Trying to Regain Your Pre-pregnancy Figure? We've Got Some Tips for You! 

After having a baby, when should I start exercising again? 

Remember that every woman’s pregnancy journey is completely different. This is your time to do what is best for your body. There are so many incredible changes happening in the body during the pregnancy journey. 

Do what you can do now rather than putting it off until later. 

The healthier you are before and during pregnancy will have a big impact on how quickly and easily you will be able to get into shape again post-birth. 

Because they are under the mistaken assumption that they should wait six weeks, many new mothers put off exercising after giving birth. In reality, there's no excuse not to start doing some light exercise. However, before you engage in any physical activity, speak with your doctor if you've ever had a caesarian section or another medical issue. 

When returning to exercising after giving birth, the first step is to be cleared by your GP or obstetrician for exercise.  You will need to build your body back up with the following steps before you can return to running or impact exercise. 

Get into a routine 

The best way to get your body back to its pre-pregnancy shape is to do a little exercise regularly. If you stick to a routine, you'll start to see the results of your hard work surprisingly quickly. If you didn't regularly exercise before you were pregnant, you may find it difficult to fit another thing into your day. Instead, rather than viewing exercise as a chore, consider it a way to empower yourself and improve your mood. 

Don't weigh yourself 

There's no need for you to become fixated on it as it's likely that you have a significant amount of weight to drop off the scale in the initial postpartum period. It will take some time to undo this, just as it did for your body to reach its maximum weight during pregnancy after nine months. According to certain medical professionals, it takes nine months to gain weight and nine months to lose it when it comes to pregnancy. So be kind to yourself and stop using the scale for a while. 

Breastfeeding mothers take note 

@living_the_blessed_life

Some breastfeeding mothers will need a bit more time to get back to their pre-pregnancy weight and form. For the majority of women, their bodies retain the excess weight as insurance for milk supply, unlike certain lucky women for whom breastfeeding simply removes all the extra weight from their bodies for milk production. Breastfeeding mothers may lose hope that their bodies will ever regain its pre-baby glory due to this and the requirement to maintain a high calorie intake to promote milk production. 

Whether or not a mother chooses to breastfeed, the first year after giving birth is crucial for all mothers, and you will start to enjoy the benefits once the weaning process is complete. Additionally, remember to wear breast pads while working out; otherwise, it won't be the sweat getting your T-shirt wet! 

Gentle exercises for the first weeks after birth 

There are mild activities you can perform to start directing your body back in the proper way even though no mother is ready to leap into a full-on workout plan the moment she leaves the hospital with her newborn. 

Isometric exercises 

Exercises known as isometrics use resistance to develop muscle strength. Laying on the ground with your child on your belly is a very basic isometric workout you may perform to get your abdominal muscles back in shape. Slowly exhale as you drop your infant back to the ground as you inhale, contract your abdominal muscles, and push your belly out to lift your child up. Ten times in total. 

Pelvic floor exercises 

Take a little time each day to perform your pelvic floor exercises. They are just as crucial now as they were during pregnancy to preserve strong bladder control as you rebuild your pre-pregnancy shape. After giving birth, your insides require the same attention as your outside. 

Walking 

Getting out of the house with your baby in a sling or pram, to stretch your legs properly, is a great head-cleaner and an easy way to incorporate a little gentle exercise into your daily routine. Yes, you'll be doing plenty of walking anyway as a mum - upstairs for nappies, downstairs for dirty washing, kitchen for snacks, hallway for settling baby at 2am. When you're ready, adding a few hills to each walk can increase your heart rate and extend your thigh muscles. 

Six weeks after birth 

You can now scale up the exercise a little more and start concentrating on those parts of your body that need a little extra attention now that your body has had time to complete the majority of its post-birth recovery. Don’t rush this, your body has been through a lot and it is so important to take whatever amount of time you need to recover from your pregnancy. Take it slowly, build up gradually and listen to your body. 

Pelvic tilt 

You can start working out your core muscles with the pelvic tilt as long as your abdominal muscles didn't separate during pregnancy, which your doctor will have informed you about. Your feet should be flat on the ground as you lay on the floor with your knees bent. As your pelvis starts to roll in the direction of your upper body, gradually contract your abdominal muscles. Instead of using your bottom muscles, try to simply use your abdominal muscles. During the workout, breathe normally and hold it for five seconds. Ten times after releasing, repeat. 

Abdominal crunches 

Your feet should be placed flat on the ground as you lay on the ground with your knees bent. As you breathe in, place your hands behind your head and slowly elevate your head and shoulders towards your knees. Exhale after holding for five seconds while lowering your head gradually to the ground. Five times, please. The muscles in the abdomen, not the neck and shoulders, should be worked during this exercise. 

Dancing 

What if you feel as though your nights out in clubs are over? You are not required to stop dancing! Put the baby in a sling, turn up the music, and enjoy a few wild minutes dancing around the living room. It's a fantastic stress reliever, your baby will love it, and you'll get the advantages of weight-bearing exercise (excellent for bone health). 

Yoga and Pilates 

Both yoga and pilates are excellent exercises for improving flexibility and core strength. Look for a studio or gym that can accommodate you at the time since many offer post-pregnancy classes. You might even be fortunate enough to locate a location with a childcare facility! 

Aerobic exercise 

It's not necessary to get dressed in lycra and head to the nearest gym to see the benefits of aerobic exercise. Aerobic exercise is exercise that's sustained for 15-20 minutes with your heartbeat at 60-80% of its maximum. You should be able to continue a conversation while doing aerobic exercise so it's not flat-out running that you need to do. Think more of walking quickly, jogging, swimming and bicycle riding. In fact, if you are gasping for breath and can't speak, you are NOT doing aerobic exercise! 

Motivation 

Motivation won’t always show up, and that’s completely normal. Remind yourself of the core reason why you need to move. Whether it be for your mental health, for that endorphin rush or for your physical heath. Reverting your thinking back to your WHY will help keep your head in the game. 

We hope that these tips will assist you to make the transition back to movement and self-care easier, more informed and gentle. 

Remember to have confidence in yourself since you are much stronger and more capable than you realise!