Why do some women gain weight after having children?

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shermynewstart	I nursed my daughter & that got me back in shape fast. I used to joke that everything I ate went right out through my breasts. Maybe they're too tired to exercise since they're not getting enough sleep? Was this answer helpful to you? Yes / No

barter256	After having the baby, it is hard to lose the weight gained and on top of that, with all the late night feedings and the constant supervision, it is hard to find the time and energy to exercise, but it is easy to grab a box of CheezIts or some cupcakes to get you through. Was this answer helpful to you? Yes / No

Just My Thoughts...	I think that its not so much that they are actually hungrier as they just haven't changed their eating habits. They ate what and how they wanted for them and the baby. However once the baby comes, they forget to switch back to eating for 1 instead of two, some people make that transition smoothly and they just go right back to their original eating style and weight. But for those of us that have a little bit of a tougher time getting our minds & stomachs to cooperate in going back to eating for one. The longer we wait the more the we'll weigh!! Yes having a baby does in fact cause you to gain weight,but with that in mind, they just need to step of their game and perhaps even throw a little exercise in the mix. Unfortunately were'nt all born with High metabolism but exercise can play a big part in helping to speed it up!! I hope that this information is helpful to you, but again they're Just My Thoughts! Take Care! Was this answer helpful to you? Yes / No

kdollmusic	Some women eat too much when pregnant. THe recommended amount of weight to gain over the 9 month period is 15 - 35 pounds. Any more and it's harder to take off. You typically lose about 10 - 15 pounds within 2 - 3 weeks after giving birth. You can prevent weight gain after giving birth by not gaining too much weight during pregnancy. Most women only need an extra 300 calories a day while they're pregnant. It's important to watch your weight during pregnansy so that you don't gain too much - or too little. Was this answer helpful to you? Yes / No

dpk	because they become so stressed that all they do is sit and eat all day and watch tv and go to the supermarket. Was this answer helpful to you? Yes / No

K	why wouldn't they? Was this answer helpful to you? Yes / No

SweetPea	As you get older, your metabolism slows down and makes it harder to lose weight. Also, a lot of women forget about taking care of themselves because they're too busy taking care of their husband and kids. It's hard being a woman, most house and family responsibilites fall upon them to take care of, making it hard for women to take care of themselves. Eating right and getting exercise is the only way to prevent weight gain. Was this answer helpful to you? Yes / No

badkitty_dc	Because pregnancy and childbirth cause extreme changes to your body and metabolism. Some women gain weight; other women experience other changes. Everyone's body is different. Was this answer helpful to you? Yes / No

kurtbiewald	Its cuz children are a lot of work and cause lots of stress. Many times when people are stressed out, they eat too much. Was this answer helpful to you? Yes / No

yogabbagabba	It's called "eating too much and being a lazy ***". This is not a problem unique to pregnant women. Get out more. Was this answer helpful to you? Yes / No

Ms Thing	Because you are hungry and eat more when pregnant... Was this answer helpful to you? Yes / No

retorik75	I think it is a little of both eating more and metabolism changes. Probably not much they can do, except to maybe exercise more--which might be difficult with a new baby around. Was this answer helpful to you? Yes / No

Ero-Sennin	the metabolism in the body makes you eat more and stores your fat more efficiently, for the baby. after birth it takes a long time to wear off. Was this answer helpful to you? Yes / No

ray h	because the bodys hormones are changeing. Was this answer helpful to you? Yes / No

wthing5	Stop stuffing their fat faces and work out, or end up writing question after question on here.."Why did he leave me sob sob" or "My partner Cheated on me boo hoo" xxx Was this answer helpful to you? Yes / No

J-UNIT	BEC LOOK AT WHAT THEY LOOKED LIKE DURING THE PREGNANCY! WHAT DO YOU THINK IT DISSAPEARS JUST LIKE THAT!?dont worry about the fat have kids theyll be worth the fat! Was this answer helpful to you? Yes / No

Kendra J	The woman who gain weight after pregnancies are the woman who keep the pregnancy eating habits. You get so use to eating for 2 that you forget that 1 is gone. I think you have to change your eating habits quickly after birth and exercise more often to take off the few pounds you put on during pregnancy, instead of keeping the eating habit and being lazy think of fat as: F-feeling A-absolutely T-terrible And keep it off. Was this answer helpful to you? Yes / No

crazybitch857	I don't think they gain more weight they just have a harder time losing the weight that they just gained for the last 9 months. There's hope just try not to over do it after you give birth.... you'll be kept busy enough with the baby. Just make sure you take a few minutes for yourself. Was this answer helpful to you? Yes / No

Matt P	Their bodies change Was this answer helpful to you? Yes / No

staxi	many factors can cause some women to gain weight after having children. It all depends on the person. Some have hormain embalance or Thyroid problem that can begin with pregnancy. Eating right, breastfeeding when the child is born, and exercise are three things that can help control weight. I have had 2 children and am still right at the same weight I was before the first child, if not less because of running after him more. Was this answer helpful to you? Yes / No

teresa n	good question i wonder the same thing. i think it might have to do with the weight we gain and the amount we eat while pregnant Was this answer helpful to you? Yes / No

