How soon lose weight after pregnancy

That's a combination of your newborn's weight plus the placenta and the amniotic fluid. Then, during the next few days, you will lose about 5 more pounds of water weight. After that, it's normal and healthy to lose approximately 2 pounds a month for the next six months. Losing too much weight too quickly is not good for you or your baby. Excessive postpartum weight loss can leave you feeling exhausted and run down. You may also end up with a low breast milk supply or with breast milk that's lacking in the nutrients that your baby needs. Excessive postpartum weight loss can be brought on by something within your control, or by a medical issue that you can't control.

Here are four reasons why you may be losing too much weight and what you can do about them.

Weight gain during pregnancy

The hormones that your body releases when you breastfeed cause muscle contractions in your uterus. By six weeks after childbirth, your uterus will be back to the size it was before you became pregnant and your belly will look much slimmer. Using up those fat stores helps you to lose that pregnancy weight faster.

It takes a good amount of energy to breastfeed and make a healthy supply of breast milk. To get that energy, you need to eat. It's not healthy to go on a diet, take diet pills, or cut the number of calories that you take in each day.

Instead, make sure that you're eating a variety of healthy foods to provide you with all the calories and nutrients that you need. Moms do a lot. Between taking care of a new baby, other children, and a home, it's easy to get caught up in all you have to do and forget about taking care of yourself.

If you're losing too much weight, take a minute to think about how much you're doing. It's so important to take the time to eat right, drink plenty of fluids , and get enough rest. If you are experiencing any of these symptoms and think you may have an overactive thyroid , call your doctor. There are treatment options that are safe for breastfeeding mothers. If you're worried about losing too much weight, contact your doctor. Your doctor can also run tests to see if there's a medical issue.

Get it free when you sign up for our newsletter. Baker, Jennifer L. Breastfeeding Reduces Postpartum Weight Retention. American Journal of Clinical Nutrition. Now, it can be tempting to start counting calories and try to lose all of that weight fast. But if you're breastfeeding that's going to be difficult because breastfeeding moms need an extra calories daily.

That said, it's safe to start on a diet and exercise regimen while you're breastfeeding, says Salcido. You just need to give your body enough time to recover first. You'll need between four to six weeks:. Therefore, if you have 30 pounds of residual pregnancy weight, and you lost 1.

Breastfeeding could be helpful when it comes to weight loss. In one study, published in Preventive Medicine, US moms who exclusively breastfed for at least three months lost more weight—just over 3 pounds—and were more likely to return to their pre-pregnancy weight a year after giving birth compared to moms who didn't breastfeed exclusively or at all.

While this is encouraging, other studies have found conflicting results. Overall, it seems that the longer you breastfeed , the more effective it is at helping you lose weight. As far as which diet works best, Salcido says: "The safest and easiest way to lose pregnancy weight is to eat small meals throughout the day , instead of three large ones, to boost your metabolism. Plus, as expected, sticking with fruits and veggies is smart. But if you find yourself with cravings , similar to the ones you had while pregnant, you're not alone.

Cravings may include anything from sugar to caffeine to protein.

Salcido says a good rule of thumb with postpartum cravings is to treat them like you would when you had them while pregnant : everything in moderation. Moreover, "these cravings tend to disappear within six months postpartum," he says. The bottom line is that when it comes to weight loss, studies show that eating well and working out is the way to go.

Most women will get the OK from their OB to start exercising by 8 weeks after giving birth, says Salcido. And once you do, the usual advice for moderate exercise applies. About 2.