few pounds after we’ve spent several months walking around with the equivalent of a bowling ball inside our tummies. The good news is, as long as you don’t overdo it, the months following your pregnancy can actually be some of the easiest times for you to lose weight.
Many women seem to have trouble losing their “baby weight” in the months following the birth of their children, and some never lose the weight. But this isn’t because it’s terribly difficult to lose weight after you give birth to a baby. Quite to the contrary, it’s actually easier to lose weight because your metabolism is functioning at a significantly higher level while you are lactating. Most women who have trouble losing baby weight experience problems because of their eating habits and a lack of healthy exercise.
If you follow the same advice you received while you were pregnant regarding what you should eat, and how much, you will be in good shape to lose weight. This is especially true if you are breastfeeding, because your body will actually burn more calories making milk than you are taking in.
In addition to eating nutritious foods, you should add some light exercise into your daily routine as soon as possible. This can be as simple as taking your new baby for a walk in her stroller. You can add whatever type of exercise which you can perform comfortably, and in most cases, women are able to practice any exercise routines they had before pregnancy within a few weeks of giving birth.
Continue to take neo natal vitamins unless your doctor recommends otherwise. These strong vitamins will give you large doses of key nutrients your body needs after giving birth. In most cases, you should continue taking them as long as you are breast feeding.
If you are not experiencing weight loss after your pregnancy, consult your doctor. She should be able to help address any habits which may be hindering weight loss, as well as ruling out any medical causes. If you are bottle feeding, consider switching to breast feeding. Even if you are not producing milk, there are ways to get the lactation process going again, which will help your body shed the excess weight from your pregnancy. If you need to, request the services of a lactation coach. Your doctor should be able to recommend one.
