Ladies, take note! In a study of nearly 40,000 women who had given birth between one and four times, it was found that most women rarely go back to their pre-pregnancy body weight after giving birth, according to researchers.
While weight gain can affect a woman’s self-esteem and give rise to body issues, making her feel less confident about herself – post-pregnancy weight can be controlled, provided a woman understands the body process at play.
Let us understand the changes that a woman’s body endures while pregnant and post-delivery & why a woman gains weight.
Hundreds of years of evolution & nature take over when a woman is pregnant, the placenta starts to develop as necessitated and changes start to take place internally in the body to protect and help develop the new life.
The placenta that helps develop the foetus produces a hormone called HCG, which enters the bloodstream directly and automatically takes control of body functions like digestion of food, energy, nutrition distribution, and metabolism.
While women are in tune with the fact that a little weight gain during pregnancy is natural and required but after giving birth, a large percentage of women struggle to lose weight.
The irony is that while this is true for most women, the celebrities with numerous and carefully chosen pictures of themselves on magazine covers and personal videos, post-pregnancy, make it seem like weight gain is hardly a concern for them.
They not only seem to have lost weight post-pregnancy, but they also make this entire transition look so easy and effortless that many women wonder why the same is not the case with them.
The fact is that celebrities get oodles of help from the support of people dedicated to working on their post-pregnancy weight with special diets and exercise regimes solely curated for their body type and some may also resort to cosmetic surgery.
While this fixation of quickly shedding weight after delivery is a cause of concern and stress for many women around the world, it can quickly become an unhealthy obsession.
There are a few key points that women should consider, both from the health perspective, as well as to understand the precise reasons that contribute to the weight gain.
Stress, is an unfortunate by-product that comes from caring for a baby, ask the new mothers!
However, stress can also be the biggest contributing factor for weight gain, it can trigger a chemical response in the body and release certain hormones including cortisol which is responsible for increasing one’s appetite.
Hence, excessive eating causes the body to store more fat, especially around the midsection, adding more layers to what is known as the mom pouch.
Thyroid, a huge number of women face postpartum thyroiditis, this condition causes unstable levels of hormone production in the body.
An underactive thyroid leads to weight gain, hence it is advisable to go through a thyroid check-up post-pregnancy
A balanced diet, one of the most important point is to have foods that are not calorie dense but nutrient-dense – green vegetables, buttermilk, yogurt, whole-grain cereals, fruits nuts are healthy choices rather than snacking on biscuits, chips, Pizzas, Pasta, etc.
Researchers also found that many women tend to ‘finish the food’ of the plate, left by a toddler. This is an unhealthy practice.
Exercise, especially yoga can help in shedding & maintaining weight.
Losing weight after Baby: Lifestyle changes
Limit your extra food intake, remember you are not eating for two, even though you may feel like it or have been told so by your mother in law.
Writing down your food intake, not in terms of calories but nutrients, every day, is a good way to track your diet and to monitor nutrients intake.
Getting enough exercise even though you may feel tired, a walk around the block or doing a little yoga can help tremendously.
An uncontrolled weight gain has also been linked with increased risks of diabetes, hypertension & heart disease as we grow older.
With that next pregnancy, an increased risk of high blood pressure and diabetes is certainly not good for you and the baby.
Along with weight gain, a lot of women also complain of back issues.
Irrespective of whether backaches are brought on by the weight gain during pregnancy or even after delivery – sitting in the same position while feeding the baby or running and caring for toddlers, fortunately, one can tackle this issue with a maternity belly band.
Bodysuits specially designed for women, help with proper back support, and help in easing the discomfort, after giving birth, it is ideal for all women and suitable for all body shapes.
It is multipurpose and can be used as a belly belt, waist belt, or even pelvis belt and helps with stitch healing after a c-section.
Moreover, it can help with reducing swelling and muscle pain.
Understandably, weight gain during pregnancy and weight gain after does not feel good, it is bad for self-esteem but with a healthy lifestyle and smart choices, one can overcome the weighty issues and maintain it over a while.
So, moms and moms to be, get your nutritional chart ready, put on your track pants and body shapers, and get moving to shed that weight.
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