After surviving all nine months of pregnancy, then the rigors of childbirth, followed by many sleep-deprived days of taking care of an infant, the next challenge that confronts new mothers is getting back into shape through a regular postpartum workout. The difficulties of becoming a new parent do not end after having successfully seen the baby through his first few weeks of life. There is much more to learn, and so much more to do. For new mothers, a top priority is returning to their pre-pregnancy shape and weight.
Maintaning a healthy lifestyle is important
Importance of postpartum weight loss
Postpartum weight loss is very important because if the woman does not get back to her previous weight, there is great probability that her weight gain will be permanent and, even worse, she might continue to add on more weight progressively in the coming years. It could mark the beginning of a continuous cycle of weight gain that is so difficult to break away from. Thus, before it even begins, new mothers would like to immediately lose the weight they put on when they were pregnant.
The first question they often ask is, “When is the safe time to begin post pregnancy weight loss?” Another common question from new mothers is, “What postpartum exercise is best or most effective?” Let’s see what medical and fitness experts have to say in answer to these popular questions.
First, postpartum workout can generally be started as early as two weeks after giving birth. But the timing can vary from woman to woman. One woman might feel ready—even eager—for active calorie burning as early as a few days after she delivered a baby. Another woman might be too exhausted to do even simple house chores because of many sleepless nights she spends taking care of her colicky infant. Proper timing is a case-to-case issue, but in general, doctors advise that the new mother starts to exercise at least two weeks after delivery. For most women, it in fact takes two to three months postpartum before they manage to begin a regular exercise routine.
Slow and gradual postpartum workout
Another advice from doctors is to do postpartum workout slowly and gradually. It is best to begin with a simple and easy exercise, such as walking. One shouldn’t attempt to join a sprint race or a marathon right after giving birth. Instead, one should ease into an exercise routine, listening to her body all the while for any sign of over-exhaustion or the need to rest. The woman must be sensible in her choice of exercise and the pace at which she does it, because she now has many responsibilities, and taking care of a newborn is in itself already a challenging physical task.
Many women find that they gain about 30 pounds from being pregnant, and they normally lose about 10-20 pounds about one month after giving birth, even without exercising. The other ten or so pounds is what they’ll have to work hard on losing. Below are some exercises highly recommended for new mothers:
- Walking – This is the best initial workout. It has many health benefits aside from cardio burning: stress relief, the chance to get out and enjoy fresh air, among others. Start slow, then increase the pace and duration of exercise over the weeks.
- Kegel exercises – These strengthen and restore pelvic muscles that were weakened during childbirth.
- Yoga – This restores flexibility, improves circulation, provides stress relief and many other health benefits. Again, start with simple and easy postures, then gradually move on to the harder ones.
- Pilates – Like yoga, this primarily increases flexibility and improves blood circulation. It also enhances core strength.
- Abs exercises – If you are eager to restore your abs tone, then abs exercises such as pelvic tilts, sit-ups, and isometric contractions are great. Try to learn how to do these right as your postpartum workout with the help of a gym instructor or through workout videos.