Losing weight safely after birth

How soon you should start to lose weight after your baby is born depends on many things. Examples include how much weight you gained during your pregnancy, your pre-pregnancy weight and your general health status. If you want to lose weight, it's best to do so gradually.

Losing weight after giving birth can be challenging. Having a baby changes your life. Not sleeping enough and the stress of parenthood can make it harder to adopt healthy lifestyle habits.

You can safely start to lose weight after giving birth if you adopt a healthy and balanced diet that does not put you at risk of becoming low in nutrients.

How can excess weight after giving birth affect my health risks?

Reaching a healthy weight after pregnancy reduces your risks in future pregnancies as well as improving your long-term health.

Some people may not return to their pre-pregnancy weight after giving birth. The extra weight you carry can increase your risk of developing chronic health conditions such as:

• type 2 diabetes
• heart disease
• obesity

The time it takes to return to exercise after you give birth varies for each person. It depends on factors such as:

• the type of birth you had
• if there was any damage to your perineum
• if you had a caesarean section
• blood loss during delivery
• how physically active you were before pregnancy

You can begin pelvic floor exercises as soon as it's comfortable to do them. Start slowly and build up over time.

Read about how to have a safe return to exercise after pregnancy.

Breastfeeding can help with losing weight in the first 6 months after you give birth. If you breastfeed exclusively, you might lose weight faster. This is because your body uses a lot of energy to produce milk to feed your baby.

It is safe for you to lose weight while breastfeeding, as long as you maintain a balanced diet and take care to include all essential nutrients in your eating plan.

Read more about diet and healthy lifestyle while breastfeeding.

After you give birth, you can safely lose weight by eating well and exercising appropriately.

Healthy eating after pregnancy

It's important to eat healthily after pregnancy so that:

• you have enough nutrients and energy to care for yourself and your baby
• if you choose to breastfeed, your baby will get all the nutrients they need

Try to enjoy a variety of fresh foods, including:

• vegetables
• proteins
• whole grains

Here are some tips to lose weight:

• Eat smaller portions — using a smaller plate can help.
• Sit down and enjoy your meal slowly.
• Choose healthy options over processed snacks if you're hungry.
• Use healthy cooking methods like steaming and grilling.
• Trim fat from meats.
• Do your grocery shopping in advance — do not shop when you're hungry.

Breastfeeding and caring for a child can make you hungry. If you feel hungry, it is best to choose nutritious foods over processed foods high in fat or sugar. It is also important that you drink plenty of water too.

Fad diets, cleanses and detox diets are not recommended during pregnancy or breastfeeding. They may mean you miss out on specific foods or food groups. These diets might not contain all the nutrients you and your baby need.

If you are breastfeeding, losing weight too quickly may mean you don't give your baby enough nutrients. Gradual weight loss of about half a kilogram (500 grams) per week is safe while breastfeeding.

Exercising after pregnancy

Here are some tips for slowly getting back into exercise after pregnancy:

• Go for walks with your baby.
• Join an active parents' group.
• Attend postnatal exercise classes.
• Do pelvic floor exercises.

You can talk to your doctor if:

• you were overweight before pregnancy
• you are worried about your weight

Your doctor can give you advice on what weight is healthy for you, and how to reach it.

You can also visit a dietitian. They can:

• give you help and advice on how to lose weight
• put together a personal eating plan for you

You can find an accredited practising dietitian on the Dietitians Australia website.

• The Australian Breastfeeding Association has an informative factsheet about breastfeeding and your diet.
• The Royal Women's Hospital Melbourne has a group of fact sheets covering different topics about your wellbeing and health after giving birth.
• Gidget Foundation Australia offers support, community and resources to help you adjust to parenthood.

Languages other than English

PANDA can provide mental health support during your first year of parenthood in many community languages.

Information for Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander peoples

The Australian Breastfeeding Association has breastfeeding resources for Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander people.

The Strong Women Strong Babies Pregnancy Diary has information on how to look after yourself and your baby in pregnancy and the busy weeks after the birth.