Weight loss. Returning to their pre-pregnancy weight is a common interest among postpartum women. Many women feel societal pressure—enforced by images of postpartum celebrities who appear to return to their former figures effortlessly—to lose weight and get back into shape quickly after giving birth. With a healthy diet and exercise, much of the weight that women gain during pregnancy will be shed naturally during the first year postpartum. The goal should be gradual weight loss. For all but those women with high or very high pre-pregnancy weights, the recommended weight loss after the first month postpartum is a maximum of 4.5 lbs/month.