Many women struggle with losing the “baby weight.” It’s just a simple fact. The truth is that having a baby changes your body in a number of ways, and not all of them are entirely good. (That doesn’t mean they aren’t worth it, of course.) Only about 15 pounds of the weight you gain during pregnancy will be lost during delivery. That leaves anywhere from 10 to 20 more pounds to lose, assuming you gain the average of 25 to 35 pounds during pregnancy.

Still, there are some relatively basic things you can do after baby to lose weight. In fact, there are three steps you can follow that, while they don’t guarantee weight loss, can put you on the fast track to getting your body back in shape after baby. Here they are:

• Walk. You don’t have to do an aerobics class or run marathons. Simply walk. Walk at least 30 minutes a day. This will keep your metabolism going, and burn away some excess calories.
• Limit TV. Research shows that people who watch two hours or more of TV a day tend to be bigger than people that don’t. Limit the amount of TV you view in a day, and you’ll be surprised how much more active you are.
• Avoid saturated fats and trans fats. You can’t (and shouldn’t) avoid fats altogether, however you should limit your intake of saturated fats. You can also eliminate trans fats from your diet altogether.

These steps don’t guarantee weight loss after baby. You can’t do these things but still take in 3,000 calories a day and expect to lose the baby weight. Over the long haul, if you’re going to lose all of that weight after baby, you’re going to need to make some other changes, both in terms of diet and exercise. However, if you start with these basic principles and refuse to compromise on them in any way, you’ll start out on the fast track to postpartum weight loss, and you’ll have your body in shape before you know it.

In many ways, pregnancy is (and should be) focused on the mom. After all, it’s her body that’s going to be doing all of the heavy lifting, both during pregnancy and even afterwards. Still, there are some things that dads can do to help out. This is true both during pregnancy, as well as after pregnancy. That postpartum period actually gives dads a chance to really shine, if they know what to do.

Here are some of the ways that dads can do their part during the postpartum phase, and really step in and give some relief to moms:

• If you feel left out, say so. Because all of that focus is on the moms, dads can feel left out. Talk with your partner about your feelings, and start a dialogue.
• Be supportive and understanding. Let’s be honest. The postpartum period is one of emotional ups and downs. Most of them won’t make sense to you. That’s all right. You can be supportive without understanding it.
• Watch out for postpartum depression. You’re the first line of defense when it comes to recognizing a problem with postpartum depression. Learn what signs to watch for, and then be ready to talk to your spouse if you believe she’s suffering from postpartum depression.
• Do everything but breastfeed. You can get up with baby, you can change diapers, you can take baby to doctor appointments and more.
• Help out with breastfeeding. Obviously, your help here is more along the way of moral support. Tell her you’re proud that she’s doing so well with it, and help defend her against potential negative comments from outsiders.
• Learn to do the dishes. Pick up on several of the household tasks that you may not normally do. Help out with older children, too. Keep Mom focused on herself and the baby.
• Be ready for change. Introducing a new member to the family changes things. Not all of those changes will be positive, but they will be worth it. Don’t long for the days gone by, but instead revel in your recent family addition.

Postpartum depression isn’t something you really want to spend a bunch of time worrying about. The fact of the matter is that the more time you spend worrying about it, the less you’re going to enjoy those special moments when your baby is little, and when you’re adjusting to your new life. That being said, you still need to give it a few moments’ though, if for no other reason than you want to be prepared in case it does happen.

There are several things you can do to prepare for and, ideally, avoid postpartum depression. Here are some places to start:

• Take good care of yourself. It’s easy to get so caught up in caring for your baby that you forget to take the time you need in order to care for yourself. When someone else offers help with the baby, take it. Even small breaks from the pressures of parenting can help you to keep some semblance of sanity.
• Stay away from major life changes. You’ve already got one major life change going on. This isn’t the best time to move, even if you’re just moving across town. It’s not a great time to change jobs, or even get married. Give your life some time to adjust to baby before you introduce other disturbing elements.
• Develop a strong support system. Rely on family and friends. Keep a jot list of things that you could use help with. That way, when someone calls to offer a hand, you can give them something specific to help with. That will help keep you more organized for yourself, as well.
• Talk to your doctor. If you have a history of depression, or if you think you might be experiencing postpartum depression, get some help from a professional right away. Postpartum depression is very treatable, and it doesn’t have to be something that takes away significantly from your life.

No woman wants to suffer from postpartum depression. However, if you do find yourself in that situation, remember that it won’t last forever. Get some treatment and professional advice, and you will be through it before you know it.