Getting back in shape after childbirth

Getting in shape: waiting for the right time

Immediately after giving birth, we tell ourselves that we will quickly regain our “before” figure. But the body has its reasons which must be taken into account. You took nine months to have your child. Count as many months so that everything is completely in order. Even when you quickly lose the pounds of pregnancy, for several weeks you feel heavy and bad in your skin because of the impregnations of hormones. These impregnations, which have repercussions on the whole organism, continue during the period of breastfeeding. The best solution: wait! Thus, there is no question of getting back to sport before the return of diapers and perineal and abdominal rehabilitations. As for the silhouette, it is better to wait until the end of breastfeeding to worry about it. And in any case, do nothing for six months.

Fill up on energy by taking care of your diet

We all know it, one reduced diet program involves consuming less fast fats and sugars, and therefore all foods that contain them. For the benefit of those who provide proteins and vitamins. More than losing weight, the idea is to feel better in his body and regain his energy.

• Preparation and cooking, play the card of lightness. Prefer cooking in foil and steam. Ban sauces and fried foods. Do not add oil, butter or cream to your roasts, poultry, fish and vegetables. To flavor your dishes, limit the salt, but consider spices. At this stage, avoid cooked meals all ready, prefer the most natural products possible. Replace industrial pastries with homemade fruit-based desserts. In anticipation of any cravings, fill your refrigerator with crunchy vegetables (radishes, carrots, cherry tomatoes, etc.) that calm the feeling of hunger. To consume without moderation. A large glass of water is also an excellent natural appetite suppressant.

• Limit your alcohol and wine consumption. You stopped drinking it during your pregnancy and the same vigilance is required throughout the duration of breastfeeding. Then, you can treat yourself to a drink, from time to time as an aperitif, and rather a glass of champagne than a whiskey. At the table, do not exceed one glass of good wine per day.

• Don’t be afraid of sweeteners. Under the pretext that they are chemical appetite lures that would revive the craving for real sugar, some nutritionists are wary of “light” foods and drinks. However, aspartame, one of the most tested ingredients in the world, has been proven to be harmless. Used regularly, it does not increase appetite and may even promote weight loss.

• Drink enough, a liter and a half to two liters a day. Drink water, plenty of water, unsweetened herbal teas, and one to two diet drinks. Water promotes the elimination of toxins and cleanses the cells.

What diet after childbirth?

Did a friend praise you about the high protein diet? You can start considering it six months after giving birth. Nutritionists say it and repeat it, to lose weight sustainably, we must avoid diets. However, if your weight is really depressing you, you can boost your weight loss with a high protein diet. It is the most efficient. The principle: eat exclusively, for 1 or 2 weeks, lean proteins and green vegetables at will. Without forgetting to decorate the whole with a spoon of oil per day and to drink at least two liters of water to evacuate the toxins. And it works, because the lean proteins consumed without sugars promote the melting of fats and the elimination of water while preserving muscle mass. Green vegetables, low in calories, are draining, slightly laxative and revitalizing. In addition, these two categories of food quickly bring a feeling of satiety. If you support the principle well because you do not need starchy foods, you will lose weight quickly, without hunger or feeling of deprivation.

But don’t go on this diet for too long. It almost completely eliminates sugars, even slow ones. However, they are great sources of energy that we need in the medium and long term to resist fatigue, especially after childbirth. In addition, be aware that the abuse of protein tires the kidneys and joints. Either way, don’t hesitate to consult a nutritionist for help.

A very gentle gym to start

You should not embark on a series of outright abs before the return of diapers, or without making sure that you do not need perineal rehabilitation. Remember that the first few weeks after childbirth, the best way to get back in shape is still to rest as much as possible. However, there are very gentle movements, based on breathing, to regain awareness of your body and begin to gently re-muscle it.

• From the end of the first week, sitting or standing, you can tone your abs by blowing very hard as if we wanted to extinguish a candle from afar. For this little exercise to take effect, we repeat it at least five or six times in a row, several times during the day.

• Other movement who muscles without traumatizing one lies on the back, feet on the ground, legs semi-flexed. We put our hands on the abdomen and we breathe in deeply, trying to feel the stomach and lungs inflate. Then, we exhale while squeezing the belly, we contract the perineum and the anal region as much as possible and we hold the contraction for a few seconds.

• To tone the glutes, the thighs and stretching the spine in stride, we remain stretched out, feet on the ground, arms alongside the body. By inhaling, we inflate the chest and we allow the kidneys to rise very slightly. As you breathe out, you press your back to the ground, contracting your stomach and buttocks.

