After you have had a baby, your new body may be bothering you, but shifting extra weight will also be an emergency matter at this time. A new baby can be challenging and time consuming, so many new moms struggle to find the time to work out or eat right. Managing your weight at this busy time can take a little extra planning and a few new strategies. Luckily there are many handy tips and tricks that can help you along the way.

Eat Right to Lose the Baby Weight

1.    Don’t Begin to Diet Immediately after Delivery

Whilst dieting is important when trying to lose weight, it is best not to start dieting straight after delivery. To be frank you have more important things to worry about; recovering from your labor, bonding with your baby and starting breastfeeding. Your body goes through a lot during pregnancy; labor and the early post natal experience needmany nutrients. Dieting before your baby is 6 weeks old can inhibit your body’s ability to produce milk, and leave toxins in the breast milk, which can delay the healing process for your body. Besides, not eating enough during the early post natal period can make your metabolism slow down, making it more difficult to shed the pounds later.

2.    Take in Proper Amounts of Nutrients

Ensuring you are getting the right balance of nutrients will allow you to shed weight quickly and give you more energy to pursue an active, healthy lifestyle. Your nutritional needs will vary depending on whether you breastfeed. Breastfeeding moms need a little extra to keep their milk production up. 

Breastfeeding moms need 2,000 to 2,400 calories compared with bottle feeding moms who require 1,900 to 2,200. As a rule, you need about 1,300 mg of calcium and 15 mg of iron a day, regardless of your feeding choices. Breastfeeding moms need 280 mcgs of folate, 65 g of protein and 95 mg of vitamin C, whereas bottle feeding moms need marginally less; 180 mcg of folate, up to 50 g of protein and 60 mg vitamin C.

3.    Drink Plenty of Water

Water is fantastic for your health and metabolism, not to mention important for breastfeeding mothers when producing milk. Many nutritionists and doctors recommend 8 cups of water per day, but the best gauge is to check the color of your urine, which should be relatively clear.

4.    Eat Smart

• Don’t Skip Meals. Skipping meals will slow your metabolism and lead you to make worse choices the next time you eat. Binge eating and meal skipping is incredibly counterproductive to weight loss. Eating steadily and regularly is better.
• Eat Breakfast. Many mothers don’t get a chance to eat breakfast, but it is really important and can setup your metabolism every day.
• Choose Good Food. Be choosy about what drinks and food you have. Try to keep your intake high in nutrients, low in saturated fats and sugar. Foods with a low glycemic index can release energy slowly and prevent short sharp bursts of energy that will leave you feeling flat and open to poor eating choices. Keep your food simple and wholesome. Raw fruit, vegetables and foods high in iron and folate can help you to keep your body healthy and energetic.

Take Exercise to Lose Baby Weight

Exercise is a huge part of weight loss. Aerobic, strength building and cardio workouts can help you improve your energy level and strengthen your muscles. Slimming down cannot happen without concentrated and targeted weight loss that is appropriate for your new post baby body. Although new mothers have little time, it is very important to plan and carry out a convenient but effective exercise plan. Here are some exercises that you can take with your baby together.

Exercise	How to Do It
Mei tai or Carrier squats	Put your baby in the carrier safely and securely and stand with your feet shoulder width apart. Bend your knees and squat as far as your balance and strength will allow. Rise smoothly and repeat, aiming for 3 lots of 12 squats.
Stroller Lunges	Put the baby directly in front of you in a stroller or high chair. Place one foot in front of body so that the knee is bent and the foot is pointing at bub. Push forward onto the bent knee, rise and swap.
Tummy Toning	Sit the baby in front of you. Lie face down on a mat, stretch out your arms to the sides, look up at your baby and lift your feet of the ground slightly without bending your knees. You are supporting your weight on your stomach muscles which has an excellent toning effect.
Alphabet Toning	Lie flat on your back and lift your legs straight up in the air with the baby next to you on the floor. Write the alphabet in the air with your feet whilst saying each letter to her. Try to get through the alphabet.
Multitasking Moves	Put the baby next to you on the mat. Lie on right side with your hand and elbow propping for your upper body. Stretch your leg with hip off the ground. Aim for 10 sets of these planking rolls.

If you have enough time, you can do some exercise by yourselves following the video:

Breastfeed to Lose Baby Weight

Whilst it has not yet been proven that breastfeeding can actually cause weight loss, the benefits for your baby are numerous, including boosting immunization and providing your baby with the best possible food for their growing body. Some studies have concluded that breastfeeding can dramatically assist women to return to their pre-baby weight while other studies shown no difference when compared to bottle feeding mothers. What is certain is that breastfeeding can burn up to an additional 300 calories a day.

Have Good Sleep and Nap to Lose Baby Weight

Getting all the sleep you can in the early months of your child’s life is super important. Not only are you faced with new emotional challenges and disrupted sleeping patterns, but the extra weight can be hard to shift if you have not established some kind of sleeping routine. Studies have found that mothers who sleep for 7 hours in 24 hours were more successful in shifting baby weight than mothers who sleep for mere 5 hours. You can get baby’s dad or grandparents to give you a night off to catch up on some sleep if your baby’s sleeping patterns are too inconsistent, if you can’t arrange this, try taking naps. The extra sleep will do wonders for your emotional wellbeing as well as assisting in energy levels, avoiding the temptations of supplementing sleep with high energy foods.