My Personal Fitness Coach	Most often, women gain weight post baby more due to envirnomental changes than do to physiological changes. That is not to say that a woman's body will not undergo changes after giving birth but it has been my experince that most women can regain their pre - baby figure or, even improve it. 1. less time to exercise - Often times after having a baby women find it difficult to "find the time" to exercise, thus gain weight. Realistically, if you can find 2 -3 hours a week for a fitness program that includes both cardiovascular and resistance training, you can stave off weight gain or, even improve your figure !! You can join a group of other moms to go for daily walks and there are a lot of "mommy bootcamp" type classes around. You will definitely need to exercise to keep your energy up and help stave off the stress that being a mom can bring 2. Less time, period - many women find time to be at a premium after having a baby and just flat out reach for less healthy, higher calorie alternatives. It is imperative that you take a little time and put a bit of thought into your daily diet to ensure that this doesn't happen. I often recommend that my clients precut healthy things like fruit or veggies or keep easy, healthy snacks on hand such as string cheese, yogart, meal replacement bars.. 3. Another .. less time - Often times, follwing childbirth, the household is pretty hectic and sleep schedules are disrupted. A new mom will often neglect breakfast (one of the number one ways to ruin your metabolism) or go for long periods of time during the day without eating. This leads to a slower metabolism, a serious drop in blood sugar and, most often the eating of large amounts of high calorie foods - See above for an easy fix 4. The clean plate club - Mom's often finish uneaten food off of their children's plates. This can add up to hundreds of extra (and often forgotten) calories per day !! Oh, and I almost forgot --- While the American College of obstetrics and Gyn. says that women need to gain only 7-12 pounds to have a healthy baby and the additional caloric requirements are only around 500 a day during pregnancy, most women gain 30 - 70 pounds during pregnancy, which, is often hard to lose giving all of the above refrenced challanges that face mothers!! Was this answer helpful to you? Yes / No

Tara B	You do get cravings when your pregnant, you just have to be careful of what you eat, I think most women do use the pregnancy as an excuse to eat whatever they want, I have had six children, I weight right now 115 (my youngest is 18 months) i always gained a healthy amount of weight while pregnant, I also ate right and continued after each pregnancy, it really is about self control. Was this answer helpful to you? Yes / No

Katherine	Most women have slower metabolisms as they grow older. But -- it is much much harder to execise and eat healthy when you have kids. Was this answer helpful to you? Yes / No

Gopal	I don't know about it but I liked WISE_WOMAN'S IDEA: "So really, breast-feeding is nature's best reducing plan..." for losing weight. So I come to know this fact:- If you are a FAT woman then let your BOOBS get sucked! And You will lose your wight in a fantastic and dramitc way! Wow! Women here can now lose their weight by applying this fantastic formula! Hahah!!! Was this answer helpful to you? Yes / No

Raj'sGenie	Cravings can be strong and they eat the whole cake,instead of a slice. They think eating for two is eating for two full sized people. How much can a 10 inch baby eat? They have no self control and stuff their faces with every cupcake in site. It takes self control. Want something sweet,eat a strawberry. People say Im "lucky",that I bounced right back. Im not "lucky" I worked hard to stay as thin as I could. Was this answer helpful to you? Yes / No

LOW	You need to have this discussion with NATURE! For openers, every-ones body does not act react the same way! The only real issues is what to do after child birth! You cannot not at the other persons body for your health issues! Was this answer helpful to you? Yes / No

Hydimyangel	Sometimes after having a child your metabolism slows down. You can lose weight quicker after havin a baby if you breast feed. Breast feeding helps shrink you belly back faster because it contracts your muscles. And if you don't lose the weight now, you will when the baby turns 2!!!!! You will be running around so much you wont have the energy to eat! lol Was this answer helpful to you? Yes / No

Babs B	They are so used to eating for two they continue on that path. learning to eat less and excersise Was this answer helpful to you? Yes / No

lilshorty3088	they eat to much when they are pregnant they only need to gain 15 pounds. Was this answer helpful to you? Yes / No

Susan M	Nature changes the metabolism of a pregnant woman a lot. First of all during pregnancy, women need a more nutritious diet for mother and fetus. By the last trimester, there is a lot less room in the digestive tract, since the fetus is large. The body needs high calorie, high nutrient food. Then with the birth, there is plenty of room in the abdomen with little support for the organs. The other big change is the switch to making milk for the baby. If more women would breast feed for a year, there would be way fewer weight problems. Lactating takes a large amount of nutrition. Nature wants Moms to survive any hardship that may come along, especially famine. In nature, in animals, young are lost. The survival of any species depends on the number of reproductive females. Having more fat means the females can endure hard times better and reproduce more and have more babies live. Life loves life. It doesn't care if you feel crumby because your clothes don't fit right anymore. The cards are stacked in favor of survival, not self image, in becoming a mother. It makes that sort of fat hard to lose, let alone the fact that your life has changed by being tied to the schedule (or lack of one) determined by a new born. The best way to prevent any weight gain is to think about every bite of food you take. Why should you eat that? To nourish you and increase your health or because it tastes so good and you want to eat it. That said, I wish I would follow my own advice more! Was this answer helpful to you? Yes / No