Postpartum Weight Loss: A 12-Month Guide To Help You Feel Your Best

Reviewed May 2022

Chances are you’ve heard the old adage “nine months on, nine months off”. It's a phrase regarding postpartum recovery that garners a lot of... backlash. It suggests that since it takes your body 9 months to grow a baby it should take you 9 months to lose the baby weight. But it doesn’t work that way.

It's dangerous to think of postpartum weight loss in such stark, standardized terms

Every individual’s body, birth experience, and circumstances are different — and that means postpartum recovery will look different, too. Maybe you'll lose excess baby weight in 4 months, or maybe 9 months, or maybe it will take longer. Maybe you'll never get back to your pre-baby weight, and that’s OK too because our bodies change over time. Either way, if you're working towards a healthy lifestyle for yourself and your body, then you're on the right track. 

That said, the first year after birth is a critical time period. Here’s why…

There's a lot of research supporting the fact that shedding the ‘baby weight’ by your little one’s 1st birthday can benefit your long-term health. It’s not about achieving a number on a scale — it’s about supporting your internal body functions.

The study referenced above found that those who did not lose most of their excess baby weight within the first 12 months after birth were at a higher risk of cardiometabolic conditions (such as diabetes and high blood pressure) later in life. It’s scary to think about, but it’s important to know just how much this year matters. That said, we know this type of study is frustrating because it simplifies health into one simple metric, and there is a lot that goes into a healthy postpartum recovery.

The message we look to take away from it is this: the first year after birth is the most critical time of your postpartum recovery, and postpartum is not meant to be a permanent state.

Your body is designed to recover from pregnancy, it’s designed to regain muscle tone, and it’s designed to release excess energy stores that you no longer need to sustain another life inside of you. It’s a time that is critical for your little one’s development and growth, but also for your own self-love and nourishment. We want to empower women to step into that first year after birth with that mindset: that all women deserve to pursue their own health, and they deserve the tools to do so.

We know you wouldn't trade an ounce of baby weight or body changes for having your children here with you. But while those body changes and excess energy stores helped you bring your baby here, it no longer serves you. You’re now in a new period of transition. Postpartum weight loss is — for better or worse — part of this recovery period, and it’s something that we know is so much easier said than done.

Rather than thinking of it as reaching a goal or a number on the scale, we encourage you to approach it as building a routine that celebrates your health now and helps protect it for the future. Your new ‘weight’ baseline might look very different from pre-pregnancy, but you and your body deserve the time and nurturing to achieve that new baseline.

The Baby2Body app is here to guide you through all of that with nutritious recipes and meal plans, meditations and wellbeing support, and personalized workout programs so you can feel like your best, most vibrant self. This is going to look different for everyone, but to give you a framework to build off of, here's a suggested month-by-month guide to help you move through postpartum recovery, shed some of that baby weight naturally, and gain more of yourself in the process:

Month 1 postpartum: The grace period

We’re not sure if anyone can really remember what happens in those first few weeks after birth. It’s wonderful and exhausting and scary and exciting all at the same time. You’re entirely focused on the new baby in your family and just making it to the next day. The only other thing we encourage you to do at this time is to give yourself grace. Focus on surviving through the tough days and soaking up the sweetness of the newborn phase. You got this.

Month 2 postpartum: Start with simple steps

For most people, full exercise clearance comes about halfway through month 2. That may or may not mean you are personally ready for exercise. But what it can do is give you a confident green light to take baby steps (pun intended) towards regaining your routine and rhythm. Get outside for a walk 10 minutes a day, every day. If you can't do that, march in place while rocking baby to sleep. Start at your baseline (whatever that is) and work on consistency.

Month 3 postpartum: 3 days-a-week

Yep, we're challenging you to get in the habit of working out and nourishing your body well 3 days a week this month. When a comes to working out a 15-minute workout 3 times a week counts. When it comes to nourishing your body, dedicate 3 meals a week to healthy, balanced recipes that make you feel good. Just 3 meals, and notice how the rest of your meals start getting cleaner as well. This is about routine building and habit forming. If you want to do more, more power to you. But focus on establishing a 3-day-a-week routine, so you can maintain it for the months to come.

Month 4 postpartum: Nail down your nutrition

Have you heard the saying "abs are made in the kitchen"? There’s truth to it. Postpartum weight loss relies heavily on your diet. Hopefully, in month 3 you started really prioritizing healthy eating a few days each week, but now is the time to make sure you're nailing the basics every day: 5+ servings of fruit and veg a day; plenty of fiber and probiotics; and consuming whole grains, lean proteins, and healthy fats over their less healthy counterparts.

Month 5 postpartum: Kick up the cardio

If you haven't already, now is the perfect time to build up your cardiovascular fitness. Most workouts should elevate your heart rate, but a proper cardio-focused workout at least once a week will really help your weight loss goals while improving heart health in the long term.  Whether you choose to walk, run, do the elliptical, spin bike, or swim — start adding it in this month. 

Month 6 postpartum: Assess your progress

Keep up all the healthy habits you’ve been working on, but this month do a mindful check-in on your progress. It's not about being on track or off track, it's about checking in on where you're at, how you're feeling, and understanding what's working and what's not. Meet yourself where you are and decide where you want to go. What do you need to change, do more, or do less of, to get to where you want to be? Use this month to tune into your own wellness goals.

Month 7 postpartum: Dial in your diet

By this point, if you're feeling like you're not losing weight as much as you'd hoped to, have a closer look at your diet. We're not about fad diets or intense cleanses, but you may want to talk to your doctor about a different dietary lifestyle (paleo, keto, low-FODMAP, etc) that might suit your body better and help you manage any remaining baby weight.

Month 8 postpartum: Work the weights

If you're seeing good results from your workout routine so far, but want to take it to the next level, now is a great time to introduce proper weight training. Make sure you know how to maintain good form before introducing any heavier weights. When weight training is done properly, it’s the best way to rebuild tone and develop muscle definition, which will help you burn off excess fat stores in the process. Keep in mind that by excess fat stores we mean the fat your body is holding on to but no longer needs to stay healthy. However, we all need some fat stores to be at our best.

Month 9 postpartum: Commit

Use this month to find the fitness, dietary, and wellness habits that work for you, your schedule, and your lifestyle, and create a routine that you can commit to. By now you've learned that babies operate so much better when on a routine, and the secret is: we all do. 

Months 10-12 postpartum: Maintain, maintain, maintain

Once you've found what works for you, it's all about maintenance and motivation. The best way to keep that up? Turn to your support networks: friends, family, and other mamas that can help cheer you on and keep you going strong. The Baby2Body Squad is our community of like-minded moms from all over the world, collectively committed to one thing: empowering each other. Join the Squad today. 

Are you a postpartum mama? Have a question for us? Let us know in the comments!

---