How can I stay healthy after my baby is born?
After you deliver your baby, your health may be better if you try to return to a healthy weight slowly. Not losing your “baby weight” may lead to overweight or obesity later in life. Slowly returning to a healthy weight may lower your chances of diabetes, heart disease, and other weight-related problems.
Healthy eating, regular physical activity, adequate sleep, and other healthy habits after your baby is born may help you return to a healthy weight and give you energy.
After your baby is born
Consume foods and beverages to meet your calorie needs.
Regular physical activity will continue to benefit your overall health. Moderate-intensity physical activity will increase your fitness and can improve your mood.
Also, physical activity does not appear to have bad effects on how much breast milk is produced, what the breast milk contains, or how much the baby grows.
How may breastfeeding help?
Breastfeeding External link may or may not make it easier for you to lose weight because your body uses extra calories to produce milk. Even if breastfeeding does not help you lose weight, it’s linked to many other benefits for mother and child.
For mothers who breastfeed, experts advise External link feeding their babies only breast milk for the first 6 months—no other foods or drinks during this time. Experts suggest that those women continue breastfeeding at least until their baby reaches 12 months.
Calorie needs when you’re breastfeeding depend on how much body fat you have and how active you are. Talk with your health care professional about your calorie needs while you are breastfeeding.
Benefits of breastfeeding. Breastfeeding your baby
likely gives him or her an appropriate mix of vitamins, minerals, and other important nutrients in a liquid (breast milk) that is easy to digest
helps boost his or her immune system
helps protect your baby from common problems, like ear infections NIH external link and diarrhea
What else may help?
Pregnancy and the time after you deliver your baby can be wonderful, exciting, emotional, stressful, and tiring—all at once. These feelings may cause you to overeat, not get enough calories, or lose your drive and energy. Being good to yourself may help you cope with your feelings and follow healthy lifestyle habits.
Here are some ideas that may help.
Sleep when the baby sleeps.
Ask someone you trust to watch your baby while you nap, bathe, read, go for a walk, or go grocery shopping.
Explore groups that you and your newborn can join, such as “new moms” groups.
Don’t feel like you need to do it all on your own. Seek help from friends, family members, or local support groups.
Summary of Tips for Pregnancy
Talk to your health care professional about how much weight you should gain during your pregnancy, and regularly track your progress.
Consume foods and beverages rich in folate, iron, calcium, and protein. Talk with your health care professional about prenatal supplements (vitamins you may take while pregnant).
Eat breakfast every day.
Eat foods high in fiber, and drink fluids (particularly water) to avoid constipation.
Avoid alcohol, raw or undercooked fish, fish high in mercury, undercooked meat and poultry, and soft cheeses.
Do moderate-intensity aerobic activity at least 150 minutes a week during your pregnancy. If you have health issues, talk to your health care professional before you begin.
After pregnancy, slowly get back to your routine of regular, moderate-intensity physical activity.
Gradually return to a healthy weight.