Do you wonder if you will ever be able to lose baby weight? I remember several people telling me the pounds would melt off with breastfeeding. Well, here I am, still nursing a year later and I still weigh about the same as I did in January of this year. Now, I know I shouldn’t complain too much. I think I’m one of the few that lost weight while pregnant; though I can thank my gestational diabetes for that! I’m sure I would have packed on a few pounds if I would have been free to eat carbs to my little heart’s desire.

I admit, I was thrilled that after giving birth I weighed less than I did before I got pregnant. I was even happier when I went to see my primary doctor 3 months after giving birth and I’d lost another 5-10 pounds.

But it kind of stalled after that and I realized that it wasn’t always so easy to lose baby weight after all.

How To Lose Baby Weight

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My motivation, time, and space to work out is almost down to nothing. Juggling kids is a tough thing to do. You need all of your energy to feed them, clothe them and make sure they are healthy and happy. Self-care and figuring out a way to lose baby weight isn’t always on top of the list.

I’ve been thinking I need a jump start.  When I lost 20+ pounds on Weight Watchers I was so excited and I felt better. I know for my health I should lose weight now. However, I need something to assist me with losing weight that doesn’t require a whole lot of extra effort. (I know, what you are thinking, but cut me some slack, k?)  WW is good to use, but then I started obsessing over points a little too much. I wanted to try Nutrisystem, but I can’t while breastfeeding. I’ve considered a weight loss supplement, but I can’t take it because I’m still breastfeeding. (See a pattern here?)

Breastfeeding is supposed to burn a lot of extra calories. This probably explains why I haven’t gained any weight,  just plateaued. Yet, if you want to lose baby weight something has to give. You can only limit your calories so much while breastfeeding. So what do you do? It is also the one thing that keeps me from being able to do any of these things to drop a lot of weight. I haven’t tried an

Breastfeeding is also the one thing that keeps me from being able to do any of these things to drop a lot of weight. I haven’t tried an ab belt yet. They use electro myostimulation to make the muscles contract (and could potentially be used to deal with muscles spasms too). It sounds like a good idea. I’d love for something to “make” my body exercise without actually doing some rigorous activity. Or imagine how that would help on top of regular activities, like walks?

Although I don’t technically have “baby weight” any more, I’m still struggling with my body image. I still have a pooch. I still have rolls. Being a new mom makes me self-conscious about looking like a mom (as weird as that sounds). You want to keep your self-confidence up, especially during postpartum times, and knowing how to lose baby weight, extra weight from before pregnancy or even just tone up is important. I sometimes can’t help but wonder if they think I’m still carrying all my baby weight.. or even an actual baby.

Get moving they say.  It’s so much easier said than done, but I know that one of the biggest things I can do is move more. When my calorie intake is lower a little bit of movement can make a huge difference. Investing in a treadmill or exercise bike for at home use might be a great choice, but not sure if it is in our budget right after having a baby. Walking helps and is a great way to spend time with baby by pushing them in a stroller or baby wearing.

Whether you recently gave birth or not it can be difficult to lose weight. They say diet and exercise are key. While I believe that, I have a hard time sticking to them when I’m not seeing results especially since they require hard work and time. Knowing how to lose baby weight isn’t really that hard to figure out. It’s putting plans in action and being consistent that is tough.

Darcy Zalewski

Darcy is the founder of “Life With Darcy and Brian,” where she combines her love for education, board games, and crafting to create engaging learning experiences for kids. Her creative projects and writing have been featured in outlets like The Toy Insider, CafeMom, Mom.com, Parents.com, Country Living, and The Pioneer Woman.