The second and third trimesters of pregnancy are associated with dramatic changes in maternal anatomy and physiology. The most obvious anatomical sign of pregnancy is the dramatic enlargement of the abdominal region, coupled with maternal weight gain. This weight results from the growing fetus as well as the enlarged uterus, amniotic fluid, and placenta. Additional breast tissue and dramatically increased blood volume also contribute to weight gain (table below). Surprisingly, fat storage accounts for only approximately 2.3 kg (5 lbs) in a normal pregnancy and serves as a reserve for the increased metabolic demand of breastfeeding.

During the first trimester, the mother does not need to consume additional calories to maintain a healthy pregnancy. However, a weight gain of approximately 0.45 kg (1 lb) per month is common. During the second and third trimesters, the mother’s appetite increases, but it is only necessary for her to consume an additional 300 calories per day to support the growing fetus. Most women gain approximately 0.45 kg (1 lb) per week.

Both pregnancy and labor can affect a woman's body. After giving birth, you will lose about 10 pounds right away and a little more as body fluid levels decrease. Don't expect or try to lose additional pregnancy weight right away. Gradual weight loss over several months is the safest way, especially if you are breastfeeding. Nursing mothers can safely lose a moderate amount of weight without affecting their milk supply or their babies' growth.

A healthy eating plan along with regular physical fitness might be all you need to return to a healthy weight. If you are not losing weight or losing weight too slowly, cut back on foods with added sugars and fats, like soft drinks, desserts, fried foods, fatty meats, and alcohol. Keep in mind, nursing mothers should avoid alcohol. By cutting back on "extras," you can focus on healthy, well-balanced food choices that will keep your energy level up and help you get the nutrients you and your baby need for good health. Make sure to talk to your doctor before you start any type of diet or exercise plan.

How can I stay healthy after my baby is born?

After you deliver your baby, your health may be better if you try to return to a healthy weight slowly. Not losing your “baby weight” may lead to overweight or obesity later in life. Slowly returning to a healthy weight may lower your chances of diabetes, heart disease, and other weight-related problems.

Healthy eating, regular physical activity, adequate sleep, and other healthy habits after your baby is born may help you return to a healthy weight and give you energy.

After your baby is born

• Consume foods and beverages to meet your calorie needs.
• Regular physical activity will continue to benefit your overall health. Moderate-intensity physical activity will increase your fitness and can improve your mood.

Also, physical activity does not appear to have bad effects on how much breast milk is produced, what the breast milk contains, or how much the baby grows.

How may breastfeeding help?

Breastfeeding may or may not make it easier for you to lose weight because your body uses extra calories to produce milk. Even if breastfeeding does not help you lose weight, it’s linked to many other benefits for mother and child.

For mothers who breastfeed, experts advise feeding their babies only breast milk for the first 6 months—no other foods or drinks during this time. Experts suggest that those women continue breastfeeding at least until their baby reaches 12 months.

Calorie needs when you’re breastfeeding depend on how much body fat you have and how active you are. Talk with your health care professional about your calorie needs while you are breastfeeding.

Benefits of breastfeeding. Breastfeeding your baby

• likely gives him or her an appropriate mix of vitamins, minerals, and other important nutrients in a liquid (breast milk) that is easy to digest
• helps boost his or her immune system
• helps protect your baby from common problems, like ear infections and diarrhea

What else may help?

Pregnancy and the time after you deliver your baby can be wonderful, exciting, emotional, stressful, and tiring—all at once. These feelings may cause you to overeat, not get enough calories, or lose your drive and energy. Being good to yourself may help you cope with your feelings and follow healthy lifestyle habits.

Here are some ideas that may help.

• Sleep when the baby sleeps.
• Ask someone you trust to watch your baby while you nap, bathe, read, go for a walk, or go grocery shopping.
• Explore groups that you and your newborn can join, such as “new moms” groups.
• Don’t feel like you need to do it all on your own. Seek help from friends, family members, or local support groups.

You should aim for a weight loss of approximately 1 to 2 lb per week after getting the all-clear from your doctor. You should be able to go back to your pre-pregnancy weight by 6 to 12 months after delivery.

To achieve weight loss, you must have a calorie deficit, meaning you must burn more calories than you consume. This can be done by increasing your physical activity and eating fewer calories. Not all calories are equal, best to stay away from overly processed food and refined carbhydrates (empty calories).

However, you must never skip meals or severely restrict your calorie intake, especially after childbirth; if you do so, it can be potentially harmful to you and your baby.

