When you are pregnant, you can’t wait for the pregnancy glow and the big belly. It’s such a blissful experience to see your belly grow! As your bump grows bigger, you know that the arrival of your baby (or babies) is just around the corner.
However, as soon as you deliver, you hit the reverse gear! As days pass by, you cannot wait to shed all the weight that you had gained and get that belly back in shape. This blog will help with achieving that, but before we go any further ahead. It’s time to hit the pause button and ponder over this.
You nurtured your baby inside your body and brought him or her into this world enduring pain. The stretch marks and the extra weight are testimony to your motherhood and they make you who you are. While being fit and healthy is a great goal to have, it’s also essential that you love yourself and your body without adding on to any stress of weight loss.
However, eventually, when you do want to get back in shape, the following tips should be able to help you.
When you are breastfeeding your baby, you need extra calories. Remember, drastic weight loss after pregnancy can impact your milk production, so, go slow. Breastfeeding as an exercise helps burn calories, so there you go, your weight loss regime is already underway. It’s best to wait for at least two months of breastfeeding before you think of approaching any weight loss system that you want to adapt.
Post-delivery, you must keep yourself very well hydrated. Having a newborn around could mean you forgetting to grab that bottle. So here’s a quick tip: keep a filled water bottle in the place where you usually breastfeed. That way, when your baby drinks milk, you will also remember to drink your water. It is recommended to have at least 12 cups of fluid a day.
Pregnancy brings about a lot of changes to your body. As your uterus grows, your organs are pushed around to create that extra space. Delivery adds on to these changes apart from all the hormonal rebuilding that happens during your pregnancy. It’s obvious, therefore, that your body needs time to cope and recover. Engaging in drastic weight loss programs without giving enough time for your body to recover can be detrimental. It’s best to wait for at least six weeks before opting to shed that extra weight.
Having a newborn around can alter your routine. Your sleep and diet are a part of this too. It’s essential that you eat on time. This is true especially for breakfast - make sure that you are not skipping your breakfast as this meal can decide your energy levels for the entire day. Also, have smaller and regular meals. Include plenty of fiber and protein in your diet. Stay away from greasy food and say no to fast food and aerated drinks. Sleep well and take adequate rest. It’s also best to avoid binge eating.
There are a bunch of diet schemes that promise you to have the best shape. They might be great, but remember, your weight gain has happened because of pregnancy, hence it’s absolutely not advisable to cut down on your calories drastically, or to keep a strict watch on what you eat. Go slow and don’t be harsh on yourself.
You can start exercising about six weeks after your delivery. However, do not go overboard. There are many factors you need to consider before choosing what kind of exercise you want to indulge in. First is being easy on your body. Next is understanding your routine - compromising on sleep to exercise can be a bad idea. Take walks, engage in yoga and mediation, and do things that bring down your stress levels.
Ladies, remember, you have a new baby to take care of, so it’s important that you balance the focus on your baby’s needs and your own health. Feel good about yourself, enjoy all the beautiful moments with your baby, and just be patient. All these things will help you in the long run.
If you are looking at more detailed advice, get in touch with your doctor to have a clearer view on the dos and don’ts that suit you. At the Birthplace, we will make sure that we guide you every possible way to make motherhood a blissful experience for you.
Don’t be in a hurry to shed all those extra kilos post-pregnancy. Your body still needs those extra calories when you breastfeed your baby. Start slow and focus on eating nutritious foods and exercising regularly. It might take more time for some women, but do not resort to any adverse diets or heavy workouts. You can slowly increase the intensity and change your diet as well. Focus on cardio and pelvic floor strengthening for optimal results.
The time taken varies from woman to woman. It depends on how many kilos she has gained during pregnancy, how much she wants to lose, her health condition, and what type of exercises she is engaging in. Breastfeeding mothers will take longer as their bodies need extra calories for good breastmilk production.
It varies from person to person. Each body is different, and so is each woman’s postpartum journey. Some women may struggle to lose the weight despite changing their diet and regular exercise, while some women may lose it very quickly without much effort. Focus on a nutritious diet and regular exercise to lose weight the healthy way, without compromising on your health.
It depends on the method of delivery you had. For vaginal deliveries without an episiotomy or any vaginal tears, women can start walking within a few hours. Women with vaginal tears may require longer, as it can be painful to walk. Women who underwent C-sections should wait a day or 2 to start walking slowly. They can gradually increase it without straining their abdominal muscles.
