Postpartum Weight Loss
One of the biggest things on your mind is probably losing the weight you gained while you were pregnant. Remember that it took your body nine months to gain the weight, which was distributed in a certain manner to help promote pregnancy and breastfeeding. Now, the process of losing the weight will also need to proceed in a particular fashion. You really need to focus on giving yourself the time to lose the weight, without pressure from your own ideas or from those around you.
Exercise and Diet Roles
Exercise will play a large component in your quest to lose the weight after your baby is born. However, you also need to focus on taking care of your body. This includes watching what you eat.
Also, your diet postpartum does not necessarily need to be one of self-sacrifice, but you do need to pay attention to healing your body and feeding your baby if you're breastfeeding. This doesn't mean you can't have sweets and high-fat foods. Just as with any other time in your life, you may want to eat foods that are not the best choices but in moderation.
Fact
It takes about 500 to 1,000 calories a day to supply milk for your baby. If you are trying to lose weight, eating your normal diet will likely be sufficient for you to see a weight loss, because these calories are not typically included in your daily expenditure, as far as your body is concerned. However, any severe form of calorie restriction can cause a depletion in milk supply at any point in lactation. Weight loss attempts in the first six weeks are never recommended as that is when you are building the basis of your milk supply.
Exercise and Breastfeeding
Breastfeeding is a great start not only for your baby but for you as well. You are perfectly able to nurse and exercise. In fact, nursing moms are more likely to lose their pregnancy weight than those who do not nurse.
During pregnancy, part of the fat stores your body accumulates is in preparation for nursing. These fat stores are not called upon until after the baby is born and lactation begins. You may find, as some mothers do, that these stores are not tapped into right away.
Essential
If you are breastfeeding, you may think you have to avoid eating certain foods or that you must eat certain foods. Neither of these statements is true. Breastfeeding moms can usually eat whatever they want to eat. Some babies may be sensitive to certain foods, however. Talk to your pediatrician if you think your baby is one of these babies.
They are a protective mechanism by your body to protect your baby's food supply should you find yourself in a situation where you are starving. However, these fat stores are best removed by breastfeeding. The other alternative is liposuction!
During the first two months postpartum, you will find that weight loss tends to be dramatic. It is best for you to limit your weight loss while nursing to about 4 pounds a month after the initial postpartum period is over. This is to help protect your milk supply.
