Having a second baby is exciting and overwhelming. Some women gain more baby fat after their second delivery compared to the first one. So, it becomes trickier to drop the second baby's weight than the first one. However, it is still possible to lose weight healthily.
Remember, loosing weight after giving birth to a second baby minimizes your risk of becoming obese, contracting chronic diseases, getting diabetes and high blood pressure. No matter how tough it is to exercise or eat a healthy meal after your second pregnancy, spare time to take good care of yourself despite the many responsibilities.
How Long Does It Take to Lose a Second Baby Weight?
When you are pregnant with your second baby, you gain at least 20-40 pounds. After childbirth, you can lose about 15 pounds of baby weight, amniotic fluid, and placenta. It will take you another two months for your uterus to shrink and get back to its pre-pregnancy size. After that, your body will take more time to shed off extra fluid, fat, enlarged breasts, and additional fluids gained during pregnancy. The rate of second baby weight loss depends on several factors that include:
- Pre-pregnancy weight: If you still had a lot of weight before your second pregnancy, it becomes a little tough to lose weight after pregnancy. That is why women should lose as much weight as they can before getting pregnant again. This makes it easy for them to shed off some good weight after the second pregnancy.
- Genes: different women boast different genetics that determine how fast they lose weight and how much weight they lose after giving birth for the second time.
- Age: Women under their 20s shed off the weight after giving birth first than those in their 30s and 40s. Women in their 20s get back to their pre-pregnancy bodies after 6-12 months. Women in their 30s after 18 months while in their 40s take more time.
- Activity level: How much you exercise and the type of exercise determine how fast and how much you shed off your baby fat. If you normalize daily exercises and workouts, your chances of getting back in shape are high and tight.
- Diet: Healthy eating leads to quick weight loss.You should also minimize the amount of food intake to at least meals in a day with zero alcohol and snacks.
- Amount of weight gained during pregnancy: If you gained a lot of weight during your second pregnancy, it would become tough to lose the weight. Put more effort compared to another person who gained little weight.
- Metabolism: Women who boast high metabolism rate lose weight faster than low metabolism ones. That means whatever they eat gets absorbed quickly by the body. This prevents them from gaining much weight. So, they have a simple weight loss journey. Amazingly, women with a high metabolism rate experience small to no belly fat after giving birth to their second children. They look as curvy as they were in their pre-pregnancy stage.
The estimated weight loss time ranges between 1-2 years to gain back pre-pregnancy weight. However, sometimes, some women shed off the entire baby weight after six months. So, every woman's weight loss journey is unique.
After How Long, Can You Exercise After Childbirth?
Before thinking about after-birth exercises, you first off need to recover from childbirth. As usual, you lose a lot of energy and blood during childbirth. That is why doctors recommend you take at least two months of relaxation after delivery.
Feed your body with as many nutrients as possible to keep infections at bay. After that time, you will have a strong comeback for handling any physical activities.
Remember, your body needs many calories when you're breastfeeding, and shedding them off with exercises is dangerous. So, it is wise to wait until the breastfeeding phase comes to a halt to exercise.
Tips for Shedding Off Weight After Childbirth
There are several tips that you can follow to lose weight after childbirth. They include:
Breastfeeding
Most doctors advise mothers to breastfeed their babies for at least six months. They also assure you that breastfeeding can help you shed off in no time. This is an effortless way of getting back to your pre-pregnancy body. Breastfeeding torches off about 500 calories per day. This is equivalent to running 7 miles. So, if you breastfeed exclusively for six months, you can lose up to 6 pounds compared to women who don’t breastfeed.
However, losing weight while breastfeeding is tricky for some women. Instead, some may eat more thanks to the hormone prolactin that increases appetite for more calories. Therefore, there are some tips you should follow so that you can achieve the weight loss goal through breastfeeding.
Balance how much you eat and what you eat to achieve a desirable homeostatic weight. There are several foods that weight aid loses while breastfeeding.
