Losing Weight After Pregnancy

When you are ready to lose weight after pregnancy, decide how you will increase your physical activity and decrease the calories you eat. A woman typically loses 50 percent of her pregnancy weight gain during the first six weeks after delivery. Women who fail to reach their pre-pregnancy weight levels by six months post-pregnancy are more likely to continue to gain weight.

Understanding Weight Loss After Pregnancy

Baby weight is a necessary evil that came with your bundle of joy. However, like most moms, you are probably now quite anxious to lose that weight.
 
The good thing is that about 50 percent of it will come off quickly in the first six weeks. The rest -- not so quick. Be patient with yourself. For some women, it takes a full nine months to undo everything that has happened to their body over the course of their pregnancy, labor, and delivery.
 
Know that every mother goes through it and you will come out of this experience both physically and emotionally stronger.
 

Why Lose Weight Post-Pregnancy?

The long-term health risks of obesity are well known. What is less known is that women who fail to reach their pre-pregnancy weight levels by six months post-pregnancy are more likely to continue to gain weight long-term.
 
Another study showed that women who retained weight after their first delivery were more likely to do so after future pregnancies.
 
In other words, getting to a healthy weight after pregnancy is extremely important for your long-term health (see Health Effects of Obesity).
 

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Written by/reviewed by: Arthur Schoenstadt, MD
Last reviewed by: Arthur Schoenstadt, MD
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