The Truth About Postpartum Weight Loss (+ Why Bouncing Back Is a Myth)
Postpartum weight loss is a very popular topic and a common goal for many new moms. And that’s understandable for many reasons- a big one of them being simply wanting to feel like you again.
But society’s obsession with “bouncing back” after growing, birthing, and nourishing new life and the top metric of success being how quickly you fit into your pre-pregnancy jeans? It’s nothing short of ridiculous and downright misinformed. In fact, the whole bouncing back after having a baby thing? It’s a myth.
And the popular sentiment of moms having “let themselves go” if they don’t abide by these outrageous standards does nothing to respect everything that occurs when you have a baby.
This expectation is not setting moms up for success either, but instead, disappointment, shame, and even harmful dieting and exercise extremes.
A lot 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 broader topic of matrescence (the process of becoming a mom).
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. Healing from birth, nourishing a baby, and adjusting to motherhood? Fat loss is far from your body’s priority!
Understanding why you may even retain it longer than expected- especially if breastfeeding- is also crucial (like the facts that stress and sleep deprivation can slow metabolism and lactating moms expend as much daily energy as a pro athlete!)
You deserve to understand the ins and outs of weight management and body composition, including how the metabolism, thyroid, adrenals, hormones, blood sugar and more play major roles. (Nope, it’s not just calories in vs. calories out, especially postpartum when your body is nutritionally-depleted and needs to recover.
You need the right information about weight loss resistance and “plateaus” in your journey. (Again, not just about slashing calories even more).
Instead of getting recommendations for restrictive fad diets or ads for fat-burning teas or appetite-suppressing supplements, you should be taught how to honor your physiology and 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. You should be taught how becoming a mom changes your body on so many levels and be reminded why going “back” isn’t possible, nor a productive aim.
And of course there’s a huge mental health and body image piece to this puzzle too- working on loving and celebrating your body through any season- especially this one- regardless of what goals you may have.
So many moms are frustrated and upset by their lack of progress in this area. 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- add it to the list).
It’s because the conventional approach is incorrect and becoming a mom is an all-encompassing transformational process that impacts every area of our lives.
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 healing and interferes with your hormones and metabolism. I don’t want you to achieve a number on the scale or pants size without your body actually functioning any better from the inside out. I don’t want you to be misguided.
Instead of “bouncing” or getting your body “back,” know that it didn’t go anywhere. But it did go through some immense changes and requires something a bit different right now- let’s move forward instead.