Family Forum / Pregnancy / Pregnancy / March 2008

Are you currently pregnant and discouraged about getting back into
shape after having your baby? Or maybe you're a new Mom who is
exhausted and getting to the gym is the last thing on your mind!
Either way, I hope the following tips help you lose that baby weight.

I don't have any fancy initials behind my name, I'm just a Mom of 4
kids. I've been able to get into my favorite Gap jeans fairly quickly
after my babies, and I've observed that women who do the same have a
few things in common. Here are my tips for losing the weight
postpartum:

1) Don't use pregnancy as an excuse to binge.
Pregnancy is the time to get strict about nutrition. Eating junk food
will produce a small baby and a big Momma. Make your pregnancy a time
to turn over a new leaf if you are a junk food junkie. You'll be
developing habits that will serve you well as you teach your children
about nutrition.

At the same time, don't obsess about weight gain. I gained between
35-50 pounds for each of my pregnancies, and still didn't have trouble
getting back into my old clothes within a few months postpartum. Focus
on good nutrition, stay as active as you can, and you won't go wrong.

2) Breastfeed your baby.
Breastfeeding burns around 500-700 calories a day. Wow- that's not bad
for sitting around relaxing on the couch! Your body puts on 9 pounds
during your pregnancy specifically for the purpose of lactation. The
extra weight is laid down on your thighs to make sure you will have
enough fat to burn to make milk for baby. Call it "famine insurance"
if you will. If you don't breastfeed, guess what? That 9 pounds
stays.

Several studies show that nursing Moms return to their prepregnancy
weight more quickly. Nursing also helps your uterus contract back to
its prepregnancy size faster. Plus you'll

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