Being a mom is an extraordinary feeling, especially for new moms. During pregnancy, your body has been through a lot of ups and downs. You may experience several changes in your body, such as increased breast size, hip-width, clothing size, and even shoe size. Also, chronic pain is no exception. While these changes are common after pregnancy, it doesn’t have to be your reality.
Before you go into panic mode, know that you can get your body in shape after delivery by giving your daily routine a little makeover. But, at the same time, don’t rush yourself into anything. Your body is still healing after delivery and moving too quickly towards fitness goals can be dangerous for your health.
So, are you ready to get fit after pregnancy? If you answered YES, then stick to this article to find out how to get your pre-baby body back.
1. Breastfeed To Burn Calories
Breastfeeding has a lot of benefits for you and your baby as well. It protects your baby from illness and offers them perfectly balanced nutrition. Also, it lowers your risk of breast cancer and ovarian cancer.
Breastfeeding is a quick way to shrink the uterus back down to pregnancy size. And, it burns up 600 calories per day. While breastfeeding your baby, you need to ensure that you are taking enough nutrients by eating a well-balanced diet to keep yourself fit and healthy.
2. Undergo A Surgery
At the time of pregnancy, you might have gone through some surgeries, and now you will be more stressed about getting a new surgery done. Abdominoplasty or tummy tuck is a procedure that removes excess fat from your body and tightens the underlying muscles. This procedure has a lot of benefits, including:
- Resolve stretch marks
- Remove excess skin
- Prevent hernias
- Strengthens your core.
So, how does this procedure work? During your treatment, your practitioner will place incisions to remove excess fat and tighten the skin of the abdominal wall. Fatty deposits will be removed through liposuction. After that, your practitioner will suture the incisions, and apply bandages and thin tubes for drainage, if needed. Then, your practitioner will recommend you wear a compression garment to help your midsection heal.
According to tummy tuck specialist, Dr. Shafa, you should prepare your home for recovery. For example, have ice packs in the freezer, look for loose and easy clothing, and install a hand-held shower to make your recovery faster.
3. Start Exercising
To get your pre-baby body back, you need to get back to your normal routine. As said earlier, rushing towards your fitness goals can harm you. So, when can you safely exercise again?
If you had a normal vaginal delivery, you can start exercising after a few days, if you feel ready. However, that doesn’t mean picking up where you left off during your intense workout. Walking can be a great start for you. That could be a 10-minute walk around your block, with or without your baby. After six weeks, you can get back to your intense workout.
Suggested Exercises
- Walking – As soon as you can after having delivery, begin walking (as long as your doctor gives you clearance). Your body will start exercising and burning calories as a result. Get a fitness tracker to monitor your daily activity, and as you gain strength, progressively start to raise your weekly steps by 10%.
- Kegels and Pelvic Tilts – Do Kegels and pelvic tilts as soon as one to two days following birth, depending on what sort of delivery you had and as long as your doctor agrees. This will boost blood circulation to the perineum and assist speed up the recuperation process. You will gain a solid foundation to get your abs back when your hips and abdominals begin to move back together by inhaling and pulling in your tummy (this stimulates the corset-like muscle known as the transverse abdominals).
- Basic Crunches – When you crunch, keep an eye out for separation in your abdominals by inserting your finger slightly above the belly button. You have diastasis recti if you can fit three fingers or more between your abdominals. If this is the case, it is imperative that you try to bring your abdominal muscles back together before beginning any difficult core exercises, particularly rotation. Place your hands on each side of the gap and physically squeeze them together while performing a simple crunch. If the separation worsens or does not improve, visit your doctor or a physical therapist who specializes in women’s health. This will retrain the abs to come back together in their natural alignment.
- Small bursts of cardio – It not only saves time for the busy mom, but it also boosts metabolism and helps you lose the baby weight. To boost your heart rate, try performing some lunges with triceps extensions and squats with raised shoulders. Afterward, shuffle from side to side for a minute. Instructions: Raise your arms to shoulder height, elbows out in front of your hands. The rams should then be gently lowered back to the side of the body. With your palms towards the body and your elbows bent nearly to the torso. Squeeze the tops of the arms while extending the elbows behind the torso for further burn. Next, return your elbows to their starting position. This will put a strain on your body’s muscles and assist you in losing weight and getting your physique back to how it was before becoming pregnant.
- Yoga – You may increase your strength, flexibility, and balance by practicing yoga. There are several postpartum yoga sessions that are offered and tailored to new mothers.
- Strength training – Lean muscle mass may be acquired by strength training, which can increase your metabolism and enable you to burn more calories. Squats, lunges, and push-ups are excellent bodyweight exercises to begin with.
4. Get Plenty Of Rest
Getting plenty of rest with a baby might seem impossible, but it is important for your overall health. Resting can help your body to heal better after pregnancy. Unfortunately, tiredness can hinder your healing process and may result in more weight gain.
So, it is wise to get enough rest. You can delegate your tasks in your house to whoever is willing to help.
Summing Up
Getting a pre-baby body back is a road full of bumps. But that shouldn’t stop you!
Following the best practices and giving your routine a makeover, you can achieve your goals while staying healthy.