The Truth About Postpartum Weight Loss (& Why Bouncing Back Is a Myth)
Postpartum weight loss is such a popular (and also controversial) topic, and a common desire for many new moms.
And no shaming here. That’s a completely understandable goal for many reasons, including simply wanting to feel like you again.
However, society’s obsession with “bouncing back” after growing, birthing, and nourishing new life and making the top metric of success for new moms how quickly and easily they can fit into their pre-pregnancy jeans again?
It’s nothing short of ridiculous and downright misinformed. In fact, the whole bouncing back after having a baby thing? It’s a complete myth.
Plus, the popular sentiment of moms having “let themselves go” if they don’t abide by these outrageous standards? It does nothing to respect everything that occurs when you have a baby.
This expectation is not setting moms up for success but instead, disappointment, shame, and even harmful dieting and exercise extremes that negatively impact their health at a really important time.
So much needs to change when it comes to addressing this very nuanced and often sensitive but still important topic of postpartum weight loss and along with it, the entire process of becoming a mom. So we’re going to break it all down here.
Because as a mom, you need the truth about why you not only gain weight during pregnancy, but why you may not (and don’t need to) lose it ASAP after birth.
The reality is that as long as you’re healing from birth, recovering and replenishing from pregnancy (which takes much longer than 6 weeks), and adjusting to motherhood and finding your new normal—fat loss is far from your body’s top priority. It can even be normal to retain the weight you’ve gained longer than expected—especially while you’re breastfeeding.
For one, weight loss—particularly for women—is hardly just a calories-in vs. calories-out equation.
So many factors impact body composition including thyroid and adrenal function, hormone balance, detoxification, blood sugar regulation, and more.
And postpartum, many of those areas can take a hit due to things like sleep deprivation, stress, and common habits for new moms like skipping meals and not eating enough, particularly to support lactation.
It’s also important to understand that after having a baby, your body is nutritionally-depleted and in need of deep nourishment to replenish those stores.
And of course there’s a also huge mental health and body image piece to this puzzle too. Working on loving and celebrating your body through any season regardless of what goals you may have can be so hard, but is so important for your overall wellbeing.
Imagine if instead of getting recommendations for restrictive fad diets or predatory ads for fat-burning teas and appetite-suppressing supplements, you were taught how to honor your physiology and follow the healing priorities of your body so that you’re not causing more stress, fueling further depletion, and exhausting yourself in the process of working towards your goals.
So many moms are frustrated and upset by their lack of weight loss progress after birth. Their tried-and-true methods either don’t work anymore or they don’t even have the energy or time they need to even make them happen. They may even feel confused, torn between seemingly conflicting goals.
Know that if any of this rings true for you, it's not because you’re broken or because pregnancy has “ruined” your body (another quite frustrating societal phrase to add to the list).
It’s because the conventional approach is incorrect and becoming a mom is an all-encompassing transformational process that impacts your body and every area of your life. Which means “bouncing” let alone even going back isn’t possible.
Look, I want you to feel good in and about your body. I want you to reach a comfortable, happy weight for you that best supports your physical and mental health.
And I respect that it’s your body, so it’s your right to feel how you feel about it and your choice to do what you wish to do with it. I’m here to support you if you want to lose weight or if you don’t.
But I don’t want you to need extremes to get there or achieve that goal in a way that negatively affects your health and interferes with your hormones and metabolism. I don’t want you to get to a specific number on the scale or pants size without your body actually functioning any better from the inside out.
There’s no need to get your body back because it didn’t go anywhere. But it did go through some immense changes and requires something a bit different right now—it’s time to move forward instead.
Ready for support that actually honors your body and the season of motherhood you’re in?
If you’re nodding along and thinking, “Yes, this is exactly what I’ve been needing,” I’d love to invite you to work with me.
Together, we’ll look at the whole picture—from nourishment to nervous system health, mineral status to hormones, digestion to blood sugar, and more—and create a personalized plan that supports your body in feeling safe, strong, and energized again.
You don’t have to figure it out alone—and you’re absolutely worth feeling better and getting any help needed to get there.