Exercises To Shed The Postpartum Weight

Whether you’re a first or second time mum, there’s a chance that your postpartum body feels a lot different than your pre-pregnancy self. Pregnancy and childbirth are accompanied by significant changes in your body and exercise can help you heal and recover these. However, your exercise after delivery will look different than what you were probably used to for several weeks.

Postnatal exercise not only lets you shed the postpartum weight but also strengthens and tones abdominal muscles that were stretched during pregnancy and also relieves stress. However, it is advisable to consult a doctor before starting any postnatal exercise. Here’s everything you need to know about exercises to shed the postpartum weight.

What Are The Benefits of Postnatal Exercise?

Postpartum workouts can improve your physical and mental well-being. The purpose of postnatal exercise is to:

• Promote weight loss and help to restore muscle strength and firm up your body.
• Raise your energy level and prevent backache.
• Improve your cardiovascular fitness and restore muscle strength.
• Condition your abdominal muscles, promote better sleep and improve your mood and help prevent postpartum depression.

When to Start Postnatal Exercises

Often, new mums ask questions like, “When can I start exercising after delivery”?, “When to start exercise after normal delivery”? and “When and how to resume workout after delivery”. Here’s the answer.

The American College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists suggests that the type of pregnancy and delivery you had are the primary considerations for deciding a start date for fitness.

If you had a healthy pregnancy and delivery, you can start exercising when you feel ready. For some women, the doctor might ask to wait for six to seven weeks if you have had any complications.

You should keep in mind that your lower back and core abdominal muscles are weaker than they used to be and your ligaments and joints are also more supple and pliable. Therefore stretching or twisting too much during the post pregnancy exercise can be painful. Try to avoid any high-impact exercises or sports that require rapid direction changes.

Effects of Postnatal Exercises On Breastfeeding

According to medical studies, vigorous or regular exercise does not have adverse effects on a mother’s ability to successfully breastfeed as long as fluid and caloric intake are maintained.

However, some research suggests that high-intensity physical activity can cause lactic acid to accumulate in breast milk and produce a sour taste that a baby might not like.

Therefore, it is advisable to stick to low- to moderate-intensity physical activity and drinking plenty of fluids during and after your post delivery exercises.

List of Postnatal Exercises

Medical research shows that a regular exercise program after giving birth is good for your overall health. Some of the types of postnatal exercises to knock that baby weight off are:

1. Walking: Walking might not sound like much of a workout, but is one of the simplest ways to ease into a fitness routine after giving birth. 

You can start with an easy stroll and eventually you’ll work your way up to a pumped-up power walk.

You can also try walking backward or walking in a zig-zag pattern to help keep your muscles guessing.

2. Pelvic floor exercises (Kegels): Kegel exercises are great during and after pregnancy and strengthens the pelvic floor muscles.

All you need to do is tighten your pelvic floor muscles (the ones used to stop the flow of urination), hold for 10 seconds and repeat throughout the day.

Kegel exercises for postnatal mothers can do wonders.

3. Diaphragmatic breathing: Diaphragmatic or deep breathing is a postnatal exercise you can begin within the first few days of giving birth.

Taking a few minutes each day to focus on your breath can help you relax and reduce postpartum stress and can also improve core stability and slow your rate of breathing.

• After lying flat on the floor on a yoga mat, relax your body, focusing on releasing the tension from your toes to the top of your head.
• Put a hand on your chest and another on your stomach and take a deep breath in through the nose for two to three seconds. This step will expand your stomach, but your chest should remain relatively still.
• Exhale slowly while keeping one hand on the chest and one on the stomach and repeat several times for two to three minutes.

4. Swiss ball bird dog holds: You’ll need a stability or exercise ball for this exercise. The steps include:

• You can lay down on top of the ball so that your torso covers the ball. Your body should be in a straight line, with your palms flat on the floor and toes touching the ground.
• Looking down at the floor, try to lift and reach your left foot and right arm at the same time. Hold for one to two seconds.
• Return to the starting position and change sides and opt for 20 total repetitions.

5. Deep belly breathing with abdominal contraction: This exercise helps to relax muscles and starts the process of strengthening and toning your abs and belly.

All you need to do is sit upright and breathe deeply, drawing air from the diaphragm upward.

Contract and hold your abs tight while inhaling and relax while exhaling and gradually increase the amount of time you can contract and hold your abs.

6. Side plank leg lifts: This postnatal exercise will work your glutes, obliques, and to a lesser degree, the shoulder muscles. The steps include:

• You need to lie on your stomach with your forearms on the floor and elbows beneath your shoulders and your feet will be flexed with toes on the floor.
• Go on one forearm and turn sideways and raise your body off the floor to get into a side plank position.
• Try to raise your top leg and hold it in the air for 20 to 30 seconds or repeatedly perform leg raises until the time is up.
• You can perform one to two sets on each side.

7. Postpartum planks: You can perform the postpartum planks in case you had a vaginal delivery. The steps include:

• You can lie on your stomach with your forearms on the floor and elbows beneath your shoulders and your feet will be flexed with toes on the floor.
• Try to engage your glutes and core and rise up on your toes so that only your forearms and toes touch the floor.
• Bring your belly button to the spine, and tighten your buttocks and upper body, contracting your deep abdominal muscles. Try to hold it for 30 seconds.
• You can repeat one to two times. As you get stronger, you can increase the hold time.

8. Swiss ball glute bridge: The Swiss ball glute bridge exercise is great for pelvic floor and core stabilisation and works the abdominal muscles, glutes, quadriceps, and hamstrings.

You will need a stability or exercise ball to perform this postnatal exercise:

• You can start with your back flat on the ground, knees bent, and a stability ball by your feet.

• Try to place your feet flat on the ball, press through the heels, and raise your hips into the air.

You can use your glute and hamstring muscles to assist. Your shoulders and upper back should remain in contact with the floor, and your body should be in a straight line.

• You can hold at the top for a few seconds and return to the starting position while keeping the ball still.

In addition to these, you can also try swimming, yoga, light weight training, cycling, pilates and low impact aerobic workouts as a part of your postpartum workout routine as these will let you burn the extra calories.

Some Tips to Make Your Postnatal Exercises Session Smooth

Here are some tips to make your postnatal exercise sessions smooth:

• When exercising, be careful of any warning signs of pain or discomfort. You can slow down if necessary and allow the pain to subside.
• It is advisable to stop the post pregnancy workout if you notice an increase in bleeding, breathlessness or fatigue.
• Make sure you are hydrated. Try to drink plenty of water and your favourite fruit juices to feel reinvigorated.

Conclusion

Postpartum exercises can help strengthen your core muscles, boost your mood, reduce stress, and prevent low-back injuries. It also gives you time to focus on you and deal with “baby blues’.

It is important for you to take care of yourself so that you can take care of the new family member.

FAQs

Can I do squats after giving birth?

Yes, you can squat after giving birth as long as your body is ready for it. It is also advisable to consult your doctor before starting squats.

Can I go for a walk 2 weeks postpartum?

Don’t start walking too much immediately after your delivery. Instead, you can take a short walk that can help during your postpartum recovery.

How can I reduce my tummy after delivery?

To reduce your tummy after delivery, you can start exercising. You can also go for walks if you want.

How long does it take for your stomach to shrink after pregnancy?

Usually, it takes around six weeks for your uterus to contract fully. At six weeks, you might have started losing the weight you gained during pregnancy.