Weight gain during pregnancy is to be expected for women. Hormonal changes and the need to nourish a growing baby will add a few pounds, and as long as it doesn’t get out of hand, this is perfectly normal. However, after the baby is born, that doesn’t mean the weight will simply (or easily) fall off. Many new mothers lament the excess pounds they gained during pregnancy and now cannot seem to drop, and some, to their horror, even gain more after they give birth! Fluctuations in weight have also been reported, despite eating well and adding some degree of exercise. Part of this is due to the lack of sleep that comes with a newborn, and hormonal imbalances are also a culprit. Still, knowing the science behind it doesn’t exactly help when a mother is looking in the mirror or pulls on a pair of jeans and only sees her weight gain.