When you are pregnant Doctors feel it is healthy for you to gain at least 20 to 25 pounds. If you were at your ideal weight before pregnancy then you will only need to shed about 10 or 15 pounds on your own. Some of the weight will naturally come off right away. This is just your body’s way of getting rid of everything from the pregnancy, like the water weight gain.
After both of my sons were born I noticed I always weighed more when I returned home. For both pregnancies I had edema very bad I was just carrying around extra water weight.
Eat Healthy
This is the best thing for you to do right after your baby is born. Your body is still healing so a vigorous exercise routine is not recommended. Eat 6 small meals per day and include a lot of fruit and vegetables. Try to stay off of the junk food and watch the weight slowly come off. You will still continue to lose weight in the first few weeks after delivery. Your body is still getting rid of stuff brought on by the baby most of this is water weight.
Light Exercise
Take your new baby for a walk for just 10 or 15 minutes a day 30 minutes at the most. You are not supposed to lift that much and do too many strenuous activities for the first 6 weeks after labor. Take it easy. Play with your baby or if you have other kids play with them, carefully. This is a light aerobic exercise plus you will have a great deal of fun quality time with your children.
Yard work and housework can burn a lot of calories, plus you will get the added benefit of a clean house and a great looking yard. This is also good for stress management try to lose yourself in what you are doing for awhile. Get the older kids involved this will give them something to do with you while you reach your weight loss goal.
The excess weight will eventually come off when you go back to your old routine. It will help if you were healthy and fit before you became pregnant. Depending on the person you were before you might not even need that much help in getting back to you own weight. Just keep in mind light exercise will help and you are what you eat.