You’ve Come A Long Way, Baby: Post Pregnancy Weight Loss

Losing weight after you’ve just had a baby may seem like an impossible feat, however there is hope in finding that now lost body you’re looking for. Post pregnancy weight loss gets many women down but with some helpful tips and encouragement it doesn’t have to.

Having a baby changes your life, as well as your body. If you are a first time mom then you might be wondering why it’s taking so long for your mommy tummy to get back to its original shape, and if it will actually return to its normal shape. And to make matters worse everything you read about “Hollywood moms” tells you that your body should be back to its normal self in a week or two. Reality is somewhat different than Hollywood, and it is good to know that most women take about six months (if not more) to get their normal bodies back. So don’t get yourself too discouraged because it’s taking you longer than a couple of weeks to get back to normal.

Consider an exercise program that involves your baby.

Although you may be extremely eager to lose those extra pounds and jump into a work out program, it’s important to ease yourself into things and remember that you’re body is still trying to recover from delivering a baby. Even the fittest moms have trouble getting back into an exercise routine. Most doctors will tell you that you shouldn’t be doing any type of exercise for at least four to eight weeks, depending on what kind of delivery you had. Some will also tell you that you shouldn’t begin a regular exercise program until you have gone through a few regular period cycles. There are several obstacles to exercise after giving birth. Let’s take a look at just a few that you may be feeling and how to deal with them:
1. Exhaustion and fatigue- These two are probably the most common obstacles to losing weight after giving birth, especially if you are nursing. Nursing can take quite a toll on your body so it’s important to be aware of your energy levels and not to push yourself more than you can handle.
2. Emotional ups an downs- If this isn’t your first baby then you know how emotional having a baby can be; if it is your first then you need to know that mood swings and emotional ups and downs are totally normal. Some new moms experience postpartum depression and exercise may help with that, but you should always talk to your doctor about handling the situation.
3. Time- It’s difficult to judge when your baby will want to eat, or when they will need to sleep, etc. in the first few weeks. It takes them a while to get used to a schedule and normal routine so exercising seems a distant memory. You may also find that there are other time constraints that take up your time so fitting exercise into the equation is difficult.

Despite the obstacles that you may face with exercise and losing the weight after pregnancy, there are some things you can do to still get back to your normal self. Here are some quick tips:

• Keep things simple. Don’t strain yourself about doing major workouts just to lose the fat. Take some time in between naps to do some simple exercises, go for a walk, or even just go up and down the stairs a few times.
• Eat a balanced diet. This is important regardless of whether or not you’re trying to lose weight. It keeps you healthy, as well as the baby if you are nursing and can really help with trimming that tummy.
• Focus on what’s important. It’s easy to get caught up in losing weight especially after you’re body has been through so much, but you need to gain perspective and figure out where your priorities are. Enjoy your baby, and your body even if it doesn’t look the way you want it to now; it will with time.

Post pregnancy weight loss is frustrating, difficult, and time consuming. It’s important to stay focused on what’s important and with time the weight will come off with a little hard work and patience.