Getting into Shape After Twins

When a woman becomes pregnant it's the most wonderful, magical time of their life. Unfortunately though, it can and does take a lot out of your body, especially if you're lucky enough to be pregnant with twins.

When a woman becomes pregnant with twins, twice the stress is put on her and her body. She undergoes many changes to a lesser degree than she would if she were only pregnant with one. Usually when pregnant with multiples your physician will give you guidelines to go by, as far as how much weight you should gain. But no matter how hard you try to stay within those guidelines, women will often find themselves retaining anywhere from 20 to 50 pounds after giving birth to their babies. Regardless, under no circumstances should a woman try to avoid gaining weight during her pregnancy. When you're pregnant, especially with multiples, you're body requires many more vitamins and nutrients than normal. Of course eating well during this time is not only for you its also for your baby, it's very important to make sure your baby gets the nutrition it needs. Otherwise, your baby can be born prematurely, which can cause serious lifelong health problems.

In addition to gaining weight from being pregnant, many women will find that there muscles have softened due to extended bed rest, or from just having to limit their activities. Caring for newborn twins is difficult, its emotionally and physically draining. Moms who have twins find themselves overwhelmed in caring for two babies, so finding time for exercise is out of the question. But the good news is that as soon as your precious new baby starts sleeping through the night, which means you can begin to get more than 3 hours at night; you can get back in a routine and get that body back into shape by exercising.

One of the most reported conditions by moms of multiples, or anyone whose had a baby for that matter; is that there 'washboard' stomach is no longer tight and flat. Their stomach muscles have gotten so stretched out of shape they resemble saggy, spaghetti noodles. Lack of energy is another commonly reported problem, that's understood with 2 small babies to care for.

A woman has quite a few options when considering how she should eat post pregnancy. Some moms of twins swear by diet meals like Lean Cuisine and Smart Ones, which can be popped into the microwave and ready in seconds. And as all moms know, being able to prepare something quick and easy while the babies are napping is very important. In my experience with trying to lose weight post pregnancy, I've found that cleaning out the cupboards and getting rid of all the junk food is a great place to start. Stock your pantries with foods like protein bars and shakes; as your protein requirements are very high after pregnancy. Keep foods like yogurt, eggs, fresh fruits and vegetables and low fat cheese in your refrigerator. The key to losing that weight is to eat every time your baby eats, just make wise food choices and practice portion control. If you talk to any trainer they'll advise you to eat many mini - meals throughout the day. Your body acts as the gas tank which keeps your system running, if you fuel it consistently you get much better results. If you are still having problems with knowing what to eat, Weight Watchers has a program that was created especially for women who have just given birth to a baby or nursing, as nursing mothers require extra nutrients for there babies.

In addition to diet, exercise is one of the most important elements of any weight loss plan. And of course, its especially good to strengthen and tone your body when you've just given birth. That doesn't mean you have to run a marathon but incorporating some type of aerobic and strength training exercises into your routine for at least 30 minutes a day is very important. Walking is one the least stressful and most beneficial types of exercise you can participate in. It requires no special equipment and you can even strap the baby into the stroller on nice days and take it along with you. Getting outdoors right after you've given birth has also been shown to ease the symptoms of post partum depression and can relieve your body of stress. The importance of regular and consistent exercise cannot be stressed enough.

If you can somehow figure out a way to manage it with multiples, breastfeeding has also been shown to; not only be beneficial to the baby, but also very helpful in assisting you in losing the extra weight you gained during childbirth. Studies have shown that you burn 20 calories for every ounce of milk you produce. If you have 2 babies who are nursing, that's 320 calories burned per feeding session. Physicians have also recommended that you keep your calorie intake at 1500 calories per day, anything under that and you probably aren't getting the nutrients your body needs.

Whatever methods you may choose to lose that post partum weight, just remember that slow and consistent is the key. Your health and that of your baby is always the most important thing you should consider. And one more wonderful weight loss idea, drink lots of water; at least 10 8 ounce glasses per day to rid your body of toxins, fill up your tummy and help you shed that extra weight. If you are interested in getting more postpartum weight loss tips visits some of these web sites www.postpartumhealth.com, www.webmd.com, www.healthypregnancy.com, and www.ehow.com.