Many women expect to lose a significant amount of weight immediately after delivering their baby. True, you lose the weight of your infant at birth, placenta and amniotic fluid, totaling around 10 lbs. For normal-weight women, with a single pregnancy that stayed within the recommended weight gain range, that leaves, on average, 20 additional lbs. to lose. For those overweight pre-pregnancy, it can take at least a year to reach a healthy weight. Hanging on to pregnancy weight increases the likelihood that you will be overweight/obese 15 to 20 years later in life.
