Baby Weight Loss: The Best Kept Secret in Hollywood

From Suri Cruise to Blue Ivy Carter, sometimes the babies themselves become just as famous – if not more so – than their celebrity parents. But, once the blessed day arrives and that little blessing pops out, it’s A-lister mommy who winds up on the covers of PEOPLE and Us Weekly and on the couch with Ellen and Matt Lauer flaunting their post-baby body (back to better-than-before in a matter of weeks!). It’s a common myth, however, that these celebrity mothers do it all on their own. All the while promoting their new diets and workout regimens, what no one is talking about are the unsung heroes behind the scenes – the night nurses, the baby nurses and the newborn care specialists (NCS).

Call them what you will, but every celebrity has one. Mariah Carey, Reese Witherspoon, Kourtney Kardashian – they’ve all had one (or two). Night nurses generally work 10-, 12- or even 24-hour shifts. Media outlets love to give credit to personal trainers and fabulous new diet trends for whipping these new mommies into shape, but when these movie star moms are breaking a sweat at the gym or attending Weight Watchers meetings, who do you think is watching their tiny bundles of joy…?

I applaud Jessica Simpson for finally giving credit where credit is due to her faithful and trusted night nurse who “really helped [her] stay sane.” (iVillage.com, 9/19/12)  It’s no wonder she was able to bounce back so quickly – she, like most of her peers, had help during those late night feedings, diaper changes and wailings.

Dr. Harvey Karp, author of the best-selling book The Happiest Baby on the Block, put it best at the 2012 PLUSH event in Los Angeles when he responded to an audience member’s question about how to lose the post-baby weight. He said, quite simply, “You will not lose weight if your baby is not sleeping through the night.”

Mystery solved!

Sleep = good health. Good health = happy mommy. Happy mommy = less sugar cravings. Less sugar cravings = dropping the baby weight. And it all boils down to one thing – knowing how and when to ask for help.

As women (and mothers), we often think we can do it all. It’s no wonder we hold tight to this mentality when entertainment icons and key influencers in our lives are able to publically and proudly display their weight loss achievements so quickly after giving birth. But, the truth is, it doesn’t happen overnight unless you employ someone 24/7 or at least at night, to help aid in the process!

Granted, night nurses come with a pretty penny attached to them – especially those employed by Hollywood’s finest. Baby nurses and NCS’s to the stars earn roughly $600 – 1000 a day (often $1000 per day for twins). Sounds expensive, right?  But unless you’re a mom (like me) who’s had a baby and knows just how tough it can be at times to “do it all,” you truly cannot put a price tag on your sanity.

I, for one, am with you, Jessica. It’s high time we debunk the myth of the post-baby total body makeover and start recognizing night nurses for their hard work and dedication to making all our lives – baby included! – better.

A happy, healthy mom = a happy, healthy baby!