Pregnancy means changes not only in your life and family size but also in your body. Every new mom wants to fit back into her pre-pregnancy clothes. Research shows that if the woman does not lose the extra weight she gained during her pregnancy, her chances of obesity increases. To lose weight after giving birth is a difficult challenge for new moms – who have to breastfeed as well as take care of the needs of a newborn.

Should you be losing weight while breastfeeding?

As a new mom, stress of losing the weight too soon can also affect your breastmilk supply. You already have to take care of your newborn which will make you sleep deprived. On top of that putting extra pressure of losing weight can reduce your milk supply.

When we lose weight and exercise, it relaxes lots of toxins which can find their way into your child’s breast feed. Therefore, it is essential to lose weight in a safe and slow manner. The following tips will help you to lose weight safely even when breastfeeding.

Also Read: 10 Ways to Reduce Belly Fat after Delivery

9 Tips To Lose Weight After Giving Birth 

#1. Take it slow

Labor and delivery can be an exhausting process and if you’ve given birth through a C-section then recovery is harder. Give your body enough time and rest to recover from childbirth. Getting on to a weight loss regime immediately after birth will hamper your recovery process and your postpartum body is not ready for that kind of exertion.

It’s perfectly acceptable to take upto a year to get back to your pre-pregnancy weight. So, it safe to say that to lose weight after giving birth, it will take some time, determination, effort and most importantly patience.

#2. Say NO to Dieting

Dieting is a big no-no during lactation as your body needs adequate nutrition to recover from labor and delivery, and also to meet the nutritional requirements of the baby. Instead of skipping meals, it is advised that you should eat small meals frequently.

Not only does this reduce your daily calorie intake, it also makes you feel less peckish and deprived. Ditch junk food for fruits, vegetables, yogurt, milk, whole grains, lean meats, nuts and healthy snacks. If you snack healthy – you will steadily lose weight after giving birth.

#3. Breastfeeding

Breastfeeding is not only beneficial for the baby but also for the mother. Breastfeeding can help you burn upto 200 to 300 calories throughout the day. So mommies, be sure to Mother Nature’s way to help you in reducing weight. Losing upto 500-700 grams in a week is considered safe, when you are breastfeeding. Losing more weight than this while breastfeeding can release toxins to enter your milk supply, so be sure to have a balance.

Also Read: 21 Home Remedies to get rid of pregnancy stretch marks

#4. Get adequate sleep

Although it can be a little difficult to sleep with a newborn baby, it is important for a mother to get some sleep as sleep deprivation releases stress hormones called cortisol which can result in weight gain.

Try taking a nap when the baby is napping and adjust your sleeping schedule around your baby, so you can get the rest along with baby.

#5. Exercise

Once you get the get-go from your doctor that you can exercise, you can begin with simple exercises such as walking and gradually transition into weight training and yoga. Weight training helps in increasing metabolism which in turn helps in losing weight. But it is advised that you do such exercises under the supervision of a trainer who is qualified in postnatal fitness.

Check out this video tutorial of post-natal workout that you can try out.

#6. Have Realistic Goals

It may not be possible to get back to your pre-pregnancy figure entirely – this is very difficult for some moms to accept. Pregnancy often results in body changes such as a softer belly, wider hips or a broader waistline. Therefore, you should be realistic about your goals.

Don’t compare yourself to celebrities who are able to get back in shape just after weeks of having a baby. Aishwarya Rai took her own sweet time to reduce her pregnancy weight, didn’t she?
Everyone gave her flak, but she didn’t give a hoot to what people may think or say about her weight or body – and put herself and her daughter’s health first. Take this positive lesson from her and flaunt those extra kilos and mommy scars with confidence and pride!

#7. Be Positive

Stressing out makes you fatter as you tend to binge-eat and this again messes with your sleeping cycles. Getting anxious is bad for your mental health – so try to stay as positive as you can. Look how far you have come and be proud of those changes.

You need to be positive and believe that you can lose weight and get back to your original figure. Secondly, you need to give the whole process some time. Just because you were always a lean girl does not mean that you will be able to shed those extra kilos soon.

More than physical attributes, losing your pregnancy weight will improve your circulation, reduce back problems, relieve from varicose veins and swollen feet that could have happened during pregnancy.

#8. Baby Wearing

Baby wearing is a great way to lose weight after pregnancy. Get a baby carrier and carry around your baby whenever you work around the house. This will help the baby to sleep easier as they love being held closer to mama! And this will also help you to lose weight while at the same time bonding with the baby.

You can also do “baby weight training” if you don’t have time to hit the gym. Use your little one to help you lose the weight by holding your baby close and doing a few lunges each day.

Watch this video to know more about baby wearing exercises.

#9. Stay Hydrated

After giving birth – the immediate weight loss is of the water that your body retained during pregnancy. If you’re breastfeeding you will need more fluids in order to produce milk. If you don’t drink enough water, your body will begin to feel dehydrated and start retaining water again. This will cause your weight to increase.

The best way to stop water retention and ensure weight loss is to drink lots of water and stay hydrated. Always keep a filled water bottle near you and keep sipping throughout the day.