4 Tips For Getting Back In Shape After Baby

During pregnancy, it’s normal and even necessary to gain a certain amount of weight.  This is used to support your growing child and to provide the extra calories needed when you start breastfeeding.  New mothers naturally lose weight after the birth, and breastfeeding can help a lot; however, if you don’t lose all the weight because of gaining too much weight, or other reasons, it can be hard to take the rest off. 

Here are some tips to help you get on track with your exercise plan, and back to your normal size in a healthy manner:

Cover of Getting Back in Shape

1. Involve your baby.  Don’t wait until your child is asleep to try to get a decent workout.  Get a baby sling so you can go for a walk with your baby. This can be great bonding time for you and your baby, and is a good way for him or her to get some fresh air at the same time that you get your exercise in. The simplicity of this solution is often overlooked.

2. Don’t start too soon.  Whether you've had a vaginal delivery or a C-section, your body has gone through quite a bit.  If you start a workout routine too soon, it can be damaging to your health.  It’s usually recommended to wait 6 weeks before you start trying to work out vigorously; however, if you had a vaginal delivery, you can use those first 6 weeks to strengthen your vaginal muscles and start stretching exercises.  Just be sure to check with your doctor before you start any exercise program.

3. Don’t work too hard.  It’s pretty likely that you haven’t been able to do a normal workout for at least a few months, maybe more.  Just like starting any exercise program, you should not start full-force right away.  Trying to do too much is likely to do more harm than help.  Before you start working out, ask your doctor for recommended exercises and how often you should do them.  Remember, if you hurt yourself, you’re not going to be able to take as good care of your baby, and it will also delay your getting fit even further.

Heavenly Bundle pouch sling (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

4.  Fit exercise into your schedule.  While having a regular routine is helpful, it’s almost impossible to get a baby to conform to your schedule.  This means you have to change your schedule to fit your baby’s.  You’ll probably have to squeeze in workouts where you can.  Choose exercises that you can do in different places at different times.  Get an exercise DVD or something else you can do at home.  You should also remember that two 15 minute workouts or three 10 minute workouts can be just as helpful as a half-hour work out.  If you can set a rigid workout schedule, that’s great.  If you can’t, set a looser schedule (e.g. I will work out for thirty minutes before I go to bed) and be sure to stick with it.

Getting back in shape after a baby can be difficult, but with time, patience, and planning, you can get back to your healthy and fit self - and maybe even fit back into your favorite jeans before too long!