But having a baby does have its downsides and we are not just talking about sleepless nights.

According to a new survey, the bigest bugbear most new mums have is not being able to shift the weight they put on during pregnancy.

And what makes it all the more annoying is reading about celebrities who have just given birth and are back in their size 10 jeans within days.

What a lot of young mums cannot understand is why their weight will not shift, even when they are active and cut back on food. The man with the answers is Calderdale personal trainer Jago Holmes who has just created a post-pregnancy weight-loss plan and would like to set up a weekly group at one of his three studios.

Jago, in the keep- fit and health industry for the past 10 years, says he has helped hundreds of new mums lose their baby fat and in the process has become a bit of an expert. "Many women think they will be able to fit back into their pre-pregnancy clothes straight away and that the fat will just melt away but I'm afraid it doesn't work like that," says Jago, who claims new mums need to follow a certain diet and do specific exercises if they want to shift the extra padding around their stomach, bottom and hips.

Jago, who has studios in Warley, Ripponden and Hipperholme, says he came up with the programme because in the last 12 months more new mums than ever have sought his advice and told him how depressed their weight makes them.

"Most new mums have not the time or energy for strenuous gym workouts so a lot of the programme can be done at home between feeding, changing and sleeping.

"The secret of it is that it works by splitting up activities into small chunks which can be done at different times throughout the day."

The programme targets all the areas new mums have problems with: pelvic floor weakness, lower back pain, weak stomach muscles and above all shedding that baby fat. There is also a special eight-week diet that includes shopping lists, recipes and meal plans. The recipes are all easy to prepare, says Jago.

Another complaint he regularly hears is that many new mums feel isolated.

"I'd like to get a group of young mums together with their offspring and get them exercising. It would be good fun and give them a chance to make new friends."

He claims his programme allows women to get back in shape safely after having a baby within weeks instead of years. And he's throwing down the gauntlet with a pre-Christmas competition.

He is offering to give the first 10 new mums who contact him the eight-week programme for free. This will include telephone and e-mail support and some group sessions.

At the end of the eight weeks the new mum who is judged to have worked hard and made the most progress will receive a £100 Christmas present. The winner will be featured on his website. Anyone interested can contact Jago on 01422 836157 or email him at jago@anewimage.co.uk