This is because your body uses stored fat to nourish your baby. Some women who breastfeed their babies for at least the first few months tend to lose the weight they gained during pregnancy faster than those who do not breastfeed.
Often, excess or rapid postpartum weight loss is due to lifestyle issues and the pressures of new parenthood (like being too tired to eat), other times there may be a health concern that needs treatment. Either way, help is out there. So, if you're worried about losing too much weight, contact your doctor.
The first thing you need to know is that there is no “normal” when it comes to losing weight after having a baby. Everyone is different, and there are several different factors that contribute to postpartum weight loss, like how you delivered and how quickly your body is healing.
You should expect to lose about 1.5 pounds per week on average in the first weeks after giving birth, but there are different reasons for the loss each week. Before we dive in, we wanted to note that we can help you find a postpartum nutritionist that can help you lose a safe amount of weight after giving birth.
On average, exclusively breastfeeding mothers may see a loss of 1 to 2 pounds per month. For those struggling to lose those extra pregnancy pounds, breastfeeding isn't the answer. Instead, the focus should be on a healthy diet and exercise.
Breastfeeding mothers should consume at least 1800 calories a day and can safely lose around 1 lb/week (La Leche League, 2010; Lauwers & Swisher, 2015). Aim to eat a diet rich in fruits and vegetables while minimizing empty carbohydrates and junk food.
In the first 2 to 3 months postpartum, several authors19–21 have found that formula-feeding mothers consumed 600 to 800 fewer calories than breast-feeding mothers and lost substantially more weight. From 3 to 6 months post-partum, however, weight loss among breast-feeding women increased substantially.
If breastfeeding alone isn't enough to help you return to your old weight, experts agree that it's safe to adjust your food intake and exercise to try to lose up to 1 ½ pounds per week. But steer clear of crash diets that promise faster weight loss — they could affect how much milk you produce.
After that, breastfeeding may help people lose weight. People who exclusively breastfeed may use 400–500 calories daily to produce the milk a baby requires from 0 to 6 months. This is on top of their usual calorie requirements. People who consume fewer calories than their body uses may lose weight.
“As your body eliminates extra water weight during the first week following birth, you'll also lose an additional 2-3kgs. In the first few weeks after giving birth, it's not uncommon for women to lose up to 8 to 10 kgs,” Dr Gupta told indianexpress.com. However, every woman is different.
Unintentional weight loss has many different causes. It might be caused by a stressful event like a divorce, losing a job, or the death of a loved one. It can also be caused by malnutrition, a health condition or a combination of things.
According to Flynn, you might lose the weight over the course of a year or longer, depending on how much weight you gained during pregnancy. “Most women lose about half of the weight they gained in the first few months,” she says. “You may lose a pound a week early on and then about half a pound a week after that.”
Your uterus contracts and you'll be good as new soon. But to be sure to allow time for that healing, medical providers recommend a waiting period. Inserting items into your vagina could potentially introduce bacteria, which could travel through your cervix and into your uterus, and cause infection. Yikes!
It takes six to eight weeks for your uterus to return to its normal size, but for some moms, it may take much longer for their post-pregnancy belly to return to "normal." For other new moms, they may find that their bellies take on a permanently different new appearance.
After your C-section, you might look like you're still pregnant. This is normal. Most women lose 13 pounds (6 kilograms) during birth, including the weight of the baby, placenta and amniotic fluid. During your recovery, you'll drop more weight as your body gets rid of excess fluids.
The hormone prolactin released during breastfeeding tends to reduce the ability to lose weight in some women. This hormone is released every time you nurse and may contribute to weight gain even when breastfeeding if you're prone to gaining weight anyway.
The good news is that you might lose as much as 20 pounds (9 kg) in the first few weeks after giving birth. On average, new moms lose around 13 pounds (6 kg) due to the baby's weight, the amniotic fluid, and the placenta when giving birth.
Most women lose half of their baby weight by 6 weeks after childbirth (postpartum). The rest most often comes off over the next several months.
So all in all, it's not uncommon to lose up to 20 pounds in the first few weeks postpartum. Of course, every woman is different and some may find they lose weight faster while others may take longer. It also depends on how much weight you gained during pregnancy.
Thicker Thighs and Legs
It can take up to a year to lose the weight gained during pregnancy, says Dr. Dawson. To lose weight gradually, experts recommend a mix of exercise and well-balanced nutrition.
Usually, there is a significant increase in buccal fat between the ages of 10-20, and then a slow, ongoing reduction until about 50. With that said, everyone is different.
Your body will almost always create milk for your baby even if you under-eat. But, the nutritional quality of the milk will be decreased. Your body puts baby first, so if you aren't consuming nutritionally dense foods, and enough of them, YOU will suffer the most.
Limit caffeine when you're breastfeeding. Caffeine is a drug that's found in things like coffee, tea, soda, energy drinks, chocolate and some energy drinks and medicines. Too much caffeine in breast milk can make your baby fussy or have trouble sleeping.
A history of breastfeeding, the number of children breastfed, the duration of each child's breastfeeding, or the amount of weight gained during pregnancy did not predict changes in breast shape—dispelling the myth that breastfeeding causes breasts to sag.