3-6 months to lose pregnancy weight normal

[Posted: Mon 22/06/2009 by Olivia Fens www.irishhealth.com]

Women are under too much pressure to lose weight quickly after giving birth, according to a new study.

Once the baby arrives, many new mothers want to return to their former weight quickly.

But according to a new study, taking three to six months to lose weight gained in pregnancy is normal.

The researchers, from the German Institute for Quality and Efficiency in Health Care, added that overdoing early weight loss attempts could have a negative impact on breastfeeding.

“Often, the extra effort women have to make to look after a new baby and breastfeed after giving birth means the kilos just melt away,” the researchers said. “But for about half of all women, the weight will not go away as quickly.”

The researchers found that ‘eating for two’ in pregnancy can cause problems if you are already overweight.

“Women need to eat well for themselves and their baby, but pregnancy is not a time to overeat.”

A lot of exercise in the weeks after birth will also not help.

“The evidence shows that a balanced diet – with or without extra exercise – is the best way to lose weight after childbirth,” the researchers said.

The study also found that very strenuous exercise programmes soon after childbirth did not lead to extra weight loss.

For more, visit our Pregnancy Clinic, Mum.ie.

purple  Posted: 26/06/2009 23:33

yes i agree. woman r put through so much pressure to loose the fat that they have when they have the baby, i lost my fat, but now im big now as im on meds for depression .i was a size 10 now im a size 16. i was six stone when i got married and then after i had my first i went to 9 stone. i dont like the size i am, or the size clothes i have to get as its hard to get, but i dont care what other s say, im happy. i was a size 30 in a bra now im a 42. yes woman go and get all this surgery to have big boobs.

Anonymous  Posted: 30/06/2009 10:50

I agree with you purple. Celebrity mothers are in popular magazines with articles about how quickly they lost all the baby-fat. This is not healthy. Maternity leave is a time to enjoy your baby and recover from birth - regardless of wheather you breastfeed or not. Some breastfeeding women will feel uncomfortable feeding in public and tend to head to the fridge when bored at home instread of going outside. Others will eat a lot in order to give them energy for breastfeeding. Then some mothers who do not breastfeed might loose the weight more slowly. But the important thing is that both the mother and baby are healthy and happy. Time enough to worry about the weight when you are recovered.

To join the discussion, register by clicking here