Regaining Your Pre-Baby Figure
December 7th, 2008 Posted by: admin
It can be both exciting and overwhelming to start thinking of regaining your pre-baby figure and getting into your favorite pair of jeans again. Keep in mind that it took almost nine months to put that pregnancy weight on-it will take some time to take it off. Most important, be patient and take a sensible approach to weight loss.
When Is It Safe to Start Losing the Weight?
Even though you are probably very eager to get started on weight loss after the birth of your baby, you should generally wait at least six weeks before beginning. This applies to women who breastfeed as well as to those who don’t. You need to give your body some time to recover from the physical demands of labor and delivery. In addition, you need the time to get your life back in order: deal with the needs of your newborn, help manage your household, maybe take care of other children, and-for some-prepare to return to work. Most women do this on a lot less sleep, so go easy on yourÂself and give yourself a little time to get situated. Your doctor should be the one to give you the go-ahead to start slimming down or to exercising after delivery. This time frame will depend on many factors, such as whether you had a vaginal or cesarean delivery, whether you experienced any complications during pregnancy such as preeclampsia or gestational diabetes, and whether you were in good shape before your pregnancy(Benefits of Exercising During Pregnancy).
For some women, pregnancy causes permanent changes in body shape, including slightly wider hips or waistline. The good news is that the majority of women lose a significant portion of the weight they gained during pregnancy within the first month of delivery. The bad news is that the weight left over is much slower and harder to get off. So be patient! It can take up to a year to lose the remaining weight and get back your muscle tone. Of course, all women differ. This time frame depends on many factors, including your pre-pregnancy weight and fitness level, your determination to lose the weight, your age, and your lifestyle.
