12 to 18 kgs. Yes, it is the average weight that a Mum will gain during her pregnancy. After giving birth to your child you may want to find your pre-pregnancy body back. You will find useful tips to achieve it by reading through this article.
The golden rule, mums: Take your time!
Losing your gained weight should not turn into an obsession! The risk of never losing the pounds of pregnancy scares a lot of mums.
But do not panic, still, show some curves a few weeks after delivery is totally normal. Mums, your body just went through a lot and it will take some time to return to its “normal” state.
You will see pictures on supermodels Instagram’s but don’t take example of those images where mums are back on the runway and red carpets only two days after giving birth to their child.
Please, don’t fall for strict diets.
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Bonding and taking care of your newborn requires energy. Despite the fact that you will maybe lose weight, doing a strict diet will exhaust you.
An important point is to eat normally and avoid eating between meals, I know a chocolate bar may be tempting but don’t lose the objective!
Favour doing 3 meals a day containing white meat and vegetables and drink a LOT of water in its various forms (tea, herbal teas, soups…).
Breastfeeding to recover your pre-pregnancy body?
It was scientifically proven that breastfeeding can help you lose weight, after giving birth a bit faster.
To roughly explain why, ladies, the body will tap into the fat reserves accumulated during pregnancy. Because of the energy needed to make breast milk it causes you to lose around 200 to 500 calories a day.
Still, if you do not feel like breastfeeding or cannot, do not feel guilty about it. The decision to give the breast is personal and losing weight should not be the main motive.
A happy mother giving feeding bottle is better than a stressed mum forcing herself to breastfeed. Because as you know, stress is the enemy of weight loss! Tune in to these articles at our Breastfeeding category.
Start moving again (even with your child)
Physical activity helps to regain some firmness. But no rush. No sports is recommended during the 2 months following delivery and the agreement of a midwife or a doctor is preferable before starting again. You can favour some daily exercises that will still make your body burn calories like walking or climbing some stairs.
We already covered the fact pre-natal was beneficial for future mums so does is postpartum yoga which is a way to do soft exercises that won’t drain your body too much.
Carrying your baby is also an excellent manner to lose this reluctant weight even though it might seem surprising. Besides improving your mutual bound it will also help stretch your upper muscles again. However a little nap from time to time is also recommended, and it feels so good, right?
Finally, trust your body!
Your sister lost all her gained weight in 1 month? Your best friend had her pre-pregnancy body back in 8 weeks? And you’re wondering why you are still struggling with undesired curves 3 months later?
Don’t freak out, you are totally fine! Every woman has her own metabolism and some are just losing weight faster than others, as long as you keep following the advice and your doctor’s opinion you will find your model body again.
Mums, don’t be shy to express your opinion and comment if you have more tips that helped you recover your pre-pregnancy body!
Feel free to share this article and visit Motherhood.com.my for more useful tips and quality products.
Photo Credit: Trainer Academy