Exercise after Giving Birth Nottingham

By  Supernanny Team 12/07/2007 Exercise can make a huge difference to your recovery after you have your baby – even if you are feeling exhausted from 24-7 baby care. It’ll boost your self-esteem and confidence by getting you back in shape, give you a shot of much-needed energy and help fight the baby blues and postnatal depression by combating any stress and anxiety you may be feeling. The trouble is, you’ll need to fit any exercise routine in around your baby – and that’s where it can get tricky!

Take it slow

How much and what you do does depend on how fit you were both before and during your pregnancy and you need to have realistic expectations for what you can achieve. Face it: your abs take a real beating during pregnancy and you’re not going to lose the jelly-belly overnight. Breastfeeding is also something you will need to bear in mind – exercising burns calories so you’ll need to make sure you consume enough to maintain your milk supply.

If you had an uncomplicated pregnancy and delivery you should be OK to start exercising again around six weeks after the birth (though you should begin doing pelvic floor exercises with a day or so of having your baby – these increase blood flow to your pubic area and help increase circulation to the area), but check with your doctor or midwife first as a precaution – they may even recommend that you start working out sooner if all looks well. Bear in mind that you may have to wait longer if your baby was delivered by caesarean.

If at any time you feel pain or discomfort while exercising, or your post-birth bleeding becomes heavier or starts up again having previously stopped, check with your doctor.

1 Make a space

You’ll find it much easier to stick to your new exercise routine if you have a proper designated exercise area where you can exercise in comfort. It can be as simple as a yoga mat on the floor in a corner of your bedroom, or large enough to include an exercise bike or treadmill.

2 Time it for convenience

One thing that can put new mums off even starting an exercise routine is the notion that they simply don’t have time to go at it for 45 minutes. In reality you don’t have to – two 10-minute exercise sessions a day will start making a difference to your shape as quickly as two weeks after you start exercising.

3 Think ‘mummy-and-me’

The best way to fit in exercise around your baby is to have him there while you do it. Make sure your exercise space has enough room for his play mat or car seat, or some toys he can play with if he’s sitting up. If he gets bored of watching you cycle or lift weights, put on a CD and dance around him, skip rope or twirl a hula hoop around your waist and hips – it’ll keep the cardio workout in full swing, while keeping your baby entertained!

4 Work that baby!

Your baby doesn’t have to just sit and watch, you know – you can incorporate him into your routine. Try using him as a free weight – lie on your back, with your knees bent and h...

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