A priority: the perineum

The perineum is a set of muscles and ligaments, connecting the anus to the pubis and forming a floor that supports the organs located in the small pelvis. The main muscle is the levator ani muscle. Too much relaxation of the perineum can be accompanied by urinary incontinence, more rarely by faecal incontinence and / or organ descent (prolapse).

The perineum is particularly stressed during pregnancy and during childbirth. Pregnant, we arch the lower back, which stretches the perineum. But most importantly, the weight of the uterus is multiplied by 20 to 30, it widens and compresses the bladder downwards. In addition, the hormonal influx tends to relax the ligaments and muscles.

Heavier, the internal organs are also less well suspended and weigh more on the perineum. This is why perineal rehabilitation is recommended, even in the event of a cesarean delivery, and not only when the child is born vaginally.

Whatever the mother’s position during the expulsion, the perineum is always distended through the passage of the head and the levators of the anus are stretched. As a rule, the perineum loses, on this occasion, about 50% of its muscle strength. Moreover, if the newborn comes out too quickly, it can tear the perineum and damage its muscle fibers; if forceps were used, they distended the sphincter muscles as well as the walls of the vagina.

You benefit from 10 sessions fully covered by Social Security. This rehabilitation always precedes abdominal rehabilitation. Within 3 months of giving birth, sessions must be performed by a midwife. After 3 months, either by a midwife or a physiotherapist.

If you do not need perineal rehabilitation or if three or four sessions are sufficient, you can also offer abdominal rehabilitation to a physiotherapist. Ask your doctor to prescribe a prescription for this treatment.

Rehabilitation on a case-by-case basis

Before starting the sessions, the therapist always begins by evaluating the perineal musculature because all newborn babies do not have the same needs. To make this assessment, he can proceed in different ways:

— Insert two fingers into the vagina and ask the patient to contract it. This method allows a good differentiation of the muscle tone of each part of the perineum and can be very interesting after an episiotomy, when one of the edges of the perineum has been cut.

— Use specific tools : for example a perinometer (a kind of balloon inflated inside the vagina, it records the contractions), a tonometric forceps capable of measuring the work of the muscles of the pubis and rectum, a measuring device specially intended for the anal sphincter, a vaginal probe or various intravaginal devices, such as cones.

In all cases, the results are measured on a scale ranging from 0 to 5. Good tonicity is of the order of 3,5. An inferior outcome makes rehabilitation essential. Again, there are several techniques.

Manual work is undeniably the best thing even if it is used less because it is more delicate. It allows selective stimulation of different muscle bundles. In most women, some parts of the perineum are weaker than others, and the therapist’s fingers feel the variations in tension with greater finesse. The weaker muscles are then directly stimulated to induce the reflex contractions, while the touch allows to work the perception of all the muscles, even the deepest.

Passive electro-stimulation is very popular today. This method involves stimulating the perineal muscles using electrical currents transmitted by a vaginal probe. It is practiced by physiotherapists or midwives who often offer their patient to buy their own catheter, reimbursed by Social Security on medical prescription. It is chosen according to the shape of the vagina, the possible existence of scars, the presence or not of a prolapse and the state of muscle tone. In general, it takes about 10 sessions at a rate of one or two per week. These sessions sometimes cause tingling but are usually painless and last 10 to 20 minutes.

This technique gives excellent results in cases of sphincter insufficiency of significant muscle weakness or when the woman does not know how to perceive the contractions. It also helps relieve painful scars. The only drawback is that the current excites the muscles without the patient’s voluntary intervention, who then has to work on her contractions and synchronization herself.

Many therapists offer voluntary contraction work for the muscles of the perineum. It is practiced with a specific device, through a “bio feedback” system. This process overcomes the drawbacks of passive electro-stimulation. The patient is lying on a bed with her chest raised. Two electrodes are placed on her stomach, another is placed inside the vagina. Muscle contractions are transmitted to a computer screen, allowing the therapist and the woman to check their intensity. Often, the device offers two tracings: one concerns the perineal muscles, the other the abdominals, which should not be used. There are also devices to use at home, but the results are often less successful.

The cones are used at home, in addition. These are plastic coated weights, weighing between 18 and 90 grams. The woman introduces a cone into the vagina and must keep it in place while going about her business. If he falls, it shows that she hasn’t contracted her perineal muscles enough. This exercise promotes the acquisition of a long contraction reflex. In addition to any rehabilitation work, the cones give good results but they do not allow the woman with a bad conscience of her body diagram to improve the perception of the muscles of her perineum.

