It takes time and patience to lose weight after childbirth, but it is entirely possible to return to the prenatal body. How should I restore my figure after childbirth?
I believe many new mothers are the same, eager to receive maternity clothes in the corner of the wardrobe and put on beautiful prenatal clothes again. Thankfully, it is entirely possible to return to the prenatal figure! However, there is no secret to postpartum weight loss, which requires a healthy diet, persistent exercise and a lot of patience.
Remember, childbirth itself is a very healthy thing for women. The significance of losing weight is not only to "put on your favorite jeans", but also the physical recovery after delivery may be related to your long-term health in the future. So, please take a healthy way to get back in shape.
Breastfeeding and nutrition of nursing mothers
Good nutrition is very important for the health of all women, especially lactating mothers, because they have higher nutritional needs, and supplementing adequate nutrition is the guarantee for the health of lactating mothers. However, even mothers with poor nutritional status can still produce milk that meets their baby's nutritional needs.
Breastfeeding itself is a kind of physical exertion. Mothers who are exclusively breastfed for 6 months and partially breastfed after 6 months need to consume about 2000 to 2 100 kilojoules of energy every day on average. This energy consumption varies from person to person, mainly depending on the mother's milk yield, postpartum weight loss and changes in exercise.
Mother's milk yield, protein, fat and lactose content in breast milk are hardly affected by mother's diet. This means that you can diet properly after delivery (don't eat too much). But the mother's diet will affect the contents of some trace elements and fatty acids in breast milk. Some mothers with limited diet, such as vegetarians, may lack some nutrients, such as vitamin B 12, iron, zinc and calcium. Vegetarian mothers may need to supplement these nutrients by taking supplements. This means that although you can be moderate (don't eat too much), you need to match your food reasonably.
Many studies have shown that breastfeeding can make mothers regain their pre-pregnancy weight faster. However, many mothers gain too much weight during pregnancy, which exceeds the needs of pregnancy. Even if they breastfeed after delivery, it is difficult for them to regain their prenatal weight. Mothers who are still pregnant, if you read this article in advance, please pay attention to controlling weight gain.
In addition to excessive weight gain during pregnancy will affect postpartum weight loss, some mothers still eat a lot during lactation, do not exercise, and continue to gain weight instead (tragedy T.T. . )。 Although breastfeeding consumes energy and helps to lose weight, if you consume more energy than you consume, you will continue to gain weight. Obesity is unhealthy. We should restore health through a reasonable diet and proper diet.
In theory, postpartum weight loss may affect breastfeeding, so some people think that breastfeeding mothers should not lose weight six months after delivery. After six months, when breast milk is no longer the only food source for babies, they will start to lose weight. However, theory belongs to theory, but it is not. Many studies have shown that moderate weight loss (not drastic dieting) can be achieved by properly limiting food intake, which will not affect the quantity and nutrition of breast milk. In addition, proper restriction of energy intake, or short-term serious energy intake deficiency, will not affect breastfeeding. On the contrary, if the mother can't regain her prenatal weight within six months, the probability of regaining her prenatal weight will be greatly reduced.
Start with your eating habits.
After pregnancy, you may adjust your eating habits to meet the needs of the fetus. After giving birth to a baby, reasonable nutrition is still very important, especially during lactation. As mentioned above, you don't have to eat too much during breastfeeding, and you can limit your food intake appropriately, but in order to lose weight healthily, you need to make a wise decision on your diet.
Focus on fruits, vegetables and whole grains. Choose foods rich in fiber, such as fruits, vegetables and whole grains, which can provide you with many important nutrients. At the same time, high fiber content can make you less hungry.
Eat more. You may need to eat fewer meals instead of three meals a day. You need to limit foods high in sugar and fat, don't eat too much, but don't starve, don't limit the amount of vegetables and fruits, pay attention to the proper amount of protein, and don't cause malnutrition because of losing weight.
Stay away from the temptation of food. Only prepare healthy food for yourself at home. If sweet cakes, chocolates and braised pork always tempt you, don't let them appear in your sight.
Only eat when you are hungry. If you feel anxious or nervous, or simply think it's time to eat, find something else to distract you, such as taking the baby out for a walk and chatting with friends.
Start with exercise.
The waiting game is over. Make sports a part of your life.
It used to be said that you should not exercise for at least six weeks after giving birth. However, modern science tells us with facts that the waiting game can be over.
In the final analysis, it is still necessary to "control your mouth and open your legs." If you insist on exercising during pregnancy, and if you give birth normally, it is usually safe to start light exercise a few days after giving birth. As long as you feel that your body is ready and can bear it, start with the amount of exercise you can bear.
If it's a caesarean section, or a natural delivery but the process is not smooth (such as tearing), then listen to the doctor's advice and when to start proper exercise.
When your doctor thinks that your body can move normally, you can start like this:
Pay attention to comfort. If you are breast-feeding, feed the baby first and then exercise, so as to avoid crying when you are sweating all over, and take a shower first. Wear a supportive sports bra and clothes, pants and shoes that make you feel comfortable when exercising.
Start slowly. Start with aerobic exercise, such as walking, exercise bike in the gym (you can adjust the speed and start slowly), or swimming. When your energy gets better, you can gradually increase the time and intensity of exercise.
Focus on exercising abdominal muscles. Weight loss is usually a reduction in body fat, not in some parts and not in some parts. Reducing fat requires a reasonable diet and aerobic exercise. Although the fat loss is even, some exercises focusing on the abdomen help to exercise the abdominal muscles and make the abdomen look stronger.
Get the baby involved. If it is difficult for you to take time out to exercise alone, you can take your baby with you. Push the stroller out for a walk, let the baby lie next to you when doing aerobics, or let the baby become a part of your exercise, for example, you lie on the exercise mat and lift the baby (just as a dumbbell).
Don't insist alone. If you can, it is best to invite other new mothers to exercise together, such as making an appointment to take the baby out for a walk, or organizing mothers to go to the gym to have postpartum exercise classes, do parent-child sports together, or take the baby swimming in the swimming pool.
Remember to replenish enough water before exercise and drink some sports drinks containing electrolytes. Drink plenty of water during and after exercise. If you feel pain, dizziness, shortness of breath or vaginal bleeding, you should stop exercising immediately. These situations may indicate that you exercise too hard. Don't rush to increase the amount of exercise, take your time and step by step.
Don't set unrealistic weight loss goals for yourself.
Many mothers can lose about 4 or 5 kilograms immediately after giving birth, including the weight of the baby, amniotic fluid and placenta. In the next week, you may lose more weight, but this is often just a reduction in water-the fat stored during pregnancy will not disappear for no reason.
Through breastfeeding, reasonable diet and exercise, the reasonable weight loss rhythm is about 0.5 kg a week. It takes about 6 months or more to fully recover to the pre-pregnancy weight. But even if your weight is completely restored to pre-pregnancy, your fat distribution may be different from that before pregnancy. Yes, childbirth has shaped a new you.
Lose weight after childbirth, don't be too hard on yourself and don't spoil yourself too much. You should be proud of your healthy lifestyle and new identity.