Help -- I've Gained Weight Since Giving Birth!

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Our diet expert discusses weight gain and weight loss after a pregnancy -- plus offers tips for how to lose your baby weight postpregnancy.

By Melissa Daly

Question: "Despite eating less and exercising more, I've gained weight since giving birth. What's up?"

Answer: Don't panic. For one thing, breast milk adds a few additional pounds. But if you're continuing to gain weight, you might want to double-check that your calorie calculations are correct. "New mothers are extraordinarily busy, but that doesn't necessarily translate into calories burned," says Ruth Frechman, RD. "And even if you're breastfeeding, you only need about 200 more calories per day than you required during pregnancy."

A few extra bites of a high calorie, high-fat snack food here and there can prevent you from shedding pregnancy pounds as quickly as you'd like.

To more accurately assess your calorie needs, try this Healthy Body Calculator Quiz >>

Originally published in Fitness magazine, January 2006.

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