You’ve been cleared by your doctor to start your postpartum fitness routine and you can’t wait to get back into your pre-baby jeans! Before you head to the gym, you need to decide on how you’re going to get started. Your postpartum exercise plan should focus on helping you regain your energy and strength but without pushing you to the point where you damage muscles that have already been strained by pregnancy and childbirth. Whether you’re eager to shed the excess pregnancy pounds or simply eager to get back to your fitness routine, the most important thing is to listen to your body.
- Choose the Right Clothes
Start your fitness journey by shopping! It may seem too good to be true but think of it as the new mom variation of “dress for success.” Pregnancy and childbirth take a toll on your body and the last thing you need is to add to your discomfort by wearing ill-fitting clothes during your workouts. When shopping for postpartum wear, you should look for comfort, functionality, and style. You will need a soft and supportive sports bra since your breasts will be more sensitive – it’s best to pick bras that have a wide band for extra support. Loose-fitting tops are comfortable and promote ease of movement. For bottoms, you can’t go wrong with leggings. High-waisted leggings provide support to your abdominal muscles which are likely to be weak after pregnancy. You can also look for seamless leggings so that there are no seams that can irritate your sensitive skin. Reviews from other moms and expert advice that compares the best postpartum leggings in the market will help you choose leggings that are best suited to your needs.
- Start with Gentle Exercises
You might be raring to go all out with your fitness plan, but overdoing it right away can do more harm than good. Most women can start walking within days of giving birth but you should still discuss your fitness plan with your ob-gyn, especially if you had complications during your pregnancy or labor. The simplest way to reintroduce exercise to your daily routine is to start with short walks at a slow pace. You can gradually increase the duration and intensity of your walks. Wait a few days between each session to ensure that you are not overexerting. You can also practice deep breathing exercises that engage your core muscles. Kegel exercises are also a good idea to help strengthen your pelvic floor muscles. Kegels can be done several times a day and are a low-impact way to improve muscle tone and support recovery. As you progress, combining them with gentle stretches or other light activities will help you build strength gradually.
- Add Abdominal Strengthening Exercises to Your Routine
According to postpartum exercise guidelines by ACOG (American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists), postpartum women can do abdominal strengthening exercises including crunches as this will help to decrease diastasis recti abdominis (separation of the abdominals). In the past, women were told that physical activity would make their milk taste sour or even decrease their milk supply; however, these myths have been debunked. According to ACOG, regular exercise does not affect milk composition or production. It would be best to feed your baby just before you exercise so that your breasts are not engorged while exercising as this can be uncomfortable. It’s also important to drink water before a workout to make up for the fluid that you will lose through perspiration.
- Balance Cardio and Strength Training
A combination of cardio and strength (resistance) training offers the most health benefits. Cardio helps to improve your endurance and stamina, burns calories to help you lose weight, and reduces stress and anxiety. Strength training improves posture and balance, increases muscle strength and tone and aids weight management by boosting your metabolic rate. Research shows that it is important that postpartum women do foundational physical activities before adding resistance training to their workout routine. You can start with light resistance exercises anywhere between week 4 and week 8 of your postpartum fitness plan – this will depend on your overall health and fitness level. You can start with modified bodyweight exercises as these will be easier on your muscles. It’s really important that you discuss any exercise plan (especially one that has strenuous lifting) with your ob-gyn as overtraining at this time can increase your risk of a prolapse.
- Protect Against Injury
Avoid high-impact movements including any exercise that involves jumping or hopping. The hormone relaxin loosens the muscles, joints, and ligaments during pregnancy to help your body accommodate your baby. However, this hormone can remain in your body for up to a year after your baby is born which increases your risk of injury due to laxity. Over-exercising is also a common issue so it’s best to stick with 150 minutes of moderate-intensity cardio per week with an additional strength-training session for two days. Your daily exercise shouldn’t be one long session; instead, it can be broken up into 10-minute sessions throughout your day. You should also have one or two rest days in a week where you only do low-intensity and low-impact exercises as this will give your muscles time to heal and recover.
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