Losing that weight after having a baby is never easy for most moms. I have just given birth to my second child, a son last February 29, 2008. He weighed 7.7lbs(3.5 kilos).

Before pregnancy I had a waist line of 24 inches and I weighed only 99lbs. During my first trimester, I have already gained 25lbs, which was the average weight most women gain throughout their whole pregnancy. I gained a lot of weight and I gained weight fast. By the time I was ready to give birth, I already weighed 146lbs. I delivered my son via cesarean section, because he wasn't totally engaged because my pelvis was too small for his head. I was on a diet during most of my pregnancy(from the second trimester, up to the time I gave birth). I only ate fruits and veggies, I hardly ate meat and rice(which is a staple food in our country), because I tend to gain weight fast, and my doctor thought that if I continued to gain weight I would have a hard time delivering my baby. Despite that I still gained an average of 1.5lbs per week. I became really big.

After giving birth, I guess most moms, like me, want to lose the weight they have gained during pregnancy. And for most moms, it's not very easy, especially for moms who have gained twice the weight they should have gained, like me.

For me, the best way to lose that post pregnancy weight is through breastfeeding. I have proven that this works, I breastfed my first child, a daughter, right after I gave birth, and I am breastfeeding my son now. Breastfeeding helps lose the unwanted weight gained during pregnancy, it releases a chemical known as oxytoxin which promotes contractions in the abdomen, tightening the muscles in the abdomen, causing it to flatten and not look flabby. I have lost my pregnancy belly in just a month, well almost all of it, I'm still a bit flabby, but hey, it's only been 2 months.

As for the best exercise, I find that the best exercise would be doing the hula. Since I delivered my son via cesarean section, I am not able to do strenuous exercises like abdomen crunches or push ups, because my stitches might open, so I had to find ways to lose weight without compromising my comfort. I find that dancing the hula(just making simple lying down number 8's with your hips/butt) will do the trick, it might even help you develop abs. Also, it's something you can do while doing something else, like watching tv, or cooking, or whenever you find yourself just standing up. If you delivered your baby via normal delivery(vaginally), and you think you can exercise, then go for it. Before you start on any exercise program though, make sure that your body will be able to cope with it. Prior to starting an exercise session, make sure that you are well hydrated and make sure you warm up first to avoid having a head rush(it's like a feeling of dizziness).

Exercising too hard though will cause lactic acid to build up in a mom's system which might alter the taste of your breast milk, which can result to a baby being less receptive during feeding time. But lactic acid build up will not be harmful to the baby or the mother and should disappear in about 2 hours. Since breastfeeding has a two hour interval, normally, I suggest you breastfeed before working out, so by the time you need to breastfeed again, lactic acid levels in your milk will be back to normal.