We are well acquainted with society’s obsession a woman “get back her body” or “get into shape” almost immediately.
It is an impossible task, completely unrealistic and one we hope to help others ignore.
Your weight, size, strength, stamina and overall health is impacted by numerous factors and does not determine your worth.
Healing, feeling strong, healthy and enegerised is different to what we see on social media.
Skinny or looking a certain way should not be the goal and nobody should pressure you into that.
Growing then birthing a child takes an extreme toll on a woman’s body and it didn’t happen overnight.
The experience of carrying and growing a baby has completely transformed the body, and that is something to celebrate, even when you want to return to a more comfortable shape for you.
Rather than focusing on returning to a pre pregnancy shape, the goal should be to embrace your new body but regain your strength and focus on what makes you feel healthy and empowered.
Set Your Goal
What are your goals?
Make them SMART e.g. specific, measurable, attainable, realistic and timebound.
One of the most common post-childbirth concerns is the so-called apron belly.
The lower belly that may still feel a little bit loose or saggy after carrying a baby for nine months.
While it’s perfectly normal, there are apron belly exercises that can help you to tone and strengthen the area.
Check with a physiotherapist who specialises in postpartum care before you start any exercises though.
Doing the wrong ones for what your body needs can cause more damage.
However, it is important to acknowledge that your body will look and feel different now, and that’s OK too.
The journey back to fitness post baby is about building a stronger and healthier you, so let’s take a look at how to get active when you’re ready.
Start Slowly
Your body has undergone a significant physical change after childbirth, especially if you’ve had a C-section.
You do need to give yourself time to heal.
It took nine months to change your body and it will take some time to go back to where you were.
Start with gentle on low impact exercises such as walking, pelvic floor exercises, and postnatal yoga.
These will help you to restore and strengthen your core and your lower back.
Your core muscles have stretched and weakened during pregnancy, so strengthening them again will be a priority and it may take some time to do so.
There are some breathing techniques which can help too.
Seek professional advice to ensure you are doing the exercises correctly and healing.
Get Your Heart Rate Going
Once you’ve had the clearance from your doctor that you are allowed to exercise, make sure that you get your heart rate going and incorporate cardiovascular exercise.
You don’t have to immediately start jogging or running, nor do you have to go to group fitness classes if you don’t want to.
Start by pushing the stroller around the neighbourhood on a daily walk.
This doesn’t just help you to bond with your little one, but it helps you to stave off things like postnatal depression because you are getting out of the house and into the world.
As your stamina builds, you can then gradually increase the intensity with the exercise and start swimming or light cycling.
Work On Your Strength
You’re going to be picking up a baby every single day, putting them down and picking them up.
This isn’t what we mean when we say to work on your strength!
Strength training is an essential component of any fitness routine, but especially after childbirth as you rebuild your body.
Building muscle is not only important for toning and shaping, but it also boosts metabolism and enhances your overall physical function.
Start with do bodyweight exercises such as squats, lunges etc. because your body needs to get used to it and do not go straight to pushups or similar as you do not have the core strength yet.
As you progress, you can start incorporating things like dumbbells or resistance bands.
Embrace Your Recovery
Your body may become quite stiff or tight in areas that were strange during pregnancy such as your hips, lower back, and shoulders.
Stretching and flexibility exercises can improve your range of motion and reduce the tension in those areas.
Post Natal yoga or Pilates are fantastic options for building flexibility, balance and coordination.
These practices also allow you to reconnect with your body and mind. Recovery is just as important as exercise itself, so give yourself the time to recover.
Focus On The Mental Benefits
Exercise to get your pre pregnancy body back in shape isn’t just about your physical body.
It’s about your mental health after you’ve had a baby.
You’ve gone through huge physical and emotional changes in your life and you are forever altered, so you need to make sure that you’re staying on top of sleep deprivation and emotional fluctuations.
Exercise is a natural way to combat these stressors, releasing endorphins into your body which will improve your mood and help your anxiety or depression.
