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The first weeks after childbirth is a period when we fall into the routine of changing, feeding, bathing, i.e. we devote almost all our time to the newborn baby. Although it is completely natural and understandable, you must also remember about yourself. If you don’t feel like looking at yourself in the mirror because extra pounds scare you off, you should mobilize as soon as possible and use simple tricks that will help you get back in shape without much difficulty and time.
During pregnancy, we gain weight from 11 to 20 kilograms. Although there is little time with a small child, believe that with little effort you will be able to lose weight. A happy mom (and not a depressed one), taking care of her health, will be much more effective than one worried about her appearance. You will achieve this thanks to the proper organization of time and the choice of activities that you can do together with your child.
When to start?
Here the matter is individual. Some doctors advise you to wait in the postpartum period, but you can start some exercises a few days after giving birth. In the case of caesarean section – after 2 or 3 weeks. Of course, we don’t mean heavy, exhausting exercise and intense running. After childbirth, the muscles are weakened, so the first exercises should be based on gentle strengthening, especially Kegel muscles, which you can do in any position.
In the fourth week, you should start abdominal exercises. Then classic crunches will be good, because you need to support the strength of the abdominal muscles and deep muscles. If you don’t have the strength for crunches, tighten your muscles as you exhale three times a day in series of 15 times.
Make the most of your daily activities
In addition to Kegel and abdominal exercises, it is important to add physical activity to your daily routine. Take the stairs instead of the elevator, take a walk with your child. Six weeks after giving birth, you will start to feel much better, you can introduce light jogging, go to the fitness then. In addition, start attending the swimming pool – it’s the best way to regain your figure after pregnancy. Go there after about 8 weeks, when all wounds are healed. You can combine your water training with teaching your child how to swim – the earlier he starts learning, the better, because up to 6-8 months of age he retains the fetal reflex. During this period, children do not open their mouths under water and are not afraid of it. Combine pleasant with useful!
Other advice – pilates, dancing and home training
There are now group exercises for mums that allow you to exercise with your baby. They have a form of general development, contain elements of Pilates, stretching, relaxation and breathing techniques. An additional element is the child’s massage, which supports its psychomotor development.
If you are not ready for group classes, practice at home. Even a few minutes of exercise a day will help you lose weight and will greatly affect your well-being. They don’t have to be complicated movements – do bends, leg raises and abdominal exercises. When you need to relax and calm down, practice yoga and pilates.
Dancing is also a great way – turn on your favorite music and move to its rhythm. In this way, you will oxygenate your body and feel much better. In recent years, dancing with a baby in a sling called bebelulu has become popular, which allows for safe and comfortable carrying of the baby, and at the same time frees the hands, which allows the mother to move freely. A huge advantage of such classes (under the supervision of an instructor) is contact with the child who learns to listen to music, thanks to which he will have a better sense of rhythm and balance in the future.