How fast you lose weight after pregnancy will depend on a number of factors, including the amount of weight you gained during your pregnancy. What is certain is she will lose upwards of 14 pounds during the first 14 days after birth as the weight of the baby, amniotic fluid, placenta and other fluid is taken into account.
An additional seven pounds or so of body fat is gained during pregnancy but after birth when the uterus reverts back to its normal size and the hormone level starts to drop then the weight will start to fall as well. Energy is stored in this excess fat ready for breast feeding the baby but how quickly each woman loses weight is dependent on factors like genetics, the mother’s health, how much exercise they get and the type of food they eat.
After all, it did take nine moths to put the weight on and you cannot expect to lose it all overnight but having said that some women are fortunate enough to lose almost all of this weight within a matter of months after the birth. For a few women, those last few pounds they are desperate to shed may have to wait until after they have stopped breastfeeding their baby as this is natures way of ensuring the child receives all the milk it requires.
Fortunately our knowledge of nutrition has progressed and used properly with an exercise plan in place there shouldn’t be any reason why the weight won’t come off in time. Most women will be back to their pre-pregnancy weight within nine months of delivering if they follow a regular exercise program and eat healthily after delivery. Unfortunately, it is those women that lose it within the first three months that give false expectations to other mothers.
Weight loss after pregnancy can of course be difficult as most women’s bodies change in order to be a mother. In order to lose weight after pregnancy both safely, and effectively; a new mother should undertake a program of slow and steady dieting along with exercise that will produce long-term beneficial results.
In addition, dieting right after pregnancy for a new mother who is breast feeding should probably be put on hold as a breast feeding new mother needs a significant amount of energy for the continual 24 hour care of her baby that may last for a year. It may take 6 months or more after a pregnancy for the average mother’s weight loss to bring her body back to its usual metabolic rate along with the return of the normal amount of hormones that were present prior to conception but it is also important to remember that motherhood may produce some permanent changes.
The initial weight loss after birth of around fourteen pounds will just about put a dent in the total of up to thirty five pounds in weight that was gained during the pregnancy.
Although this weight loss after pregnancy is almost immediate, there is still a long way to go with perhaps another 21 pounds or so to lose but it needs to be done slowly perhaps even up to nine months.
