Losing weight after pregnancy

I’m seeing posts everywhere in magazines, newspapers and especially on social media, with celebrities showing off their tiny figures and complaining about cellulite or Instagram stars saying it has been tough trying to drop the weight, yet only went up a dress size in pregnancy and it really f*cks me off. I’ve put on 4 stone with this pregnancy and although its only gone to my bump and my boobs, my midwife insists it’s normal for my height and body shape to be this size and I’m healthy within my BMI too.

Don’t get me wrong I cannot wait to be able to see my feet again, be able to twist my neck to see if my bum really does look big in this or that my tummy could be just a little flatter than what it is, but as far as I’m concerned, any new mother shouldn’t have weight loss on their mind in the first few weeks/months. No doubt the first month after Missy arrives I’ll feel a little deflated because she’ll be out in the open, I won’t spring back to my natural normal self quickly with a visibly smaller bump than usual and I’ll probably have some stretch marks (although haven’t had any yet so I might be lucky!). You won’t catch me doing a Kardashian or TOWIE member posing near a park bench taking selfies in little sports bras, belly flopped out, muffin top strangled beyond belief with tight leggings stuck to my skin trying to shift my extra weight as soon as possible.

So let’s get realistic here for a moment. Depending on the size of our baby (usually between 5- 10lbs) and the weight of your amniotic fluid and placenta (the second birth, I don’t need to explain, you know), most pregnant ladies can lose up to 12lbs during delivery alone. That’s a pretty reassuring way to kick start the process in the first instance. But there are plenty of ways to get us slowly on the bandwagon to lose the weight in a healthy way, not the unrealistic way all those dumbass celebs try ramming down our throats.

Get up and move

Not only is sleep-deprivation a huge thing when baby arrives, new mums are constantly overwhelmed by getting their heads around being a new mother, lack of sleep, the crazy hours, that thinking about doing any form of exercise is just too much to comprehend. That’s normal. Most women are ready for a lot of physical exercise after giving birth and if you’ve had a C-section, exercise is out of the question until you’re a 110% fit and healthy and that can take weeks and weeks.

I won’t have a fitness trainer to help me or millions in the bank to suck it out or pump it up, but what I do have is my love of walking and thankfully being surrounded by a lot of hills and being near the beach, I can put Missy into her pram and walk it off at my pace, no one else’s. I might start off by walking to the shop, followed by going to the high street or Ramsgate harbour (weather dependent) or visit the girls and guys at The Charles Dickens in Broadstairs. But it all depends on how you feel, doing too much could cause a little damage and if anything doesn’t feel right, get in touch with your midwife.

Breastfeed

• Did you know by just breastfeeding you need an extra 500 calories a day to eat, just to provide for your little one?
• Did you also know that breastfeeding burns 600-800 calories a day?

It may not feel like much to you but feeding your baby means you can lose weight.

Watch what you eat

Try not to overdo it with going slack with your diet. Fad diets don’t work in the long run, so keep eating a variety of nutrient-rich meals, keeping up your vitamin intake and keeping yourself hydrated.

Sleep

Although the first few weeks’ sleep might seem like a far-off dream, but sleep has been shown by numerous studies to help lose weight. Between exercise and sleep, always go with sleep especially in the first few weeks, because losing a lot of energy can make you very sick.

Meet with friends and socialise

My routine in pregnancy has been as soon as it hits Thursday I meet my friend Emma and we go out for breakfast, lunch or hot chocolate around Thanet and have a good old natter. Wherever we choose to meet we’ll generally do a lot of walking, her pushing her buggy with her youngest in and me massaging my bump. Now with a little one on the way, I can actually share the buggy experience and get the walking exercise in.

There are also plenty of groups around Thanet that help new mums connect with other new and existing mums, which is great for your new born, great for confidence for the mother and some may be interested in doing an exercise group with you.

I’ll no doubt update everyone with how I’m getting on and keep you updated with my progress, but all new mum’s out there, there’s no rush, you’re doing a great job.

xoxo