The long weeks of pregnancy are over and you're about toWelcomed your little bundle of joy home. In the first few weeks after birth it's all about the little miracle, but after a few days most new moms start to wonder if and when they'll get their old figure back. Losing weight after pregnancy is certainly possible, but you should proceed with caution. Lightning diets and excessive exercise can be harmful not only to the mother, but also to the baby. You can find the best tips for healthy weight loss after childbirth in this article!
Losing weight after giving birth: How long does it take to regain your previous weight?
Whether it is easy for you to lose weight after pregnancy or not depends primarily on how much weight you gained during the pregnancy. Weight gain varies greatly from woman to woman, with 10 to 15 kilograms being considered normal. However, many factors cangreater weight gaintrigger and women often have to reckon with 30 or even more kilos of pregnancy weight. The more weight you gain, the longer it will take to reach your desired weight.
Doctors and experts advise that women not lose the weight they gained too quickly after pregnancy. On average, the path to the previous form should take at least 6 months. Women who were slim before pregnancy also lose weight faster than women who were already a few pounds over. Those who delivered their baby via cesarean section usually need a little more time and effort to lose the baby pounds.
When thinking about your post-baby weight, it's important to remember that the body often changes during pregnancy and you may never look quite the same. However, this fact should not discourage you at all, because you have brought a new life into the world and that is much more important than a perfect figure.
How and when to lose weight after pregnancy?
If the rolls of fat and the soft stomach after giving birth worry you, then of course you can do something to get rid of the extra pounds. However, give yourself enough time for your body to recover after delivery. You should definitely avoid strenuous physical activity in the first four to six weeks after birth. You must also not go on a diet while breastfeeding, but must eat a healthy, balanced diet to provide the baby (and yourself) with all the important nutrients.
The good news first: you will lose an average of five to seven kilograms during delivery. This includes the weight of the baby, which is usually two to four kilograms, the amniotic fluid, around 1.5 liters, around 0.5 liters of blood and other water retention. With normal weight gain during pregnancy, around half of the pregnancy weight is lost shortly after birth.
Regardless of how much exactly you want to lose, you should be careful about weight loss after childbirth. We will give you some tips on how to lose pregnancy weight healthily and effectively without harming yourself or the baby.
Get rid of the extra pounds with breastfeeding
One of the most effective ways to lose weight after pregnancy is breastfeeding.Breastfeeding motherstend to lose pregnancy weight more quickly than bottle-feeding women. But for many new mothers, breastfeeding doesn't work for one reason or another, while others simply don't want to do it. If this is also the case for you, don't let anyone make you feel guilty! Children who are fed formula milk develop just as well as breastfed children.
In addition to its many positive effects on the baby, breastfeeding also burns a lot of calories. The body gets the energy needed for milk production from fat reserves. This means that the fatty tissue regresses and you lose weight. In the first few days or weeks after birth, breastfeeding supports the regression of the uterus, which also causes the stomach to shrink.
However, not every mother can rely on breastfeeding alone, as there are also women for whom it has no effect on their weight at all.
Create a healthy eating plan
Tips for breastfeeding mothers
If you want to lose weight, proper nutrition plays a crucial role. Diets are absolutely forbidden while breastfeeding. When you diet, the body attacks the fat reserves, which releases harmful substances that enter the baby's body through breast milk. In addition, with a low calorie intake there is a risk that both mother and baby will not receive enough of the most important nutrients.
Breastfeeding mothers must consume 300 to 500 calories more per day than non-breastfeeding mothers. But that's not an excuse to snack on cakes and chocolate bars every day. You should cover your calorie needs with a balanced, healthy diet and not miss out on any important nutrients.
Tips for non-breastfeeding mothers and after breastfeeding
In principle, women are allowed to diet after breastfeeding. However, you should proceed with caution if you have a lot of excess kilos. Crash diets that promise quick weight loss are anything but healthy and don't work. They are really difficult to maintain (especially with a newborn) and have an undesirable yo-yo effect. Losing weight slowly after pregnancy is not only healthier, but also more effective in the long term.
Choose a nutrition plan that suits you
To achieve and maintain a healthy weight after your baby is born, the first step is to give yourself enough time. Midwives often say about pregnancy weight: “Nine months it comes, nine months it goes.” If you want to set realistic goals, you should expect that it could take six months to a year to reach your starting weight.
Proper nutrition after childbirth is not much different from thatNutrition during pregnancy. Here we have collected some tips that can help you create your own nutrition plan.
- Don't skip breakfast.
- Make sure you eat regular meals.
- Eat fresh fruits and vegetables every day.
- Bring fiber-rich foods to the table, such as: E.g. oats, beans, lentils, grains, seeds, etc.
- Avoid white sugar altogether.
- Replace wheat products with whole grain varieties.
- Avoid fast food, sweets and soft drinks with added sugar.
- Replace unhealthy fats like margarine with healthy oils, nuts, avocados and foods rich in omega-3 fatty acids.
- Eat fewer carbohydrates in the evening.
- Drink plenty of water.
Movement is key
Good weight loss results cannot be achieved without exercise. And this fully applies to losing weight after giving birth, even if flash diets are impossible. Regular exercise can not only shed the pounds, but also has positive effects on your cardiovascular system. Also note that women who were more physically active before or during pregnancy usually lose weight significantly faster than those who did not exercise.
Start with light exercises for recovery first. In this way you train your pelvic floor, which works a lot during pregnancy or during a normal birth. Walks with the stroller or with the baby in a sling as welllight stretching exercisesare also a good option. When the pelvic floor is fit again, you can start with a light exercise program.
To start with, light training every two days is sufficient. If you feel good, you can then increase the duration or effort of the workout a little from week to week. You can watch postpartum exercise videos and start doing them.
Classic sports are not recommended in the weeks after birth. After about two to three months, you can support your weight loss after pregnancy, for example by swimming or cycling.
Only after 6 weeks (perhaps a little more for a cesarean section) is a slightly more intensive training permitted. Many women often want to lose weight specifically on their stomach in order to tone it up. But exercises just for the core of the body are not enough. You have to train your whole body and eat healthy at the same time. We have more tipsin this articlecollected.
Tip: Even if you feel ready for more intense training, discuss your training program with your doctor first to rule out any negative consequences for your health. Caution is recommended when exercising, especially after a cesarean section.
Training with baby
The journey to pre-pregnancy weight can take longer than 12 months in some cases. The bigger the baby gets, the less time there is for exercise in everyday life. A great option is to offerExercises that you do together with the babycan. Baby can lie next to you on the play mat with play arch while you exercise. There are also exercises you can do with the baby in the baby carrier.
If you like exercising outside, you can also try out a workout with a stroller. Leg raises, lunges, squats and many other exercises can also be done wonderfully with the buggy as support.
Don't stress, you can do it!
Even if thatLosing weight after pregnancyIf it doesn't work out as well as you expected, you shouldn't panic. No one expects a new mom to look like a model or lose pregnancy weight after a few weeks. During pregnancy, your body has undergone many important changes and it is completely normal for it to take time to get back into shape. So don't stress and enjoy the first few months with your baby. You can do it!
