Exercise after pregnancy is not only a necessity for getting your body back in shape but also to strengthen and heal your body and mind. For the previous nine months, your body has gone through significant hormone change that not only added weight and caused mood swings, but also allowed you to carry a baby and assist in it development. Congratulations on the birth of your newborn. But now that you have given birth, it is time for you to get back to being you. Here are 5 post pregnancy exercises to recover the real you. [noadsense]
Postpartum Blues
After childbirth, it is very common to get the "baby blues" or postpartum. This typically starts around two days after childbirth and can last for up to three weeks. This is natural and is caused by the changing in your body hormones. During as well as after pregnancy, you should pay attention to your body. It is important that you continue to eat a nourishing diet. When you are eating correctly, half of your work is done. Another common recommendation from physicians is for the mother to set aside time for herself and start with a light exercise and stretching routine that gradually builds intensity and range of motion.
If you are experiencing sever postpartum or postpartum depression, consult your family physician immediately.
Five Post Pregnancy Exercises
After your delivery, it could take a couple of weeks before you can begin your exercise plan. Start out slowly with light exercises and stretches. The high impact aerobic and anaerobic exercises highlighted in the last steps will need to wait for a couple more months. Listen to your body and gradually increase the workout intensity over the next couple of months. Most importantly, stop immediately should you feel any discomfort or pain.
These five post pregnancy exercises, with increasing intensity, are good steps to recovering your energy and slimming down.
- Walking: It is an excellent exercise to get your body used to the thought of exercising again. Consider taking the first 15 to 30 minute walk by yourself or with a friend. This will allow you to listen to your body and determine a baseline for your activity level. Also, plan on a short 10 to 15 minute recover time when you return. Over time, you can increase the length of your walks and begin to jog or run for a little while.
- Kegel exercises: Many women are familiar with this exercise during pregnancy to strengthen the muscle used during labor. By continuing kegel exercises after childbirth, you can strengthen the muscles of the bowels, bladder, uterus, and pelvic.
- Abdominal stretches: After a few weeks, light abdominal stretching can be initiated to get your body back into the right shape following the birth of a child. Three exceptional exercises are: kneeling cat stretch, pelvic curl, and single leg stretch. Initially, keep the range of motion limited so that you do not over stretch the abs muscles. Each time you stretch, work to extend your range of motion and slowly increase the intensity of the exercise. If you feel any discomfort then reduce the intensity of the stretching routine for a couple of days. After a few more days, you can try again to increase the strenuousness of the workout.
- Pilates and Yoga: The next step in recovering your pre-pregnancy body can be done with Pilates or Yoga exercises. These exercises are excellent at reshaping your core. A recommended resource for this phase is Karrie Adamany's Post-Pregnancy Pilates. In Karrie's easy to read and understand book she shares her personal experience of squeezing in her exercise routine between feeding and bath times. Her exercises cover the absolute fundamental basics needed to re-discover the core muscles that are so abused during pregnancy and delivery by starting with the basics and progressing the reader through more challenging exercise sequences as your abdominal awareness is regained.
- 15 Minute Short-Burst Workouts: The final step to bringing yourself back to the pre-pregnancy figure is short, high intensity workout the shed the lingering "baby fat." For the past four to six months, you have been readjusting your lifestyle to the new demands of being a mom and establishing a new family routine. Holly Rigsby's (CPT) Fit Yummy Mummy lifestyle is based on her personal experience as a new mother, who wanted to regain her figure while only having a few minutes per day for herself. Holly has worked with America’s top personal trainers, nutritionists, and doctors to create a five-day 15 minute workout routine that can be done in your home. She is currently offering a low-cost trial at FYM trial offer.
Congratulations on the birth of your newborn. Whether it has been a few days, weeks, or months, you are coming to realize the magnitude of your lifestyle changes. The good news is that there is time for you but it comes in short 15 to 30 minute segments throughout the day. By taking these sequential steps from light walking exercise to short high intensity bodyweight workouts, you can squeeze time in for yourself that gives you more energy and makes you feel better about yourself.
All information provided on this web site is for the purpose of education and information only and is not a substitute for consultations with your medical practitioner. If you have any concerns about your health, please see your doctor immediately and do not rely solely on information found here.
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