It doesn't take 9 months to lose it.

I found this girl's blog post about her postnatal weight loss via Pinterest.  Styleberry Blog
It unveils the BIG secret (I type that with sarcasm, because really, it's no secret at all) to how she lost her pregnancy weight.  As I read this post, I felt like it was almost something that I could've written word for word.  I've sort of touched on the role that my prenatal care played on my postnatal weight loss before, but after reading Shawna's post, I felt I had to share.  She put something into words that I felt my entire pregnancy and I'm baffled why more pregnant women don't feel this way!  From her post:
"When I found out I was pregnant, I had this major mental shift.  Suddenly my health was more important to me than ever before.  When I exercised, so did my baby.  When I ate healthfully, so did my baby.  When I failed in these two areas, so did my baby.  This was enough motivation for me."

So many times, I hear women using their pregnancy as an excuse to "cheat" and eat whatever they want, whenever they want, while being completely sedentary.  Am I the only one who cringed when people told me "it's ok, you're eating for two now"?  I hate this part of our culture.  We should be encouraging each other to be healthy, and to exercise, not to stuff our faces during the most crucial growing period of our baby's life!

From Whattoexpect.com:

"Does eating for two mean that you get to eat twice as much of everything? Unfortunately...[the] math doesn't work that way. Keeping in mind that one of the two you're eating for is nowhere near your size (just pea-like, in fact, in the first trimester), you'll only need to eat an average of about 300 calories a day (more, if you're very active) above what you'd eat to maintain your pregnancy weight gain — the equivalent of, say, two glasses of skim milk and a bowl of oatmeal. ...By the second trimester, though, you should up your daily calorie intake during pregnancy by 350 calories, and toward the end of your pregnancy, you can eat an extra 500 calories per day..." 

So, bottom-line: Yes, you need to consume more calories while you're pregnant, but it's not as much more as people lead you to believe, and those calories should be from foods that you would be comfortable feeding to your baby (because, afterall, that's basically what you're doing).

My OB-Gyn recommended that I gain between 25-30lbs during my pregnancy, and I gained 28lbs total.  After Gwen was born, I certainly did not return to the gym as quickly as some people do.  I did a lot of walking when the weather turned nicer, some "mommy & me" Yoga, and some fitness classes here and there, but I didn't actually join my new gym until September (8 months postpartum).  However, I was miraculously (again, sarcastic) able to lose all of my baby weight by 3 weeks postpartum!  In those 3 weeks (besides breastfeeding) I did nothing to even try to lose the weight.  I realize that a lot of people would roll their eyes at this (and to those people, whatever, no one's making you read this), but the reason why I'm writing this is because my point is that I busted my butt BEFORE and DURING my pregnancy, to prepare my body for this.  I worked out very regularly, and became much more focused on eating healthfully.  I know for a fact that if I hadn't done these things, a.) I would've gained much more weight, and b.) I wouldn't have lost the weight nearly as quickly.

More wise words from Shawna's blog: 

"The human body will completely take care of itself, if you take care of the body.  Pregnancy is not a sentence for a lifetime of excess weight.  It's just a pregnancy.  If you gain the right amount [and take care of yourself], you will lose it just as fast (well, much faster, really).  I believe it is that simple."   As do I!

Prenatal Workouts - Strength

PT on the Net is a great resource for fitness professionals, providing research articles, along with pre-made workouts and individual exercises that allow you to put together your own workout.  Below is part of a prenatal workout that is similar to the one I used during my pregnancy.  I love the fact that it's a dynamic workout that hits all of the major muscle groups, but won't take 2 hours to complete! I have modified some of the exercises so they can be done at home with common household items - no gym required!! These stretches can be performed prior to the exercises below as a warmup.  20-30 minutes of biking or walking at a low intensity is also recommended. Cycle through all of the exercises below before resting, and then completing another set.  2 sets of 12-15 repetitions at a moderate intensity should be performed. SQUAT - INTEGRATED ROTATION Movement : This movement involves a squat motion to standing with arm rotation. Start with the feet wider than shoulder width and reach up and into rotation with both arms to the right. Descend into a squat and reach towards the floor. As you begin to stand, reach up and into rotation with both arms (as shown). Repeat. AXE CHOP MEDICINE BALL X-BODY Preparation : Start with the feet slightly wider than shoulder width, toes turned out slightly. Movement : This movement involves a cross-body chop motion using a medicine ball. If you do not have a medicine ball, you can preform without any weight, fill a milk jug with water, or use soup cans. Start with the knees slightly bent, both hands on the MB and arms straight. The hands start at head height. Accelerate the MB down and across the body. Decelerate the ball at the low end and accelerate the MB back up to the starting position. (this movement should be controlled) Repeat pattern back and forth for 12-15 reps then switch sides. WALL PUSHUP

• Stand facing a wall and ex­tend your arms in front of you. Lean forward slightly and place your palms against the surface. Bend your elbows until your nose nearly touches the wall. Push back out to start. 

ROW - 1 ARM STANDING

Preparation:

• Stand with left foot in front of right, hip-width apart. 
• Hold back of chair with left hand and lean forward from ankles so your body is at a slight angle. Your back should be straight - don't hunch!

Movement

exercise should look like this with your
left hand on the back of a chair
photo credit: umerphysio.co.cc

• With a dumbbell (or soup can) in your right hand, let arm hang straight down from shoulder, palm facing in. Squeeze shoulder blades; then bend elbow up toward waist. 
• Straighten arm and complete 12-15 reps.
• Switch feet position and repeat with your left arm.

LATERAL RAISE: STANDING Preparation : Stand "tall." Feet: shoulder width apart. Knees slightly bent. Dumbbells (or soup cans) at side. Movement : With core activated, lift the arms at your sides until they reach shoulder height. Stop and slowly return to starting position maintaining good posture and an upright position. Focus on the back musculature to maintain correct posture.

For your protection!:  Vigorous exercise should only be undertaken if appropriate. Vigorous activity should definitely be avoided in hot and humid conditions. Care should be taken when returning to a standing position after any significant period of time lying down. This is due to chronic changes in blood pressure that may cause you to feel unwell. - Exercise regularly (at least three times a week). - Avoid competitive sports and activities. - Avoid laying flat on the back after the first trimester. - Avoid standing motionless for prolonged periods of time. - Stop exercising when you feel fatigued. Women who plan to begin an exercise program during pregnancy or soon postpartum are advised to seek medical advice before commencing any new routine.

Important Disclaimer:  No express or implied warranty (whether of merchantability, fitness for a particular purpose, or otherwise) or other guaranty is made as to the accuracy or completeness of any of the information or content contained in any of the pages in this web site or otherwise provided by personal training on the net. No responsibility is accepted and all responsibility is hereby disclaimed for any loss or damage suffered as a result of the use or misuse of any information or content or any reliance thereon. It is the responsibility of all users of this website to satisfy themselves as to the medical and physical condition of themselves and their clients in determining whether or not to use or adapt the information or content provided in each circumstance. Notwithstanding the medical or physical condition of each user, no responsibility or liability is accepted and all responsibility and liability is hereby disclaimed for any loss or damage suffered by any person as a result of the use or misuse of any of the information or content in this website, and any and all liability for incidental and consequential damages is hereby expressly excluded. © Copyright Personal Training on the Net 1998 ­ 2012 All rights reserved

Another great resource!:
BabyFit has developed a series modified strength training exercises for upper and lower body and abdominals that can be viewed at these links:
 Babyfit Core Workout

Babyfit Upper Body Workout

Resource: ptonthenet.com, babyfit.com, Women's Health