Salt Lake City, UT -- (ReleaseWire) -- 09/10/2021 --Weight gain during pregnancy occurs in women because they are growing another human and a placenta. Blood volume also increases. Many women are concerned about losing that extra weight after childbirth.

"Some women are concerned because it seems to take a long time to loose weight after pregnancy," said Martie Nightingale, certified nurse midwife with Intermountain Healthcare. "If you consider it takes nine months to gain the pregnancy weight, it makes sense it will take some time to lose it. If you're a first-time mom, it's helpful to know it takes a minimum of six weeks for your body to fully recover from childbirth, so have realistic expectations about weight loss."

Nightingale said that during the first six weeks, a woman's primary goals may include physical recovery, baby care, and adjusting to being a new mom. "Self-care is vital in the first few weeks and should include getting adequate sleep, minimizing stress, eating healthfully and hydrating," she said, adding that a focus on self-care and healthy lifestyle will often lead to a natural weight loss during the first few weeks.

Breastfeeding and weight loose are not exclusive. "According to research, breastfeeding helps with weight loss. Plus, breastfeeding is so healthy for babies. Babies who are breastfed have less risk for obesity, diabetes, and asthma. There are also antibodies in breastmilk that help prevent infections."

Nightingale also said that while breastfeeding, a woman may need more calories and to stay hydrated. Here's what's recommended:

275 calories above normal if pregnant
500 calories above normal, if breastfeeding
75-80 grams additional protein if breastfeeding

"Have a healthy snack with protein almost every time you breastfeed. You need approximately four liters of water per day to provide for your hydration as well as milk production needs," said Nightingale.

"You won't get down to your pre-pregnancy weight when breastfeeding," said Nightingale. She suggests setting realistic expectations. "That last bit of weight may not come off until weaning. This is due to weight in the breasts and extra body weight and fluid to support breastfeeding."

Exercise is important as well, said Nightingale. "By naturally returning to exercise, you'll start to lose weight. During the initial two weeks after childbirth, limit exercise to gentle walking as you feel up to it. Pay attention to your postpartum bleeding and don't over-exert. From two to six weeks postpartum, slowly integrate exercise like longer walks and gentle yoga. An incremental increase in exercise over six weeks is preferred to being sedentary for six weeks and then abruptly beginning exercise."

Nightingale says she is also asked about the best diets when loosing weight after pregnancy. "Focus on eating a whole-foods plant-based (WFPB) diet that doesn't include meat, dairy, or processed foods. The WFPB has been shown in research to result in the most weight loss when compared to other diets like Mediterranean or keto and has the best health outcomes, including lowest risk for cardiovascular disease, diabetes, and cancer. Patients following a WFPB diet also report improved mood, increased energy and reduced constipation."

"Try to limit processed foods and focus on increasing whole grains, and fresh vegetables and fruits. Enjoy a colorful diet of vegetables, fruits, grains, beans and legumes. Nutrition experts are talking about plant-based diets, where most of the protein you eat is plant-derived, and now there's much more availability of plant-based proteins and recipes. Focus on including beans, legumes, tofu and tempeh, using meat substitutes and analogs only sparingly as they are processed foods."

Nightingale also said to avoid diets that are a fad or extreme diets that are not proven by research.

For more information

Physician's Committee for Responsible Medicine 21 Day Kick-Start: https://www.pcrm.org/

Nutrition Facts: https://nutritionfacts.org

There are a variety of smart phone tracking Apps that can help you monitor healthy intake and/or activity.

About Intermountain Healthcare
Intermountain Healthcare is a nonprofit system of 25 hospitals, 225 clinics, a Medical Group with 2,600 employed physicians and advanced practice clinicians, a health insurance company called SelectHealth, and other health services in Utah, Idaho, and Nevada. Helping people live the healthiest lives possible, Intermountain is widely recognized as a leader in clinical quality improvement and in efficient healthcare delivery. For more information about Intermountain, visit intermountainhealthcare.org. For helpful advice for expectant moms and new parents, see Intermountain Moms online or follow us on www.facebook.com/intermountainmoms, www.instagram.com/intermountainmoms, or https://twitter.com/IntermtnMoms.