How to get in shape after childbirth

Motherhood changes inside and out. After having a baby, clothing size, breast shape, hip width, and even shoe size can change. These changes speak volumes about the work you’ve done. As you adjust to your new life with your baby, remember that your emotions and body have changed, so give yourself the support you need. But where to start?

Reasonable expectations

Beyoncé, Kim Kardashian and Serena Williams showed off their slim post-baby bodies just months after giving birth. Many people thought, if they can get their old ones back so quickly, why can’t I?

It’s normal to be upset about your postpartum body, but it’s important to put it in perspective. Everyone has different bodies and it’s wrong to compare yourself to celebrities who have entire teams of trainers, nutritionists and chefs. Give your body time to return to its former shape and size.

Walking

Walking is very important in the postpartum period for several reasons:

Helps redistribute blood and fluid accumulations in the lower extremities after childbirth;
Improves overall blood circulation, reducing the risk of blood clots;
Strengthens muscles and joints;
Burns calories

Buy a fitness tracker and measure your daily activity, then gradually start increasing your steps by 10% each week as you get stronger. Try to walk for 20 minutes a day at least 4 times a week.

Pelvic floor strengthening

You need to start by strengthening your pelvic support muscles before moving on to more challenging exercises. Doing Kegel exercises can help strengthen your pelvic floor muscles and help you regain bladder control faster. Start the exercises as early as possible (subject to your doctor’s approval) and do them daily 3 times a day. This will increase blood flow and help speed up the recovery process.

Cortical strengthening

When you feel ready, you can also start incorporating light bark muscle exercises into your routine. It is recommended to wait at least 4-6 weeks before trying them. If you had a C-section, you may have to wait longer, which is perfectly normal. Just keep walking and doing pelvic floor exercises.

Stretching

Walking will be the first key to postpartum fitness success, but it’s only the first step. To really improve your fitness in the postpartum period, you need to do extra exercises to strengthen your muscles. But before you start exercising prepare your body with stretching.

Gradual addition of exercises

You already have your walking regimen in place and have regained some cortical and pelvic floor tone. It’s time to add other types of exercise to your routine.

It’s important to wait until the 6-week postpartum visit to get clearance from your doctor and make sure everything is recovering properly.

The cardinal rule: do NOT do too much or too fast

You should always listen to your body when resuming physical activity. Start with the easiest and perform slowly. Here are the different types of workouts you can try.

Running. A great tool for postpartum workouts. This is one of the best ways to improve cardiovascular endurance and strengthen your legs.

Yoga. One of the most popular forms of exercise that can be performed in the postpartum period. It’s comfortable, relaxing, and affordable for everyone. Through yoga, balance and coordination are improved, great for stress relief.

Swimming. Increases muscle tone and cardiovascular endurance, easy on the joints

Weight-bearing exercises. These workouts involve using some sort of external force to develop and strengthen muscles. It could be:

fitness bands;
dumbbells, barbells, kettlebells;
your own weight.

Maintaining water balance

After exercising, remember to drink well, especially if you are breastfeeding . If you’re going for a walk with your child, put a water bottle in the cup holder to remind you to drink often.

Taking vitamins

Do not stop taking prenatal vitamins immediately after giving birth. Continue taking them, especially if you are breastfeeding. You need to restore the nutrients you lost during pregnancy and support your body while it produces breast milk. Your doctor may also recommend that you take iron supplements and vitamin C.

Rest after exercise

Although many young moms hear the old adage “sleep when your baby sleeps,” very few adhere to these wise words. Carving out a few minutes to just relax after a workout can really help you recover. If you feel rested and restored, you will be able to offer so much more to those who need you.

And most importantly: the best thing you can do is accept help from your partner, family and friends. Even if they do something differently than you – give yourself a chance to rest and recuperate while someone else takes care of your child.

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Text: Nika Egorova
Photo: Unsplash