After a childbirth, it might be difficult to find the energy, time and will to return to regular exercising. Of course, once the recovery period is over, no new mom should continue from the place where she stopped. It is important to realize the changes that happened to the body and to start out a new work out journey slowly and carefully.
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Kegel exercises
First things first – no one expects you to start jumping around after giving birth and you should not either. Start with priorities and work on pelvic floor muscles that go from the pubic bone at the front to the spine at the back. Muscles and ligaments in this area are stretched and loose so you need to get them nice and firm. It is fairly easy to do so, it only requires patience. Lie on the floor with your knees bent, squeeze your pelvis and tummy, hunch your lower back and hold this position for a few seconds before releasing. You can also work on your vagina muscles by doing simple contractions. This will not only save you from some possible embarrassing ‘wee incidents’ when you laugh hard or move suddenly, but will also improve your sex experience when you are ready to indulge in it again.
Go for a walk or a jog
Going out for a nice walk with your baby at first, and maybe even for a light jog later on is a perfect opportunity to get back into the regular exercise routine as well as going out and taking pleasure in your surroundings. Put your little one in a stroller with bag full of necessities and do not think twice. Your body muscles and joints will start regaining their strength which is a perfect way to prepare for some more serious sweating in the future. Not to mention that both you and your child will benefit from some fresh air and new environment.
Use your home as a gym
It might be difficult to really make yourself go outside when your baby is still small and you have a lot to do but that is no reason to sacrifice working out. A home bicycle, stepper or YouTube exercise videos can solve your problems. Cycling and stepper are great ways to tighten the muscles affected by childbirth and pregnancy and strengthening the bones in general. While you exercise, you can keep your eye on the baby all the time and you can also hold your child while cycling or climbing imaginary stairs. Keep your child in a baby carrier or safely wrapped in a baby swaddle and enjoy the warmth and smiles of your child while you are doing something great for yourself.
Yoga
After some time, when you feel more secure with your body’s capabilities, you can start practicing yoga. There are many yoga classes for new mothers where they can bring their children with them or, again, opt for doing some exercises at home. Yoga will not only strengthen your body from within and improve your balance, but it will also help you with stress relief and possible postnatal depression.
Abovementioned exercises are some basic start-up options for mothers wanting to get back in shape. Even though they belong to the first stage of exercises, it is necessary to consult your doctor for any advice and especially so when you start feeling ready to jump into some more challenging workout routine.
