Sleep - not diet - is the key to shedding pounds after childbirth

New mothers who do not get enough sleep are less likely to get their figures back quickly, researchers say.

They have discovered a crucial link between sleep deprivation and the inability to

A study of 1,000 new mothers found that those who were sleeping for five hours or less when their babies were six months old were three times more likely to be carrying an extra 11 pounds at their baby's first birthday than mothers who got seven hours.

Erica Gunderson, who led the research, said: "We've known for some time that sleep deprivation is associated with weight gain and obesity in the general population but this study shows that getting enough sleep - even just two hours more - may be as important as a healthy diet and exercise for new mothers to return to their prepregnancy weight."

The results of the research, by Harvard Medical School and a leading health plan organisation, were published yesterday in the American Journal of Epidemiology.

Dr David Haslam, clinical director of the UK's National Obesity Forum, said new mothers had a tough job looking after their health.

He said: "Not only are they staying up all night looking after a crying baby, they now discover lack of sleep may affect their ability to lose the extra pounds.

"The trouble is that being awake for longer also provides more time for snacking and disobeying the energy balance equation which will help them return to a healthy weight.

"The message is that getting a proper amount of sleep isn't a luxury, it's essential for the health of new mums - and presents an ideal opportunity for Dad to help out with the baby."

Anne-Marie O'Leary, acting deputy editor of Pregnancy & Birth magazine, said: "It's easy to advise new mothers to look after themselves and get enough sleep but it's much harder in practice, especially if they have other children."

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