Even though childbirth is a beautiful phenomenon to witness and a tedious experience by itself, the patience required for postpartum care of the mother and the new-born is a completely different aspect. While the mother is still accustoming herself to the brand new life with a new addition to the family, the postpartum weight loss is one of the most important points that often bother the new moms.
Wondering how celebrity moms get back in shape so soon after they deliver their babies, while the real-life stars (us) have a hard time struggling through the different exercises, weight loss programs, and rigorous dieting to reach the desired size.
However, physician’s usually advice new moms not to rush and stress themselves even more, and take their own time adjusting to the new life, and then gradually lose weight over a period of time. The purpose here is to help you lose those extra pounds, which you gained during pregnancy.
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Please note that the points are only applicable to the cases of normal delivery. For C-section delivery, it is highly recommended that you follow what your medical practitioner suggests.
Things to Consider Just After the Delivery:
A day or two after you return back home post-delivery don’t put too much effort in things that you can manage to do.
A short walk around the house, a gentle workout, chit-chat with someone close to you, or a short outing will definitely help freshen up your mood a week after the delivery.
Make sure that whatever you do lasts for about 10-15 minutes only.
Do not overexert yourself in the early days.
Avoid hard abdominal and pelvic exercises before you recover fully since these might trigger heavy vaginal bleeding.
Go for a postnatal check-up and ask your consulting physician about the diet that you need to follow and if it is okay to exercise now.
Once you get a go-ahead, consider increasing the intensity of the abdominal and pelvic floor exercises.
Opt for swimming only when there have been no cases of vaginal bleeding or infection since the past seven days.
Take a brisk walk for 30 minutes in continuity. Try to cover a mile in 15 minutes. This will help burn the extra fat.
Join aerobics classes if you can. Joining classes or groups where you can exercise, would fasten the functioning of your heart and lungs, in turn improving the pace at which the fat burns.
Take a healthy diet. If you are breastfeeding your baby, it is highly recommended that you incorporate plenty of vegetables and fruits, yoghurt, milk, and added fibre in your daily diet.
Incorporate protein-rich food in your diet like eggs, fish, and lean meat.
Drink a lot of water.
Take rest at regular intervals during the exercise sessions.
If you experience any vaginal bleeding, back pain, urine loss, or pelvic heaviness while exercising, then stop immediately!
Prefer wearing a comfortable sports bra while exercising.
While working out, do wear breast pads if you are nursing your baby to avoid any embarrassing situation of leakage.
Things to Consider About the Pelvic and Abdominal Muscles:
The abdominal and pelvic muscles of your body get weakened because of all the stretching involved during pregnancy and childbirth/
To retain the strength of the muscles, you can start exercising within the first few days after the delivery but do consult your doctor before you pursue any regimes.
Start with simple pelvic floor exercises such as sitting and feeding your baby.
Consult a physiotherapist in case you experience a vaginal slackness, involuntary urine leakage or back pain.
Continue doing pelvic floor exercises even when your muscles return back to normal. This will further strengthen your muscles and prepare them for future pregnancy.
Pilates is excellent before, during and after pregnancy. Pilates helps to get your mind in tune with your body.
It is recommended that you do not opt for any sport or adventure activity until the TA (Transverse Abdominal) muscle has gained its strength again since by doing so, you might be taking a risk with your spinal cord.
The effect of hormone Relaxin, which is produced during the pregnancy, remains in the body for some time even after the delivery. The hormone is known to relax the muscles and the joints, therefore making them vulnerable to injuries.
It is extremely important that you maintain correct posture and balance while exercising so that your pelvic and abdominal muscles are able to regain strength.
Sit-ups and crunches should be strictly avoided until your muscles have regained the strength.
Seek advice from a physiotherapist or a fitness expert to learn bracing exercises for your abdomen and pelvis.
Choose the exercise that suits you the best, based on your strength level, rate of recovery, and schedule.
Things to Remember:
Never ever stress or exhaust yourself while exercising. Do only what you can and whatever is sufficient to make you breathless and a little sweaty for a while.
If possible, take up exercising, yoga, or aerobics under a trained instructor who specialize in postpartum weight loss.
Do not avoid drinking water just because you have got a leaky bladder after delivery. Drinking water sufficiently during the day!
Wear a comfortable bra, track pants, and trainers while exercising.
Exercise only if you feel like. Try taking a day off if you feel tired or haven't slept a night before.
Even though the society and celebrity moms put a lot of pressure on the ‘common-moms’ to bid adieu to the kilos faster and in record time, remember that “it is your body” and “you know it best”. You might already be facing sleepless nights with your little one and in such cases, the added pressure of exercising and losing extra weight might just break the camel’s back.
So remember that, what works for others, might not be the best solution for you. It is important to follow a fitness schedule that you are comfortable in, which relates to you and your schedule during the day.