Even women who have been skinny their entire lives can undergo the struggle with weight that is adopted during pregnancy. Unfortunately, this new weight is not all baby weight and after labor, woman will find themselves with excess weight.
Post pregnancy weight is not the same as regular excess fat and a mother’s body and frame of mind is different too. This article will help new mothers to understand the hurdles and realistic expectations to face after giving birth and to remind you all that you are not alone.
How Soon After Child Birth
After carrying a child for 9 months and undergoing labor, the body is significantly weakened. It will take a few months for a mother to regain strength and all this while nursing a newborn, a large task even for a person at full strength. It is a good idea to check with health professionals such as your local GP as to when juggling a weight loss regime with your parental responsibilities is appropriate for you.
Go Slow
The approach should be slow and gentle, as should the weight loss. For a mother that has just given birth, the mind and body has undergone great stress and will continue to do so with early motherhood. The weight gain has taken several months to occur and the weight loss should also take months.
At the peak of a fitness and diet regimen the amount for a mother should be no more then any other person who is losing weight i.e. no more then 1 pound a week. Beyond this and the weight loss is too rapid and unhealthy and not only will it affects a mother’s ability to function as a parent and individual, but there is a greater risk of sabotaging your own weight loss efforts.
Breast Feeding
Conveniently, when you breast feed, your child is consuming calories in the form of breast milk. The more a mother breast feeds the more weight she will lose.
Be Active
The weight loss activities must fit in with the lifestyle of the mother and there are plenty of things one can do which not only mean you are burning calories, but you are engaging in positive activities with your baby/child.
Exercise with your baby – get out and about; take your baby for light walks. It’s good for you and it’s good for your baby.
- Rugged prams that allow mums to jog with their babies are excellent exercise for mum and a thrill for baby/infant
- When your baby is old enough, you can place them in a backpack and go for walks
Be imaginative! have fun with a friend
Does your friend have a child? Take your children to a park or oval. One parent stays with the children while the other does a lap of the oval. Take turns.
Listen to music and dance around or with your child – it’s fun , good exercise and very good for your child
Take your child outside with you while you engage in some gardening
Active mothers groups – perhaps you can enroll others members of your mothers group to be active and lose weight together
Diet
Particularly in the first few months after giving birth, a mother should not impose a strict diet on herself. The priority is providing fuel not just for the mother, but sufficient calories and nutrients for the newborn.
The focus in the first few months should be less restricted portions of healthy food
Being a mum is very busy work and between washing, changing, feeding and cleaning, sleep is high up on the list of priorities. This leaves little time to cook proper meals but it doesn’t mean that fast food and junk food are the most convenient options. Healthy snacks can be kept on hand that will help you lose weight and at the very least, help you to avoid stacking more weight on.
Post Pregnancy Summary
The most important thing that a mother should remember post pregnancy is to
- Have realistic expectations
- Continue to lose weight slowly
- Be active
- Eat healthy
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