I recently came across some very important data that supports my message to new mothers that losing baby weight is crucial in order to avoid potential health risks.

From this BBC News Health article:

“There may be a scientific basis for the post-pregnancy adage, ‘Nine months on, nine months off’. Doctors in Canada say three to 12 months after birth is the key time to start losing the ‘baby weight’. Mothers who fail to lose excess weight within a year after delivery or put pounds on may be risking their health, they report in Diabetes Care. Women in this group have higher blood pressure and other risk factors for later diabetes and heart disease.