How to Get Skinny After Having a Baby

Of all the side effects of pregnancy, one that many moms-to-be fear is the inevitable weight gain. For the health of mom and baby, pregnant women who start out at a normal weight should gain 25 to 35 pounds, according to a 2009 report from the Institute of Medicine. As the number on the scale creeps upwards, women may worry that they will never get back to their pre-pregnancy weight. Even though fitting back into your skinny jeans may take some time, it can be done with effort and determination.

Instructions

1

Breastfeed your baby exclusively for six months. Exclusive breastfeeding burns an extra 300 to 500 calories per day, which translates into quicker postpartum weight loss for many women. A 2008 study in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, found that the more frequently women breastfed during the first six months, the greater the amount of weight they lost. The Journal's results also predict that women who started at a normal weight pre-pregnancy, will gain 26.4 pounds or less during pregnancy and, if they breastfeed exclusively, will lose their pregnancy weight by the time their babies turn 6 months.

2

Cut 500 calories from your daily calorie intake, consuming at least 1800 calories if you are breastfeeding and 1500 calories if you are not.

3

Begin an aerobic exercise program. Choose an activity that raises your heart rate, such as walking briskly, swimming or biking; and aim to exercise three days a week, keeping your heart rate in the target range for about 20 to 30 minutes during each workout.

4

Get seven or more hours of sleep a night. While it can be difficult to get enough sleep with a baby, sleep deprivation can negatively affect your weight. A 2008 study in the American Journal of Epidemiology found that women who averaged five or fewer hours of sleep a night six months after giving birth were 2.3 times more likely to still be hanging on to 11 pounds of pregnancy weight at 12 months postpartum. Women who continued getting less than five hours of sleep a night between 6 and 12 months after their baby's birth had three times the risk of carrying an extra 11 pounds of pregnancy weight at 12 months postpartum.