• Come and join our girl community by registering for free and start discussing about girl topics, fashion, relationships...

Postnatal Fitness

Lottie

New Member
Joined
Apr 16, 2005
Messages
1,204
Location
Planet Lottie
The first exercises

When you leave hospital you'll be given a sheet of exercises to do, including ankle circling, pelvic floor exercises, pelvic tilt and modified abdominal exercises. Make sure you start these as soon as you can. "Start your pelvic floor exercises on the delivery table," says YMCA pregnancy expert Judy Di Fiore, "and continue them for life."

Get active

The sooner you get moving the better. Not only will you get back in shape quicker, but exercise can help banish the baby blues and beat postnatal depression.

Start with ten minutes' activity a day - try a short walk around the block, a dance with your baby or a snippet from a specially designed exercise video (most of which are broken into ten-minute chunks).

After six weeks

After you've been given the all-clear at your six-week check, you can start regular structured exercise - even if you've never exercised before. If you're still bleeding, though, take it easy and don't start swimming until it has stopped completely.

Getting a flat tummy

Your fitness priority may be getting back your pre-pregnancy stomach, but before you start on the ab crunches you should see a midwife or GP to see whether you have separation of the rectus abdominal muscles. This occurs in the majority of pregnant women. If you have a gap of more than two fingers' width, stick to modified abdominal exercises as in pregnancy and avoid sit-ups and oblique exercises. Work on strengthening the deep abdominal or lower abdominal muscles (transversus). Ask a fitness professional for advice on how to do this.

Take care

The hormone relaxin, which softens the ligaments in preparation for labour, is still present for up to five months after the birth so you may be more vulnerable to injury.
If you're breastfeeding you need to eat well and keep your energy levels up. Moderate, regular exercise won't effect your breastmilk supply, although you should feed your baby before you work out.
If you have backache or a sore perenium, take care when sitting and avoid high-impact exercises.

You still need to listen to your body - it's undergone a huge trauma.

Top tips

Invest in an all-terrain, three-wheeled pushchair of you want to go running with your baby or on cross-country walks.
Get a group of friends to meet regularly for walking and stretching in the park. Walk, talk and think about your posture.
Invest in videos or home gym equipment such as a stationary bike, if you really can't get out of the house.
Find out if your local leisure centre or gym has crèche facilities. It'll be good for your baby - and for you.
A fit mother is better for everyone: you, your partner (you'll have more energy for sex!) and your baby.
Remember, you don't have to be a gym junkie. Recent research has found that just being active is better for overall fitness and health.

Source and Info
 
Werbung:
Back
Top