Ideal Foods for Breastfeeding Mothers
Suppose you want to lose weight quickly while breastfeeding keeps off the calorie count. Instead, take caution on the quality of your food. Eat enough portions that boast high nutritional values instead of minimizing your food intake. For example, you can add at least an ounce of protein in your meal, small starch portions, and vegetables.
In all your meals, ensure that you incorporate small portions of:
- Fat- The type of fat taken during lactation has a significant impact on your weight loss. You should try to consume avocados, olive oil, cheese, eggs, and nuts. These kinds of fat boast of omega-three, which is vital for your baby’s brain development.
- Fruits, vegetables, and whole grains: These are ideal for minerals and vitamins.
- Starches: For the production of enough body milk. Some of the best starches include rice, potatoes, and squash.
- Lean Protein: from poultry, fish, and nuts for tissue repair.
At all costs, avoid taking snacks that boast zero calories, such as soda and chips, alcohol, and sugary foods that can lead to body inflammation.
Exercising
After six months of exclusive breastfeeding, you can now make plans to visit the gym frequently. Exercising is not only good for losing weight but also for keeping your health and mood on track.
Alternatively, you can go for a long walk with your baby in a stroller. Walking is healthy and aids in weight loss frequently.
You can also engage in other light exercises that help stretch your abdominal muscles and get you back to shape. You can lift your newborn baby, walk up and down the stairs a few times a day.
You can also do some Kegel exercises to strengthen your pelvic muscles. Stretch gently to work out your shoulders, chest, and back.
If you were practicing yoga before the baby, you could continue with the same. However, ensure that you start with light exercises, and as time goes by, you can engage in more vigorous activities. Note that when you work your body too much after childbirth, you will experience some issues such as:
- Urine leakage
- Joint pain
- Sneezing
- Leaping
If such issues continue for a long time, consider visiting your doctor or nutritionist for proper treatment and pull out from exercising.
Remember, it is good practice to follow your doctors’ instructions for after-birth exercising. At all costs, keep off social media pages, TV shows, and blogs that showcase how easy and fast other moms lose their weight after their second delivery.
Every mom’s body is different, and only you can understand how you feel and what you want. So, you can start exercising after your doctor gives you the green light and when you think that your body is ready.
Drink Water
Water is one thing that every doctor and therapist recommend to everyone trying to lose weight. The same applies to mothers that just gave birth—Doctors advise you to take at least 3 liters of water per day.
Many mothers add weight from overeating every time they feel an empty stomach. However, sometimes mothers confuse thirst with hunger. So, to test if you're thirsty or not, try drinking a glass of room temperature water. If you normalize drinking water 30 minutes before eating, you are likely to lose weight and body fat.
Water fills up the stomach and staves off hunger. Water is not only good for after second baby weight loss, but it also aids in hydration. A well-hydrated body is a glowing body and an energetic one.
Eat Less
When your baby is six months old, you can start weaning and stop breastfeeding or breastfeed less. This is the stage where you can practice eating less. Reduce all your food portions by a few grams. Replace sweet eats with healthy ones. For example, if you love ice cream, you can try to replace it with frozen yogurt. With frozen yogurt, you can only consume a few spoons because the cold can’t allow you to have a whole tin. Experts advise moms who wish to lose weight to stick to 3 square meals a day with zero snacks in between.
Eat Whole Foods
With two kids in the house, you might lack time to cook and even eat healthy food. To save time and energy, you can boil cereals and legumes and store them in the fridge in small packages. This makes it easy for you to pull out some from the freezer and prepare a quick meal when needed.
You can also grab a granola bar or crackers once in a while, which can give you some energy while on the go. Eating a salad in the afternoon can also stave off hunger and help you stay healthy.
