Your Birth Story

So the stork has landed, you’re a new mom and you’re in total bliss and in love your new baby. After a while, you start to refocus your attention on yourself a little bit. Many new moms ask the question ‘how soon can you lose weight after pregnancy?’ The answer is that there is no easy way to lose baby weight and it all depends on a number of factors. You may begin to not like what you see in the mirror. That dreaded baby weight, you’ve got to get rid of it. If you want to “snap back”, you may have to work a bit harder at losing baby weight.

The answer to the question “How Soon Can You Lose Weight After Pregnancy?” is dependent upon how your delivery went. Naturally, your body will require some time to recover from the trauma of giving birth. It is recommended that you wait until after your 6-8 week check-up before you start seriously putting effort into losing baby weight. For breastfeeding moms, dieting may negatively affect your milk production and we don’t want that.

Also, jumping immediately into rigorous exercise will slow down your body’s ability to heal and will make you even more exhausted if you can imagine. If you were already a fit mom and worked out before and during your pregnancy, doing some very light exercises soon after birth is okay but only if you had a normal vaginal delivery. If you’ve had a C-section, your body will need additional time to heal from the surgery. Your doctor may clear you for light exercise after several weeks and you can begin your plan to lose baby weight.

Ask Your Body How Soon Can You Lose Weight After Pregnancy

Your body will let you know if it’s ready to lose post baby weight, so it’s important to pay attention to the signs your body is showing you. Consult with your doctor, so he/she can let you know if everything is in good working order before proceeding to exercise. If you’re doing too much, too soon after delivery, you will start to feel drained and exhausted. This is a sure sign that you need to slow it down and take it easy. Everyone’s body recovers at a different pace, so listen to what your body is telling you before you dive headfirst into losing post baby weight.

Eating For Two

Even though your baby is no longer inside the womb, you still need to consider him/her in YOUR OWN nutritional plan. For breastfeeding moms, cutting calories and carbs and seriously dieting too soon after birth will affect your milk supply. It is recommended that you wait 6 weeks to a few months before you start dieting – so consider this when you google ‘How soon can you lose weight after pregnancy’.

It is quite normal for women to lose post baby weight, a lot of it, by simply breastfeeding, as your body naturally burns a lot of calories and fat trying to continuously produce and supply milk for your baby. In general, moms need to eat balanced meals, because not eating enough or properly can make you crankier and less energetic. You need to take care of yourself to be able to take care of your baby.

When Will My Body Return To Normal?

The percentage of returning to your pre-baby body quickly is very low for the average woman. If you haven’t been working out prior to and during pregnancy, you have to give your body some time to get there. The more weight you gained during the pregnancy, the longer it will take to lose.

How Soon Can You Lose Weight After Pregnancy? The answer is in due time.

Remember that your body has undergone a miraculous metamorphosis and may not return to the exact shape it was before the baby, but don’t despair – you can lose baby weight by taking a gradual approach. When you are ready to diet, exercise and follow a healthy weight loss regimen, you can lose your baby weight within 6 to 7 months. Ideally, give yourself a year to return to your pre-baby weight or your ‘new normal’ healthy weight.

Your New Ideal Body

Losing post baby weight takes a lot of effort for most women. There is no easy way to lose baby weight and there is no exact answer to ‘How soon can you lose weight after pregnancy’. Remember that it was over the course of 9 months that you gained the weight, so it’s very unrealistic to aim to lose it all immediately. Your body may not look the exact same post-baby, even if you have returned to your ideal weight, but that is OK. Embrace your new ideal body and recognize that it has created life and your new shape is a reminder of that.