After the perineum, we move on to the abs

The abdominal muscles relaxed during pregnancy, it is essential to re-muscle them to regain a flat stomach. If you have any rehabilitation sessions that you didn’t need for your perineum, now is the time to use them. Otherwise, you can register ins a gym or do gluteal abs sessions at home. Initially, it is especially necessary to work the obliques and the transverse ones while avoiding to solicit the great rights which push the uterus and the bladder downwards. You should therefore be wary of pedaling and kicking as well as movements that require lifting both legs when lying on the ground.

To strengthen the abdominal strap, lie on your back, legs bent, feet flat on the floor, arms at your sides. Inhale deeply while inflating the belly, breathe out by tilting the pelvis forward so as to round the lower back at the level of the lumbar region, without taking off the buttocks and especially by gently tucking the belly. Hold the position for 5 seconds, release, repeat 10 times.

To work the obliques, lie down, legs bent, feet flat on the ground, hands resting at hip level in order to check that the pelvis does not lift off the ground during the movement. Breathe in deeply through your stomach, breathe out by tilting the pelvis forward and hold the position by raising the bent right knee to the chest. Breathe down the leg, rest your foot, release. Repeat 10 times with the right leg, then 10 times with the left leg. Make sure your back remains flat, both buttocks on the floor, throughout the exercise.

To work on muscular endurance, lie down with your legs bent, feet flat on the floor, hands on your hips. Inhale while inflating the belly, breathe out by tilting the pelvis forward without taking off the buttocks. Lock in the position and bring the right knee to the chest 10 times in a row without resting the foot. Remember to inhale as you go up the leg and breathe out as you go down. Repeat 10 times with the left knee.

Sports to focus on after pregnancy

From the 6th month (earlier if you feel particularly fit), allow yourself 30 to 45 minutes, 3 times a week, to regain flexibility, strength and endurance. Several sports activities are recommended:

 — Aquatic gym and swimming : they allow training of all the major muscle zones. By multiplying the lengths of the pool at a good pace, we also work on the breath and the cardiovascular system. Water protects the joints from shocks, increases efforts, massages the whole body, promotes return circulation and lightens heavy legs.

— The brands : at a good pace and long enough for a tangible effect on muscle mass.

— The bike : in an apartment, it is practiced at different rhythms, several times a day. Outside, it is less easy to control the pace, but, on the other hand, we get oxygen. After 4 to 5 weeks of this physiological training, you can enroll in a gym, take stretching, yoga or Pilates classes.

Take care of yourself

Around the fin du 1er trimestre, we can also get help to get back in shape. And combine recovery and pleasure.

If possible, treat yourself or be offered a spa treatment or in a spa. Most centers offer personalized follow-up, as well as a nursery. Basic relaxation treatments (whirlpool or hydromassage baths) are combined with services adapted to each one:

– dietary monitoring,

– aquagym for abs,

– physiotherapy sessions to learn how to take care of your little one while sparing his back,

– remineralizing treatments to chase fatigue,

– pressotherapy or circulatory care for heavy legs,

– decontracting treatments to eliminate back pain,

– work in a lumbar pool to gently strengthen the back.

Without forgetting lymphatic drainage, massages or relaxation in the swimming pool.

Some centers even offer perineal rehabilitation in the swimming pool, others massage sessions with the baby.

A good alternative: institutes dedicated to slimming and fitness. The best offer dietary monitoring, massage sessions, gentle gymnastics and other anti-stress or slimming treatments.

To fight cellulite, diet, even supplemented with physical exercise, is not enough. Cellulite, which affects 95% of women, is fat soaked in water and waste composed of toxins and particularly developed adipose cells. This skin disturbance promotes the appearance of edema. The blood and lymphatic circulations then operate slowly. Poorly oxygenated and irrigated, the surrounding tissues fall prey to increasingly large fatty deposits. The entire affected area becomes inflamed, hardens and becomes refractory to treatment. Left unchecked, cellulite sets in deep and spreads along the thighs, buttocks, hips and stomach.

To refine critical areas, it is necessary to act locally by massaging regularly. There are various techniques which are practiced in institute, in thalasso or in certain physiotherapists. Slimming creams have no effect on deep fat, responsible for extra pounds, but, provided they are applied very regularly (at least once a day for 4 weeks minimum), they improve the condition of the skin. In fact, they smooth the epidermis, reducing cellulite and its superficial fatty deposits that form the orange peel.