The Nine Month Weight

With the demands of motherhood taking priority, new mums often find it hard to drop those few extra kilos gained during pregnancy. It's important to remember that it's not a race and if you're breastfeeding, now is not the time to be heavily restricting your intake. Your body has undergone a major change and it will take a while to return to its former shape.

Mother of one Paula Williamson feels one of the biggest challenges facing new mums is the pressure to return to their pre-pregnancy weight. 'All the stars in the media seem to lose their weight and get applauded for it, but actually that is really the wrong message as you need to be eating more for breastfeeding,' she says.

It has taken Cat Dunne almost a year to return to her pre-pregnancy weight and she too believes that the images of famous people give women false perceptions. 'It didn't help having pictures of celebrities who had given birth around the same time I did looking thin and fabulous.'

Setting the right goals

Weight loss after pregnancy should be sustainable, not rapid. Generally you should be looking at losing around 1 kilo per month if formula feeding and slightly less if you're breastfeeding. 'Aim to be back to pre-pregnancy weight by around 6-8 months,' says Dr Cate Lombard PhD, Senior Dietitian for the Jean Hailes Foundation for Women's Health.

After giving birth, your focus shifts primarily to the care of your baby. For that reason, women like Paula sometimes struggle to co-ordinate diet and exercise with the needs of their child. 'The baby being well and healthy and the mother being emotionally well is so much more important but unfortunately there is pressure from everywhere to lose weight,' says Williamson.

Dr Lombard says 'Make sure your breastfeeding is well established and your baby is gaining weight before you restrict your eating or begin vigorous activity.' If you're bottle feeding, you may be able to return to exercise sooner. Start slow and try to increase your activity level each week.

According to the Federal Health Guidelines, breastfeeding women should have a daily consumption of:
· 7 serves of vegetables or legumes
· 5-7 serves of complex carbohydrates, like bread, rice, pasta and noodles
· 5 servings of fruit
· 2 servings of calcium, like milk, yogurt and cheese
· 2 servings of protein, like meat, fish, eggs, nuts and legumes.

You can slowly reduce your intake after you finish breastfeeding and increase activity level accordingly.

Non breastfeeding women should generally eat 5 serves of vegetables, 4-9 of the cereals range, 2 serves of fruit, 2 serves of calcium and 1 serve of protein per day.

Routine Exercise

After you give birth, your definition of exercise changes. A jog on the treadmill is now a jog up the stairs to the nursery and your weight exercises consist of carrying and cradling your newborn. Not having time to enjoy what was once 'regular' exercise is common.

Dr Amanda Salinsbury-Salis, weight loss scientist at the Garvan Institute of Medical Research, recommends increasing your incidental activity.

'Research shows you need 8-12 thousand steps per day on a pedometer in order to lose weight and keep it off,' says Dr Salinsbury-Salis.

'If you snap on a pedometer, it's amazing how quickly the steps clock up with a walk around the neighborhood pushing the pram or a trip to a shopping center.'

For Dr Salinsbury-Salis, taking the children to the pool when they were young became an effective method of exercise and weight management. Essentially you should find something that is enjoyable for you and your baby and that you can maintain on a regular basis.

If you are looking to increase your exercise, consider trying some of the following:
· Join a community mothers' group and organise to meet up regularly to partake in an activity with your little ones. Having a buddy keeps you motivated and because they're in the same situation, they're likely to be experiencing similar emotions and challenges.
· Find a nice park in your local area and schedule a time to visit it weekly. Each visit, try to increase the time you spend walking by 5-10 minutes. Afterwards, try some deep breathing exercises.
· When your baby is a little older, take them to the pool. Walk lengths while holding them to tone and strengthen your muscles. Maybe reserve this activity for the warmer months.
· Try some light pilates and yoga exercises when your baby is settled. As well as increasing your energy, these activities can be great for relaxation.

Celebrating what matters

Rapid weight loss requires a level of persistence that is impractical and detrimental to your overall sense of wellbeing. Celebrities who partake in these diet and exercise regimes risk missing significant moments of their child's growth in an effort to maintain a certain image. By accepting shape changes and setting reasonable time goals, you can reach a healthy weight without compromising your health or your baby's nourishment.

Further Resources

· Dietary Guidelines for Australians, nhmrc.gov.au


by Kate Cowling


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