by Zeenia  Baria

 Catch a nap, run your errands, spend time with your partner, exercise a bit or just do anything that helps you unwind during this time. Take help from your partner, family and friends. 

Don’t be in a tearing hurry to lose that baby weight. Slow and steady is best

What do celeb moms like Shakira and Kourtney Kardashian have in common? They took their time to get back in shape after having a baby. None of them were shy of showing off their ‘mummy tummies’ with the Duchess of Cambridge, Catherine Middleton, being the most recent example. And while they may have an array of nannies and trainers at their fingertips, getting back in shape afterpregnancy is not a lost cause.

While the first couple of months can be emotionally, mentally and physically taxing, things will soon fall into a familiar pattern. In the first four or five months, most babies tend to sleep a lot. Use this time to get back in shape. Dedicate time in your schedule for exercise and stick to it as much as possible. Easier said than done, but not impossible…

Start slowly
Pregnancy and child-birth are huge turning points in a woman’s life and rather demanding. While your body is slowly returning to normal, it also needs a push when it comes to dropping all those pregnancy pounds. Avoid any sort of exercise for the first four weeks after delivery. This is the time when your body needs to rest. And if you’ve had a C-section, you shouldn’t exercise for at least 10 weeks. Ask your gynaecologist when you can start doing light exercise. After delivery, a woman’s joints are loose because of the hormone Relaxin, which makes everything stretch to accommodate the baby in the womb. Start by going for walk sand increase the duration gradually. Do light stretching and exercises or yoga at home. Avoid intense cardio or lifting weights. Your aim should be to improve posture, strength, stamina, energy and gradual weight-loss.

Follow a schedule
As difficult as it is to follow a schedule when you have the responsibilities of a baby, try to stick to it as much as you can. Your baby will sleep most of the time during the first few months, so make the most of this. Catch a nap, run your errands, spend time with your partner, exercise a bit or just do anything that helps you unwind during this time. Take help from your partner, family and friends. Plan your time wisely.

Things to keep in mind
– Start slowly. Begin with a warm-up to stretch out your body.
– Go for a 20-minute walk daily and gradually increase the pace.
– If swimming interests you, start by doing 10 laps and increase the number slowly.
– Don’t tire yourself out. Know and accept your limits.
– Keep yourself adequately hydrated by keeping a bottle of water always on hand.
– Whenever you workout, ensure that you wear a supportive bra.
– Check with your doctor beforehand what exercises you can do and what you can’t.

Simple exercises to start off with…
– This exercise aims at strengthening your core muscles. Start by lying down on your back and bend your knees. Make sure your back is neither pressed to the ground nor arched and tighten your abdominal muscles. Slowly raise your hips off the floor until they are aligned with your knees and shoulders. Count till 10 and slowly return to your original position. Do this a couple of times daily and increase the number as your start feeling more comfortable.
– Strengthen your abdominal muscles with this exercise. Lie on the floor on your back with knees bent. Touch your back to the floor, tighten the abdominal muscles and bend your pelvis up a little. Count till 10 and repeat 10 times.
– Tone your pelvic floor muscles by doing kegel exercises. When you pee, contract the muscle to stop your urine flow. Wait for 10 seconds and release. Repeat this as often as you can, whenever you visit the washroom.
– Join a neighbourhood yoga class and inform them that you’re a new mother so that they can suggest suitable exercises.

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Read this article in Times of India

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