You have been through a lot in your first year as a parent and it’s time to reflect on what happened.
You gave birth to a baby and now they need food to grow up on. Since the birth process caused you to lose a lot of weight, you will need to make up for the deficit if you want your body back to its pre-pregnant shape. But how much weight do you actually lose after giving birth? Let’s examine the numbers.
Around 10 Pounds
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, on average, women who gave birth before 40 weeks’ gestation lose about 10 pounds after giving birth. This weight usually comes off slowly over the first few months, with about half of all moms seeing it off within the first year. However, some moms report that it takes them much longer to get back to their pre-pregnancy weight and those who had a C-section may not return to their pre-pregnancy weight until they’ve reached their second year of parenting.
More Than 20 Pounds
For some women who gave birth early and for those who had a C-section, losing more than 20 pounds in their first year can be difficult. According to research, a full 40% of early moms and 42% of C-section moms haven’t reached their pre-pregnancy weight one year after giving birth. This group is at a particularly high risk for additional health problems and if they want to get back to their pre-pregnancy weight, it may take them two or more years. Even then, there is no guarantee of success because no one knows what their body will look like once they’ve reached their desired weight.
Remember: your body is not the same as it was before you became a parent. You need to eat foods that will make you grow stronger and healthier, but the scale will not always be one of your priorities. Your health is what matters most and you must make sure that you’re taking good care of your body and mind during this time.
Less Than 10 Pounds
If you’re one of the 50% of moms who didn’t lose any weight after giving birth, congratulations! You’re in the majority, but it’s still not an ideal situation. According to the same research, being underweight prior to giving birth has a variety of negative health consequences for women. However, this doesn’t mean that you have to go overboard and gain a hundred pounds. Instead, you can focus on eating a well-balanced diet and getting some exercise to help you return to your pre-pregnancy weight quickly. Some women even take advantage of the bond they develop with their newborn to put some extra effort into regaining their old weight. Whatever your reasons for not losing any weight after giving birth, this number will give you some indication of how much your body has changed and how much extra you must exercise and eat to get back to your old self.
It Depends
Not all moms will experience the same amount of weight loss after giving birth. In fact, the same study showed that the amount of weight loss is highly dependent on the individual woman. Some moms will lose a significant amount of weight and reach their pre-pregnancy weight quickly while others will barely lose any weight and have a difficult time getting back to their prepregnant weight. These are some of the factors that can affect the amount of weight lost after giving birth:
- Your Age
- Your Health Before Pregnancy
- Your Delivery Method
- The Size of Your Baby
- How Much Breast You Exclusively Pumped
- How Much You Sweated During Pregnancy
- Your Diet During Pregnancy
No matter what your situation, it’s important to note that your body is changing and you must take care of it accordingly. That means you must eat healthy foods and get some exercise to help you return to your pre-pregnancy weight. If you want to find out how much weight you’ve lost after giving birth, simply take a look at the scale. If it’s more than 10 pounds, then you’ve gained a significant amount of weight and need to make some changes to get your body back to its pre-pregnant state. However, if it’s less than 10 pounds, then you may not have lost as much weight as you thought and need to eat a little more to reach your goal weight.