She gave birth to her second child only a few weeks ago, but celebrity mum Joanne Peh is back on the social media scene already, with her own take on life as a second-time parent.
In fact, this advice for new mums she recently posted on Instagram is so relevant and REAL, we just had to share it here!
Joanne Peh’s advice for new mums
All of us mums know the feeling. So you have just had your baby, who is adorable and cute and healthy, thank God for that. But why does your tummy look like a giant squishy blob of loose, sagging skin? And why do you still look 6 months pregnant?
Is your belly ever going to shrink back to normal? Should you restrict your food intake?
Read mummy Joanne Peh’s advice, “My confinement nanny was surprised at the amount I eat, sharing that many moms she has worked for eat very little, cutting carbs in their attempt to lose weight. One only ate a tablespoon of rice a day and claimed that that is how the female celebrities regain their pre-pregnancy weight so quickly.”
PHOTO: INSTAGRAM / JOANNE PEH
“Frankly I was a little shocked because I get hungry so easily with all the breastfeeding, there’s no way I can survive on 1 tablespoon of rice! It was also then that I realised that all the reports about female celebrities fast regaining their pre-pregnancy weight has increased the pressure on women to achieve the same results and feeling defeated when they don’t.”
We love how she prioritises her health and the health of her baby above everything else, “There are so many factors determining how fast a woman can regain her weight postpartum — such as how much weight was put on during pregnancy, metabolic rate, lifestyle pre-pregnancy etc and it applies to different people. For me, losing weight is the last thing on my mind right now. I need food to have milk. I need food to have fuel for my body to repair.”
And for mummies who are thinking of more drastic measures to lose all that flab, she goes on ,”…our bodies have changed dramatically over 9 months, and we need to give it time to heal and go back to how it was before.”
PHOTO: INSTAGRAM / JOANNE PEH
“That is why we need to focus on fixing the inside rather than the outside. Women who jump into exercise right after pregnancy could cause more damage to their bodies that they do not see. And let’s not forget, our uterus needs an average of 6 weeks to shrink too!”
What did we say? Wasn’t that advice worth its weight in GOLD?
Taking care of your postpartum bodies
Well, mummy Peh might have put to rest many a mum’s worries about her post-pregnancy body, but here’s our 2 cents worth on what mums should look out for when it comes to their postpartum bodies:
- Give your body time: Have patience. Unlike a balloon, the tummy won’t, unfortunately, pop back into shape once the baby is out. Remember, it took 9 months for the abdomen to stretch to hold a baby, so do give it a few months time to get back to normal. Be positive.
Most women lose more than 10 pounds during birth, including the weight of the baby, placenta and amniotic fluid. From the moment the baby is born, hormonal changes cause your uterus to contract, shrinking it back to its pre-pregnancy state. It takes 6-8 weeks for your uterus to return to its normal size.
- Breastfeeding helps lose calories: Women who breastfeed burn extra calories to make milk, so they usually lose pregnancy weight more quickly than women who don’t breastfeed. Breastfeeding also triggers contractions that help shrink the uterus!
- Follow a healthy eating plan: Put off those plans for an extreme diet for now; it reduces the amount of milk you produce. Give your body a few months time before you think of cutting back on calories.
If you must, cut back on foods with added sugars and fats, like soft drinks, desserts, fried foods and fatty meats. Aim for a diet rich in nuts, grains, vegetables, fruits, dairy and protein. And drink plenty of water.
Most doctors advise new mums to eat whenever they are hungry. So don’t feel guilty about snacking often! Remember to talk to your doctor before you start on any type of diet or exercise plan.
- Embrace your stretch marks: The good news is that the stretch mark pigmentation usually fades and they become much less noticeable about 6-12 months after you have had your baby. The bad news is that their texture will still remain the same.
Joanne Peh has the final word when she says, “Wanting to lose weight isn’t wrong, but having gone through labour twice myself, my wish is for all mums to regain their strength and for their bodies to heal properly rather than be pressured by media stories.”
“Labour is tough, raising kids is even tougher and we need to be in the best of health to see that through.”
Also READ: Mum writes moving letter to her postpartum body!
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