After pregnancy, new moms are overjoyed because of their new little addition to the family, but not so overjoyed by the new addition to their bodies. Some may wonder how to lose weight after pregnancy while breastfeeding, but in a safe and healthy way.

Here, we will discuss ways to help all of you new moms lose your pregnancy weight and breastfeed at the same time.

Recover

This is a very important one. Your body has been through a lot so it needs some time to recover. Give yourself some time after your baby is born to start worrying about your weight loss plan. You and baby need time to establish a good milk supply. Also, if you start cutting down on calories right away, your energy levels could suffer, and as a new mom, you need all the energy you can get.

Think ‘Gradual’

When you think about how to lose weight after pregnancy while breastfeeding, think about doing it in a gradual way. Losing weight gradually, at a slower pace, is going to be much healthier and safer for you and for your baby.

If you lose weight at too quick a pace, you risk your body releasing toxins (that are normally stored in your body fat) into your bloodstream, which may then enter your breastmilk. This can pose a danger to your baby.

When breastfeeding, it is best to avoid any type of fad diet or basically a diet that is designed to shed weight at a rapid pace. Aim for a weight loss goal of anywhere from 1/2 to 1 1/2 pounds per week; any more than that is too rapid.

Healthy Eating

Eating a healthy diet is a very important factor when you are trying to lose your baby weight. Breastfeeding may make you feel hungrier than normal, so you want to make sure that the foods that you are eating are healthy ones.

Stick to lean meats, complex carbohydrates (the ‘good’ kind of carbs, such as fruits, veggies and whole grain foods), and foods with healthy fats in them such as nuts, avocados, olives and sunflower seeds. Avoid unhealthy fats such as trans and saturated fats.

Thirsty?

Along with feeling hungry a lot, breastfeeding can also make you quite thirsty. You know what the healthiest thing for you to drink is going to be? Of course, water. Water will also keep you hydrated better than anything else.

A good idea as you are sitting down to nurse your little one, is to grab a glass of water for you to drink so you can stay hydrated while baby is nursing.

The color of your urine is a good indicator as to whether you are drinking enough water or not. If it is light in color, you are drinking enough water and if it is dark yellow, you need to drink more. Drinking water is beneficial to you for losing weight, so drink up!

Breastfeeding

Your body burns about 500 to 600 calories per day when you are breastfeeding. Losing weight after pregnancy while breastfeeding may be easier for some women just because they lose weight from breastfeeding alone. Some have even lost it all.

This isn’t the case for every woman though unfortunately. Some find that breastfeeding hasn’t helped them much at all with weight loss, so it can really vary.

Exercise

First things first, make sure you get approval from your doctor before beginning any kind of exercise routine. If you’ve had a vaginal delivery, you usually have to wait 4 to 6 weeks after you’ve had your baby, and with a c-section, it’s usually 6 to 8 weeks that you have to wait.

When you do have the ‘go ahead’ from your doctor, start off slowly with exercise, especially if you had a c-section. Gradually progress your workout level as you feel stronger.

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To lose weight after pregnancy while breastfeeding is best to do in a safe and healthy way, for you and your baby’s benefit. However, it may take time so be patient with yourself. It took nine months to gain the pregnancy weight, so try to aim for it to take at least that amount of time to lose it.