The months following the birth of your baby can be so busy and so exhausting that sometimes the last thing you think about is you. Looking after yourself is equally as important as looking after your little ones, as if you are in tip top condition, you will be in a far better position to do the job of being a mum well, plus you will feel so much better doing it.

Here are a few pointers to get you started.

1. Eat regular meals. When trying to lose weight, the temptation is to skip a meal. This encourages you to snack and graze which can often lead to sugar craving and eating far more than if you had eaten a proper meal in the first place. Slow release carbohydrates such as oats, brown bread, pasta and jacket potatoes are a good way to keep your energy levels up if you are flagging after a sleepless night. Many people find that they have a low point in their energy levels at about 3pm. If you find yourself reaching for biscuits at this point in the day regularly, pre-empt this by having a healthy snack such as a handful of dried fruit or a savoury oat biscuit to hand, so you are not tempted to reach for a high calorie substitute.

2. Breast feed. This is not only a great way to give your baby's immune system a boost but also uses about 500 extra calories a day and so is a great way to lose weight after the birth of your baby. You should not need to take a calcium supplement as the body adjusts to a certain extent by decreasing the amount of calcium that it loses and by increasing the absorption of calcium from the gut. It is however important to drink plenty and to eat a healthy balanced diet rich in calcium. The daily requirement for calcium in a woman breastfeeding is 1250mg. 3 glasses of skimmed milk contains 700mg of calcium, just over half of this. Other good sources of calcium are spinach, broccoli, sesame seeds, tofu, dried apricots and tinned fish (the type with the soft bones that you can eat).

3. To help lose the weight around your tummy. It is a popular myth that sit ups help lose weight around your tummy. This is not true. Exercise will lose weight from all over your body. Sit ups will tone the muscle underneath the flab but will not lose it. Sit ups can be damaging to the abdominal muscles post child birth and put a lot of strain on the low back and neck, which are often pretty sore after pregnancy anyway. A far better way to lose your tummy weight is to eat healthily, start regular gentle exercise such as a brisk walk with the pushchair or papoose, aqua-aerobics or swimming (both of which can be started once the bleeding has settled), and to breast feed. If you feel the need to tone the abdominal muscles, a far better way to do it is to strengthen the core stability muscles with exercises using a "Swiss Ball" or with Pilates. A simple tummy strengthening exercise is to lie face down on the bed or floor and raise yourself up onto your elbows with your tummy touching the ground. From there gently lift your tummy off the ground and hold it. This exercise is particularly good if you suffer with your back or neck.Be careful with running as it can take several months for the ligaments to strengthen post child birth.

4. Boost your iron levels. Many women are iron deficient after giving birth and this can lead to tiredness, which can make it difficult to get out and enjoy life to the full. Eat a diet rich in iron with plenty of leafy green vegetables, pulses, lean red meat, eggs and baked beans. Cooking with a balti can help as the food absorbs iron in the cooking process. Tea binds iron, so you should avoid drinking it if you are anaemic. Replace it with orange juice as vitamin C encourages its absorption.

5. Get going on your pelvic floor exercises. Pilates is a great way to strengthen your pelvic floor post childbirth and is also a great way to improve your core stability. This will help with back pain and improve muscle tone around your tummy, with the added benefit of preventing or curing urinary problem that have started during pregnancy or childbirth.