Child Birth is one of the most beautiful moments in a woman's life. When the mother looks at the newborn she knows that the pain and hardships of previous nine months were not in vain. However it also means that the life must return to normal with the additional responsibilities of bringing up a child.

Soon after the child birth, the mother starts thinking about how to lose weight gained during pregnancy. Many young mothers often resort to quick fix diets, diet pills or cardio programs.

But remember the weight loss will be gradual. After all you did not gain the weight in a day, did you? So do not expect to lose the excess weight in few days.

Plus it is now accepted that the body and metabolism of a woman who has given birth undergoes a number of changes that can sometimes make losing those extra pounds more difficult. And some mothers do not lose the last few pounds till the breastfeeding continues.

So what should you do? Should you resign to your fate and wait for the extra weight to magically disappear?

Of course not! In order to lose weight after pregnancy both safely, and effectively, you should undertake a program of slow and steady dieting along with exercise that will produce long-term benefits.

You should concentrate on the health of your child and your own health and diet. After all now you have to think about how to regain your lost strength as well as provide good nutrition to your baby.

An ideal diet for a new mom would consist of:

* About 2000 calories per day
* Small amount of fiber
* A healthy intake of carbohydrates (50 percent of total intake)
* A good intake of protein (30 percent)
* About 10 percent fats

And the good news is you can start taking your favorite foods again that you may have stopped during pregnancy. But remember, do not indulge too much as you are looking to knock off the extra pounds gained during pregnancy.

And before trying any quick fix diets or diet pills, consult your physician to make sure the diets and pills are absolutely safe because what you eat also becomes the food for the baby.

No matter how busy you find yourself as a new mom, exercise is still important especially at the early stage as it will help build up your stamina and return the muscle tone you lost during the pregnancy. Exercise is also a good way to improve moods providing it is not overdone and will help to ensure you do not begin to see it as a chore.The main purpose is to reduce the overall body fat while improving muscle tone at the same time although this should be a gradual process.

With a good nutritional program and with moderate exercise, you can expect to lose the weight you gained during pregnancy within a reasonable time frame.