Don’t rush into your weight-loss plan; remember your body needs time to recover from carrying and delivering another human being. If you try to lose weight too quickly after delivery, it may take you longer to recover. If you are breastfeeding, wait until your milk supply has normalized before starting to cut on your calorie intake drastically, this usually happens two to three months after childbirth.

A healthy diet, along with an exercise routine, and breastfeeding (when possible), can help you shed all the extra baby weight.

Keep in mind that most women should wait at least until their 6-week checkup before trying to start or resume an exercise program; however, depending on the mode of delivery (vaginal or c-section), you may be able to resume physical activities within days. Usually, pelvic floor exercises (Kegel exercises) can be initiated almost immediately after delivery. Talk to your doctor to find out when it’ll be safe for you to start exercising again.

Aerobic exercises like jogging or running have been shown to improve maternal cardiovascular health without interfering with breastmilk production. Strengthening exercises of the abdominal wall, such as abdominal crunches and the drawing-in exercise (pulling in the abdominal wall muscles), have been proved to reduce the risk of diastasis recti, a condition in which the large muscles of the abdomen separate.

If you’re having trouble finding the time to exercise, include your baby in your workout routine. Take your baby for a daily walk in a baby carrier or stroller. You can also invite other moms to join you; exercising with other people may help you stay motivated.

If you are breastfeeding, you should feed your baby or express milk before exercising to prevent your breasts from becoming engorged.

Always remember to stay hydrated while exercising, especially if you are breastfeeding.

Postpartum women should always prioritize eating vegetables, fruits, and lean meats.

If you are breastfeeding, avoid alcohol and try to limit your intake of caffeine and certain types of seafood.

Protein-Rich Foods

Eating lean proteins can help you feel full for longer periods of time, and since you don’t feel hungry all the time, your calorie intake is reduced, which in turn promotes weight loss.

Fiber-Rich Foods

Dietary fiber includes all the parts of plants that the body cannot break down. Since fiber cannot be easily digested, eating fiber-rich foods may help you feel full for longer periods of time.

Fiber-rich foods also promote bowel health and may aid in fat loss, especially around the stomach area.

Fiber-rich foods include vegetables, fruits, and whole grains.

Fish and seafood

Fish and seafood contain a lot of vitamins and minerals; however, some varieties can contain traces of mercury, which can pass to the baby through breastmilk.

Fish that may contain mercury include tuna, mackerel, tilefish, marlin, swordfish, orange roughy, and shark.

Caffeine

If you’re breastfeeding, you may also want to limit your caffeine intake to about 300 milligrams of caffeine per day, which is three six-ounce cups of coffee, six twelve-ounce colas, or four cups of tea.

Exceeding the daily recommended dose of caffeine can lead to unwanted side effects in both you and your baby, such as irritability, insomnia, jitteriness, or headaches.

Processed foods

Consuming two or more servings of highly processed foods per week after giving birth increases the risk of retaining some of your postpartum body weight.

Processed foods and beverages include fast foods, sodas, potato chips, microwave meals, pastries, prepackaged foods, etcetera.

The DASH (Dietary Approach to Stop Hypertension) diet aims for gradual weight loss for long-term results. This diet does not prohibit any foods.

The DASH diet suggests following these recommendations:

• Eat lean proteins, such as skinless poultry
• Eat fiber-rich foods. Include a wide range of vegetables, fruits, and whole grains in your daily diet
• Eat low fat or fat-free dairy products
• Eat healthy sources of fat, such as nuts and vegetable oils
• Avoid foods and beverages that contain added sugar
• Avoid foods high in saturated fat, such as red meat and palm oil

Always avoid any advice or diet that promises you rapid weight loss as this can be counterproductive and even dangerous, especially in the postpartum period.

You should talk to your healthcare provider to see your weight loss options and see which diet adapts to your needs.

Women need between 450 to 500 calories more per day when breastfeeding; and, since breastfeeding women burn more calories than non-breastfeeding women, weight loss is more rapid in the first group. It has also been proved that breastfeeding helps contract the uterus immediately after childbirth.

Keep in mind that for an optimal recovery, postpartum women need to lose weight slowly. Ideally, breastfeeding women should start losing weight only after their milk supply is stable, which happens two to three months after birth.

Besides, breastfeeding has many health benefits for babies:

• Provides all the nutrients your baby needs for their first six months of life
• Promotes immune function
• Reduces the risk of sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS)
• Reduces the risk of childhood obesity and type 2 diabetes
• Skin-to-skin contact helps relax your baby and aids mother-baby bonding
  

You carried and nurtured another human being for nine months, and then you welcomed him or her into the world; your body will probably never be the same, and that’s not something bad. You must set realistic expectations and goals about your new body shape.