Nutritional needs of new mothers
After giving birth, women still need extra calories and nutrients, not only for her body to recover but also to produce milk if she decides to breast-feed.
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Most women want to know how to lose the weight they gained during pregnancy as soon as possible. For some, it disappears in weeks, for others years. Without eating well-balanced meals and exercising, you may find it difficult to lose weight.
Calories for breast-feeding
Taking drastic measures to slim down after the birth of your baby will not help you to keep up your strength, nor will it give you the important nutrients you need for healing. And if you plan to breast-feed, your body will require more calories than you needed when you were pregnant. If you decide not to breast-feed your baby, your nutritional needs will return to normal after a few weeks.
Don't skip meals
Because this is a stressful period - having a newborn and not getting enough sleep - it is important to keep your immune system strong. To do this, it is essential for you to eat three meals every day. Try to avoid skipping meals, no matter how busy you may be (or in an effort to lose weight). Even a high-fibre muesli bar and a piece of fruit for breakfast, eaten on the run, is better than nothing. You are the most important person in your baby's life. It's vital for you to take care of yourself so you will be able to take care of your child.
A good strategy to adopt is to plan ahead. For example, if you are packing a bag to go out with your baby, put in some nutritious snacks for yourself, such as fresh fruit and rice cakes with peanut butter, and drinks such as water or 100 per cent fruit juice. Also, plan healthy meals that can be prepared quickly so you are able to eat on a regular schedule.
Weight loss after pregnancy
You should not go on a slimming diet immediately after pregnancy, particularly if you are breast-feeding. Weight loss after giving birth should be gradual. This is particularly true for breast-feeding women, who burn more calories than other women in order to support the production of breast milk.
A woman should not expect to return to her pre-pregnancy weight immediately after giving birth. On average, a new mother will lose 6.8kg (15lb) within the first week after her baby is born.
Many mothers are concerned about their weight gain during pregnancy and worry that they may not return to their original weight. This concern is real as some women retain 2.3-4.5kg (5-10lb) for each of their pregnancies. Breast-feeding women who eat nutritionally well-balanced diets will typically lose 450-900g (1-2lb) per month during the first four to six months of breast-feeding. This weight loss is more rapid than for mothers who bottle-feed their babies from the start.
A weight loss of more than 700g (1 ½ lb) per week can decrease the production of breast milk and put both the mother and baby at risk nutritionally. However, there are some mothers who maintain or gain weight during breast-feeding but lose the additional weight after they have weaned their infants.
The best way to return to your pre-pregnancy weight is to exercise every day, such as walking with your baby in a sling or pushchair.
Lisa Hark, PhD RD & Dr Darwin Deen
Posted 14.02.2011
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