Even though giving birth may be one of the most amazing events in a woman’s life, every mother knows that it comes with its drawbacks. After carrying a baby for 9 months, a woman’s body is bound to change. Even though baby weight is absolutely normal, it could also be pretty damaging to a woman’s self-image: a lot of young moms struggle to lose weight and regain their confidence after giving birth. But why is this the case? What makes it so difficult?
In this article, we’ll discuss this topic in detail and tell you everything you need to know about losing weight after being pregnant. Still, before we begin, we want to emphasize on a single fact: every woman is beautiful, and your weight will never define you! So what if you put on some kilos? That body you see in the mirror brought a new life to this planet! That’s beyond admirable and you should never be ashamed of any aspect of it.
With that out the way, let’s start talking a bit more about after-pregnancy weight and why it’s so hard to lose it.
You’re sleep-deprived
Getting enough sleep after becoming a mom is almost impossible. Babies are loud and they demand a lot of attention. So, you’ll probably lose a lot of sleep in the first few months after you’ve had your baby. Even if your child is not very loud, you’ll still probably be too stressed out to go to sleep. Taking care of a baby can be an intimidating task, especially for new mothers. Unfortunately, lack of sleep also impacts your weight. You don’t have enough energy to exercise, and you’re too tired to take care of yourself.
So, if you can, ask your partner to help you. They can stay together with the newborn until you manage to get some sleep. Take turns and don’t be afraid to ask for additional help if you need it. There’s nothing wrong in feeling overwhelmed, being a mother is simply not easy!
You’re too busy to focus on losing the weight
Let’s be realistic, a new mother hardly has any time to think about weight loss. Having a newborn inside your home brings a lot of obligations to the table. It’s even worse if you have more than one child. All of your children require constant attention, so don’t feel bad about not losing the baby weight just yet! You’re probably working too hard all the time, so there’s no need to put additional stress on yourself.
Make sure to take a bit of time for yourself too. Ask a member of your family or a trusted friend to help you with the baby so you can get some proper rest. This will help you get back on track and feel much better about yourself.
You may be suffering from the post-partum depression
You’ve probably heard of the post-partum depression, but did you know that it’s actually pretty common? It affects one in nine mothers all across the globe, so yes, you’re not alone in this. It can leave you feeling hopeless and overwhelmed which affects both your self-image and your weight loss motivation. Mothers suffering from post-partum are going through feelings of extreme sadness, and the only way to deal with it is through therapy. Seeking professional advice and help is nothing to be ashamed about! It doesn’t make you less of a mother and it doesn’t make you less of a woman!
If you’re suffering from postpartum issues, you should also reach out to mothers who have gone through the same thing. Nobody can understand your situation better than them. You’ll be able to focus on getting fit once you recover from difficulties caused by postpartum depression, so take it one step at the time!
Your diet is not balanced enough
It doesn’t matter that you’ve started exercising right after the end of your pregnancy, if you don’t follow an appropriate diet, it could all go to waste. Getting enough nutrients and having a balanced diet is of the utmost importance when it comes to losing weight caused by pregnancy.
The best way to go about it is to hire a professional dietician or a nutritionist. They’ll be able to give you stellar advice that completely fits your unique needs and your specific body. Otherwise, there’s a lot of online resources like the DietZones that can help you plan out the optimal diet, burn some fat, and do it quickly!
Whatever you choose to do, make sure to have a detailed diet plan. Without a proper diet, everything you do to lose the weight will be completely useless. We know that young mothers really don’t have a lot of time to cook, but there’s nothing more important than your health, so make sure to find a way to eat well while you’re taking care of your newborn!
You’re exercising too much
While not getting any exercise after pregnancy is not a good idea, hitting the gym too hard right after you had a baby might be even worse. Rigorous exercise will increase your appetite in a major way, and when you add the stress of having a newborn to the mix, you might end up eating more than you manage to burn.
Also, exercising too hard increases the risk for an injury which would be absolutely devastating for a new mother. So don’t overdo it! Being pregnant prevents women from being too active, so suddenly increasing your physical activity levels could be bad for you.
Start slow and take it a step at the time. Don’t push yourself too hard, but instead gradually increase the exercise difficulty. This is the most effective way to lose the baby weight, so make sure to take it easy!
The takeaway
Dropping the baby weight can be a bit difficult. You’re faced with a plethora of new responsibilities, and you’re probably stressed and sleep-deprived. Whatever you do, make sure to never skip meals, enjoy a balanced diet, and learn to take some time for yourself. Still, don’t be too hard on yourself. You should be proud of your body! Love yourself and remember that you’re not alone in this!
All in all, gaining weight during pregnancy is perfectly normal, and while it might be hard to get rid of the extra pounds, it’s certainly not impossible if you believe in yourself.