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By the end of your pregnancy you probably couldn't wait to get out of those maternity clothes, but here you are, after the baby's born, and they're the only things that are comfortable. You might be tempted to jump right into a diet for quick weight loss, but if you breastfeed, the might not be the best way. Find out how to lose weight safely -- for you and your baby.

Most women have weight to lose after baby.
It's normal to have between 10 and 20 extra pounds of baby weight to lose. Keep your expectations realistic. It took you nine months (or maybe more) to gain weight, so be easy on yourself as you're trying to drop those extra pounds. For weight loss, you should lose about 1 pound a week. Even at this rate, you'll lose 52 pounds in a year.

Breastfeeding alone may help you lose the weight you need.
You may find that the 500 or so calories that you burn each day nursing translates into about 1 pound a week of weight loss, which is just perfect.

Even if you have a lot to lose, don't jump right into a diet.
To avoid any chance of compromising your milk supply, the Subcommittee on Nutrition During Lactation advises against beginning a calorie-restricted diet in the first several weeks of breastfeeding as your milk supply is becoming established.

Instead, add some exercise to your day. Get out in the sun and take a walk with your new baby to help jump-start your metabolism. Exercise also improves your mood and increases your energy level -- two things most new moms need. If you can lose around 1/2 to 1 pound a week between exercise and breastfeeding, you'll be right in the healthy range.

Keep a diet journal.
Just becoming aware of each bite you put in your mouth can help you cut out unhealthy foods that you don't need in your diet. Knowing you have to be accountable to your journal can help you say no. You can also find out exactly how many calories you're taking in each day.

If you need to make dietary changes, don't go below 1,800 calories a day.
If you're still not losing weight after adding exercise to your day and becoming aware of what you're actually eating, you can begin to gradually tweak your diet, eliminating 100 calories a day. This may be as simple as giving up soda or other junk food. Try that for a week or so before making any other changes.

Though insufficient milk supply has not been linked to a mother's poor diet, an inadequate diet can compromise your health, energy level, and your nutrient stores. Rapid weight loss may also cause the release of environmental toxins and contaminants, which are stored in body fat, into your milk.

Not all women easily lose weight while nursing.
Nursing makes most moms hungrier and thirstier. Though some women will need 300 to 500 or so extra calories a day, a more sedentary mom may not even require the extra calories. That fact, combined with a potentially calorie-conserving metabolism during lactation, can make it easy to consume more than you actually need. In addition, many women also soothe themselves with food, especially foods and drinks that are high sugar, high fat, and high carb.

Make a list of non-food treats that you enjoy and turn to this list instead of visiting the fridge. Don't forget to include names of friends and family to call if the going gets tough.

Get the support you need.
Let's face it: losing weight, even while breastfeeding, is hard for a lot of women. It makes it easier if you find a diet partner or join a weight-loss support group, like Weight Watchers. (And, Weight Watchers, as well as many other reputable groups, have a special plan for nursing moms.)

Safety Notes

• Some women report a decrease in milk supply when there is a dramatic dip in calories. Make dietary changes gradually. If you are concerned about your supply as you tweak your diet, watch your baby's output and weight gain to be sure it stays in the normal range.
• Excessive exercise, to the point of exhaustion, can cause a decrease in milk supply in some women.
• Occasionally a baby will refuse to nurse after the mother vigorously exercises. This is because the increase in lactic acid levels can give breast milk a bitter taste. If you exercise with full breasts, lactic acid levels peak in your milk at 10 minutes, while levels peak in 30 minutes in "emptier" breasts. If your baby refuses to nurse after you exercise, you might want to spread out your exercise into a couple less intense sessions and see how that works out. Also, rinse any sweat off your breasts before a feed and try nursing before or after levels peak to see how your baby reacts. You can also offer your little one previously expressed milk if this problem persists.