Healthy weight loss after birth

When can I start to lose weight?

To give your body some time to recover from labour and birth, wait six weeks or so before you think about slimming down. Keep in mind that your body may change shape after pregnancy, and you may find it difficult to return to your exact pre-pregnancy weight. You can start to do some gentle exercise (walking, pelvic floor exercises, stretching) as soon as you feel up to it. However, you should wait six weeks or so before taking up more strenuous exercise (Nice 2010: 15, RCOG 2006).

How can I lose weight safely?

A nutritious, varied diet will speed your recovery from labour and birth, and help you keep up with the demands of being a new parent. Whether you are breastfeeding or bottle feeding, you should aim to eat a healthy diet. The following general guidelines will help you achieve and maintain a healthy weight:

• make time for breakfast in the morning
• eat at least five portions of fruit and vegetables a day
• include plenty of fibre-rich foods (such as oats, beans, lentils, grains and seeds) in your diet
• make sure your meals include starchy foods such as bread, rice and pasta (preferably wholegrain varieties for added fibre)
• go easy on fried foods, takeout and baked goods, cakes and fizzy drinks, which are high in fat and sugar respectively
• watch your portions at mealtimes and the number and type of snacks you eat between meals (Nice 2010: 7)

Although it can difficult to lose weight after having a baby, it's important that you do so, carefully and slowly. Even a small weight gain of 1-2 BMI units between pregnancies can increase the risk of complications, such as high blood pressure and gestational diabetes, in your next pregnancy. You are also more likely to give birth to a larger baby (Nice 2010: 15).

What if I am breastfeeding?

If you're breastfeeding, you'll need slightly more calories than a formula feeding mom. Because of the energy it takes to produce milk for your baby, you'll need around an extra 330 calories a day for the first six months and about 400 extra calories a day when your baby is between seven months and a year. However, some of these additional energy needs will be met from your body's existing fat stores (Nice 2010: 22). This means that breastfeeding can help you lose weight. It's safe to lose weight in this way when breastfeeding and it won't affect the quality or supply of your milk. See our diet for a healthy breastfeeding mom for some smart tips.

When will my body be back to normal?

If you ate a good, nutritious diet before and during your pregnancy, you may only need a few months to restock all the nutrients your baby needed to grow and develop.

But, if you did not eat well before and during pregnancy - for whatever reason, including morning sickness, food aversions, or other pregnancy-related difficulties - it can take a lot longer, around a year or more. It may take that long even if you were a model eater. Remember, you've just accomplished a strenuous, nutritionally draining feat. Give your body the time it needs to get back in shape.