Post Partum Fitness – Good for Mommy and Baby

Ahh the childbearing years – having a baby or babies and raising your family - they change your life and certainly your body. But does that mean forever? Most women gain around 30 pounds during pregnancy and shed about 20 pounds within the first month after delivery. The last infamous and dreaded 10 pounds can be difficult to get off. Exercise can help you return to your pre-pregnancy weight as well as help you manage the stress and strain of having a new baby in your life. How, you may wonder, are you going get back into shape and fit exercise into your new life with baby?

First - be patient and gentle with yourself and start slowly. You may not get right back into your favorite pair of jeans, but don’t lose heart. Your body went through many changes during the 40 or so weeks of your pregnancy, so getting your shape back should be a gradual process. Make sure you set a realistic goal of 40 weeks or even a full year. Keep in mind that exercise gives you a mental boost and raises your metabolism while helping you get rid of that extra weight. Some women decide to breastfeed because nursing mothers need an additional number of daily calories(up to 500) and studies show that women who breastfeed are more likely to get back to their pre-pregnancy weight than those who formula feed.

Before you get started you will want to discuss exercise with your midwife or doctor. The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists says to gradually resume your pre-pregnancy routine. Some healthcare providers want mothers to wait until after their six week check-up before starting or resuming aerobic exercises. At first you will only want to do some simple exercises such as doing Kegels to strengthen the pelvic floor muscles and walking. Start right away even in the hospital, putting your baby in a kangaroo style shirt, sling or wrap (make sure your baby is properly secured), and taking strolls around the corridors or outside, if you are at home and the weather is decent. This affords your baby skin-to-skin time with you which is very comforting and important - remember that the mother is the natural habitat for the baby during its first 3 months after delivery. And as an added bonus, the extra weight of the baby increases the number of calories you burn. Start off with short, leisurely walks, listen to your body and don’t do too much too fast.

Troubled by your left over belly that looks like a deflated balloon? For starters, lie on the floor on a comfortable mat and let your baby lie tummy down on your abdomen (if you had a c-section, you will need to wait for your incision, etc to heal and talk with your healthcare provider before starting any abdominal exercises). Keeping your knees bent and your feet flat on the floor tighten your abdomen and squeeze your buttock muscles. You can also do pelvic tilts with your baby in this position by lifting your buttocks and lower back off the floor. Repeat these as many times as you like.

Stand against a wall to help strengthen and relax your back and shoulder muscles. With feet apart and arms down by your side, inhale and tighten your abdomen and push your shoulder blades together and down. Exhale and bring your shoulders together in front. This can be especially helpful as your arms and shoulders adjust to carrying a baby around.

Get down on hands and knees, letting your head and shoulders relax, and arch your back up towards the ceiling, like a cat. Relax to your starting position and repeat. This will strengthen your lower back and abdomen.

For breastfeeding mothers, you will be more comfortable if you exercise when your breasts are not full of milk. Once your healthcare provider gives you the OK to resume or start more vigorous aerobic exercising, wearing two sport bras or a sport bra over your nursing bra can give you the additional support you may need. Remove them when you’re done to prevent too much pressure on your breasts.

Second – Get creative. Start thinking of exercise as an active lifestyle for you and your baby and you will fit more in than you think. Your post natal exercising can be just as important for your baby as for you because you are modeling good habits. Babies in the western world spend a lot of time in car seats, swings or cribs and this can translate into a sedentary lifestyle and obesity as children and adults. A recent study reports that babies born in the US now, as compared to those born in 1980, are 59 percent more likely to be overweight (HealthDay News, Aug. 9, 2006).

Look for other ordinary things that you can do with your baby to burn calories – vacuuming, sweeping or dancing, including belly dancing, to name a few, keeping in mind that when you ‘wear your baby’ you’re burning extra calories. Take walks before and after dinner. And, if or when the baby is having a fussy period, ‘put your baby on’ and get moving outside. Babies love being under the wide expanse of the sky and it’s good for mom, too. 

Let dad or grandma watch the baby while you exercise. Swimming, cycling, aquarobics, and light weight training are other acceptable types of post partum exercises.

Third –Get involved. Look for mother and baby exercise groups in your area - such as yoga, Pilates (Pee Wee Pilates: Pilates for the Postpartum Mother and Her Baby (Da Capo Press, 2005), stroller activities (http://www.strollerfit.com/) and dancing classes. Several videos are on the market for post natal fitness, some for mother and baby such as Infantastic Postnatal Workout by Rachel Van Castle. For additional information on videos see www.infantastic.com and http://www.fitnessbeginnings.com/pregnancy-fitness-videos.html. 

Form your own group with mothers and their babies and instead of just talking or enjoying a cup of tea start moving. You will lean up faster, gain energy and friendships and spend incredible time bonding and interacting with your baby.