You may be wondering when your pregnancy belly will go down.
Since each woman's pregnancy experience and body is unique, there is no definitive time on when you can recover your pre-pregnancy body.
Let’s talk about weight loss after pregnancy.
Healthy weight gain during pregnancy depends on the weight you were before you got pregnant. However, on average, women gain 32 pounds during their pregnancy. Weight gain comes from increased fluid, baby and placenta.
About 75% of women were heavier one year postpartum than pre-pregnancy, with almost 50 percent of moms maintaining more than 10 lbs and 25 percent retaining over 20 lbs.
That is why during your pregnancy it is important to maintain healthy weight gain recommendations.
Lack of postpartum weight loss can have a huge impact on your long-term health.
Pregnancy has widely been reported as a factor in female obesity . Failure to lose pregnancy-associated weight contributes significantly to long-term obesity and related severe chronic problems in women including:
Reduced fertility
Increased risks in subsequent pregnancies
Coronary artery disease
Ischemic stroke
Type 2 diabetes mellitus
Osteoarthritis,
Gallbladder disease
Hypertension
Some cancers including breast and colon
How long would it take for the baby belly to return to normal size?
It's normal to want to return to your pre-pregnancy body. However, give yourself a rest! Your body has just given birth, and it will take some time to recover and get back in shape.
The path to success is perseverance. It took nine months for your body to change and add fat and the abdominal muscles to extend enough to support a full-term infant. As a result, the fact that it can take weeks or months to lose fat and tighten up again is encouraging.
Most women do not regain their pre-pregnancy weight until around 6 months after their infant is born.
Most women lose approximately 13 pounds during childbirth, which includes the weight of the newborn, placenta, and amniotic fluid. You will lose weight during the first week of birth when you shed retained fluids, but the fat accumulated during pregnancy will not melt on its own.
You will gradually lose weight after giving birth. If you choose to expedite the process it is best to consult with a healthcare provider or registered dietitian to establish a safe, realistic target. A decent rule of thumb is to lose no more than one and a half pounds per week, which equates to a weekly calorie loss of 3,500 to 5,250 calories, or 500 to 750 a day.
Women require time to heal after giving birth and should not begin to lose weight quickly. Women should generally wait for their postpartum checkup, which comes within six weeks of giving birth, before starting a weight loss program. Prior to that it is safe to do kegels and pelvic strengthening exercises along with walking.
A doctor will decide how well the mother and baby are healing from the delivery at the postpartum checkup. During their postpartum checkup, women may explore weight loss choices with their doctor. If you have concerns about this earlier, always reach out to your healthcare provider.
What type of nutrition to have?
When you're constantly worrying about a baby, it's tempting to reach for the chocolate and abandon healthy dieting habits — particularly in the middle of the night when the rest of the house is sleeping soundly. So here are some easy, delectable, and nutritious tidbits to help busy moms eat well:
High-fiber grains
Healthy granola bars
Cut up vegetables and fresh fruits
Overnight oats
Low-fat yogurt sprinkled with dried fruits
YOU ARE CAPABLE!
It is important to stay focused throughout the healing period. Remember the incredible feat your body went through to get your child into the world and be kind to yourself. Whatever you're going through in your recovery, know that you're not alone — you've got this!!
MaternalWell has registered maternal dietitians available for a private telehealth consultation for weight loss. As always, if you have any general questions, reach out to our text support.
