Shaping Up after Pregnancy

Staying fit after pregnancy does not necessarily have to be a long and painful process. With proper diet and fitness, your recovery time can be reduced considerably. Staying fit during and after pregnancy is important as it is good for the health of both mother and baby.

It is also well known that postpartum exercise helps to rediscover a new mom’s sense of identity. It also helps to improve mental stability and restore cardiovascular fitness.

Giving birth causes a lot of changes in your body. Give your body time to recover. It takes up to six months after pregnancy to return to normal. Crash dieting and binge exercising can be dangerous and may delay your recovery. So, don’t rush to cut calories or you may feel completely exhausted to fulfill the demands of the infant. Just concentrate on eating healthy and balanced diet to give you the required energy to cope with your responsibilities.

Postpartum Exercises to Get Back in Shape

You can start with low-impact exercise in the beginning. This way you can increase your energy levels and also beat away your postpartum depressiondefine. So, exercising is an absolute must and may include walking, jogging or doing some other exercise to help you get back to shape at the earliest. It helps in toning up the stretched muscles and helps with good posture.

Always make a slow start to your fitness routine after childbirth. Especially, if you are a breastfeeding mom, you need to work out at a low intensity to prevent the accumulation of lactic acid in your milk. Although long walks are preferably good, the choice is entirely your own.

Whether you walk, jog or exercise, moderation is the keyword as your vulnerable body needs time to adjust to the changes that have taken place during pregnancy and after the childbirth. High intensity workouts are not recommended or you may end up with serious injuries to your joints or ligaments. Also, keep a close watch for warning signs including breathlessness and excessive vaginal bleeding. If you find any of these symptoms persisting for more than 2 days, then you must see your doctor before resuming your fitness regime.

Physically fit mothers are quick to recover from childbirth than unfit moms, suggest the experts. According to the American College of Obstetrics and Gynecology, the physiologic effects of pregnancy may continue for up to six weeks postpartum, so new moms should resume activity in accordance with their tolerance levels. Those with complicated pregnancies or caesarian delivery may take longer to recover after the childbirth.

You may find it difficult to get time for exercise, especially with the new found responsibilities leaving you overwhelmed. But remember, ËœWhere there is a will, there is a way.’ So, gear up to bounce back into health and fitness once again after childbirth by either exercising in the comfort of your own home or joining a gym which offer on-site daycare for babies.

You can also join post-natal exercises which help new moms interact with other moms having babies the same age. So, you can enjoy exercising with the group while your baby is taken care of in a crèche.

After the childbirth, the pelvic floor becomes weak. So, pelvic floor exercises should be your focus during the initial period following childbirth. However, in case of a caesarean delivery, do not begin the exercise program until before 10-12 weeks. It is very important that you strengthen your pelvic muscles before attempting other exercises. Initially, you may feel fatigued or weak, but the rule of thumb is that the more you do, the stronger the muscles will become helping to prevent prolapse of the uterusdefine.

The most important thing to keep in mind is to listen to your body and go at your own pace. If you smell any danger, stop immediately and consult your doctor. So, here’s wishing the best of health and good physique to all new moms.

Source: http://www.themedguru.com