A part of the weight you have gained during pregnancy will disappear at birth, when you deliver the baby and the placenta. Once you have given birth, you will look more or less like you did when you were four to six months pregnant, until everything slowly falls back into place.

Going back to your normal weight

Recovering your pre-pregnancy figure is a process that can take some time. In the days following the delivery, you will slowly eliminate the extra fluids you accumulated due to changes in the circulatory system. It is common after delivery for your feet to look swollen, but this excess fluid will slowly disappear.

Your body weight is not yet within “normal” limits, because although you may not be breastfeeding, your milk still has to come in and your uterus must return to a normal size. Breastfeeding your baby releases a hormone that helps your uterus go back to normal. Even though it is a somewhat slower process than you would like, be patient, because everything will fall back into place eventually. Keep in mind that it took you nine months to gain the weight you are at now, and it may take you at least the same amount of time to go back to normal.

Avoid extreme measures

After having undergone so many bodily changes in the last months, it’s normal that you want to get your figure back as soon as possible. However, do not take extreme measures because this could be harmful.  Don’t be impatient and don’t force the process to lose weight, especially if you are breastfeeding your baby.

Taking herbs, home remedies or weight-loss tablets is not a good idea, especially if you are breastfeeding your baby, because many of those substances could enter your milk supply and affect your baby.  

The best formula to recover your pre-pregnancy weight in a healthy and natural manner is the same as before having your baby: a balanced diet, exercise and healthy habits. Include in your menu many fruits and fresh veggies, cereal, grains, lean meat and low fat dairy products. Maintaining those habits is also a good way to prevent or reduce the likelihood of suffering from postpartum depression.

Concerning exercise, take a small break before going back to your usual exercise routine.  The quarantine is a period of rest of six weeks that is observed in our culture that will help you to adapt to your baby and its rhythms and to rest after the tremendous effort of delivery. This period could be even longer if you have undergone a C-section, as it is full-blown surgery that requires recovery.  

Important check-ups

Do not forget that if you had gestational diabetes or high blood pressure, you should periodically check the status of your health.  Women who suffered from pre-pregnancy diabetes or gestational diabetes have a higher possibility of developing it after delivery. The type of diabetes that affects Latinos is Type II that is usually linked to being overweight. You should also control your blood pressure, although all your symptoms may have disappeared once you have given birth.

Think realistically of the weight you want to attain once you have given birth. Sometimes, a healthy weight and that which you want to attain are not the same.