Post Natal Exercise

Post natal
Following the birth, exercise helps the mother to regain
her pre-pregnancy figure a lot more quickly. Studies shave shown
that mothers who exercise throughout pregnancy gain less body fat,
which ensures that at birth the baby is at the smaller end of the
healthy range, which makes for a quicker recovery. Post partum
exercise is equally important, as the mother not only gets her body
back into shape but her emotional wellbeing benefits as well.
It's important to give yourself 4-6
weeks rest following the birth in order to recover fully from the
labour and birth and to start to adapt to the new and very busy
routine of having a newborn in the house. Before setting out to
loose that baby weight, make sure you have been given the "ok" by
your LMC. Women who have had caesareans or complicated births
especially, need to have been given the all clear.
Starting gradually and progressing
sensibly is very important at this time. It is all too easy to
launch yourself into a frantic routine of abdominal crunches and
fast paced walking in order to tone up that soft, saggy tummy - but
believe me, this is the last thing you want to do. A balanced
routine of brisk walking and pelvic floor exercises 3 days a week
and good, regular nutrition will start to shift some of that
unwanted baby weight. Walking is not only fantastic aerobic
exercise, but it also gets you and bubs out of the house for some
fresh air and some sanity! Breastfeeding is natures way to assist
weight loss, so if possible, persevering for the first 6 weeks of
your baby's life will not only help your body mobilise those fat
stores, it will give your baby the best start you could possibly
offer him.
Once you have built up a good base
fitness, I then recommend participating in some well constructed
group exercise classes. Bear in mind that even if you were a
regular and devoted exercise class participant before you were
pregnant, you are unlikely to be of the same level now, so aim to
go to classes for beginners at least for a couple of weeks. For
women who do not enjoy classes, regular swimming, aqua jogging, gym
training or running may be preferable, just go easy on yourself the
first couple of weeks and build the progression gradually.
These days many fitness centres
offer child care options, so bear this in mind when joining a
facility, as you are more likely to go if you know your baby or
children are in good hands. Otherwise, aiming to co-ordinate
babysitting times with your partner, family, friends or whanau may
be a possibility. I advise you make regular times each week, and
stick to them so that both yourself and your babysitter/s can work
easily around those times. Another benefit of this is that you are
more likely to commit to your exercise knowing that you are relying
on the time of someone else. It's important not to feel guilty
about this, as you deserve time to yourself and it will prolong
your health, making you a better and more reliable
parent.
For times when you really want to
get some exercise but have no babysitting options, investing in a
good 3 wheeler buggy will mean that you can pop babay in the buggy
and get out for a run or a brisk walk. Front packs and back packs
are also great alternatives for a young child and they will love
being out in the fresh air with you. Including other children in
your exercise regime can be fun too. If your baby is in the buggy,
you can throw a ball around with your older children, or walk or
run up and down steps, ounting together as you go. The only limit
is your imagination!