Keep of Highly Processed Foods
Processed foods boast plenty of sugar, salt, bad fats, and calories. These counters react with your weight loss efforts. Such foods are also addictive, and once you feed on them, the chances are you won’t stop. The best way to lose weight after baby number 2 is to keep off highly processed foods such as:
- High sugar cereals
- Processed cheese
- Candy
- Packed food
- Fast foods
Avoid Alcohol
According to research, a glass of red wine possesses excellent health benefits. But with second baby weight loss, alcohol can make you add some extra calories. So, if you are fond of taking at least a glass of wine daily, you might experience significant belly fat. Alcohol is harmful to the baby if it’s still breastfeeding. So, it is advisable to keep off drink while breastfeeding.
Avoid Overworking and Stress
Getting a second child means you have more work on hand in that you have to handle two kids at a go. The situation can become even worse if you don’t have a helper in the house. Let’s say you are a single mother or you only got a working husband as your primary assistant. So, most of the time, you end up doing baby numb and housework alone that may lead to exhaustion. Too much fatigue leads to emotional stress, which can tempt you to seek comfort in food—Worse-off unhealthy foods.
Besides overeating, stress can lead to insomnia during the postpartum period. Insomnia increases cortisol levels, which affect your metabolism negatively. So, if you sleep for less than 5 hours, chances are you will have improved weight gain.
If you find yourself too overwhelmed with work, call a shot and relax. Leave out some work or normalize handling little bits of work and sleeping more; this way, you stay off stress and spare some “me time.” This way, you will follow weight loss tips and gradually shed off weight as you desire.
Allow Your Body to Heal
As earlier mentioned, you need to give your body time to heal after giving birth for the second time. Giving birth for the second time can cause you to gain a lot of body weight because you have less time to exercise, postpartum stress, and insomnia. For the first trimester, your body is still healing, and you need to take one day at a time.
Give your body time to recover fully, and for your hormones to balance. If you’re breastfeeding, do it with a lot of ease, and don’t rush to diet and exercise yet. After three to six months, you can follow all the weight loss tips you feel will comfort and lead to weight loss. Otherwise, you might experience health issues when you exercise before you fully recover.
Get Support from Your Partner
If you have a partner, discuss with him your body weight loss goals. Ask him to help you on this journey by ensuring that you eat healthily, drink plenty of water, and exercise. Your husband can join you in your workouts, walks, and strolls to make it easier and more fun for you.
If you get overwhelmed by looking after your two kids and handling house chores, ask for help. Your partner might decide to take some days or weeks off to help you out, especially in the first trimester.
Know When to Seek Help
If you have tried losing weight after giving birth for the second time and not working out, seek help from professionals. Visit a nutritionist or doctor to help you draft a new plan for your weight loss. Note that your hormone levels change from time to time after giving birth, and only a doctor can determine the hormonal problems that are leading to your weight loss issues.
Have Sex
After 3- 6 months post-delivery of your second born, you can start having sex again. Try reconnecting with your partner to strengthen your relationship. Sex is a stress reliever and can leave your body relaxed after stressful times. Minimal stress can lead to healthy eating habits and the zeal to exercise. It also leads to some weight loss, which is your primary goal.
Avoid Shortcuts
There are hundreds of companies marketing weight loss products both online and on TV.
Although your second pregnancy might have significant effects on your body, avoid falling for weight loss shortcuts.
After giving birth, your muscles become loose, and they can only become tight through exercising.
Sometimes, taking pills and other supplements may make your weight situation worse. Instead, do some Kegel exercises to strengthen your pelvic muscles and don’t fall for other shortcuts.
Set Realistic goals
Motivation is good, but keep in mind that your body differs from other women. Every woman faces a different recovery process and period. So, set body goals you can achieve without straining or stressing your body. Avoid celebrity comparison where everything seems perfect and keep it accurate. Listen to your body and pay close attention to how you feel and its progress.
Wrap Up
Every woman boasts of a different body, with extra weight and hormonal levels. Some women shed off weight faster in their second pregnancy than others. However, they all have to adhere to a healthy diet, exercise, breastfeeding, and taking plenty of water. So if you just had your second child, you can heal then follow the above tips for weight loss.
