After a long nine months of your body changing, in some rather interesting ways, you find yourself with a new baby in your arms and your tummy has now turned to mush. Not to mention those stretch marks! Oh, and those extra pounds? How much was that again? No, don’t want to go there. Just where did that body go that you had before you got pregnant, and can you ever get it back?
We see the stars in Hollywood loose all that baby weight just mere months after having their babies. What do they do that us regular moms in Omaha are missing (besides the big buck)? Well, most of us don’t have the luxuries that they do. We have families, jobs, and other obligations, and just can’t afford that nanny either. What can we do that doesn’t cost that much money, and can still do it? Well, here is the secret of the stars, exercise and eating right. It really is that simple.
If you were fit during your pregnancy, you should see results sooner with your postnatal exercises. But, getting your body back to “normal” can take you anywhere from three months (that would be the Hollywood stars) to nine months (that would be pretty much everyone else). For that in-between-time, you may want to use a support girdle to help your body heal and give appearance of a flatter tummy. If you are breastfeeding, it may be a bit more difficult to lose weight simply because you have to consume more calories to make sure your milk is full of health nutrients for your baby.
When Can I Start Exercising?
When exactly should you start working out again? Generally, it is recommend that women wait about six weeks to start exercising after they have given birth; eight weeks if thy had a cesarean. But, some women start before this. Listen to your body and just wait until you feel ready. When you feel up to starting an exercise program, talk to your doctor first, just to be on the safe side.
Start Stretching Right Away
If you had a normal, and an uncomplicated birth, you can start doing these little exercises as early as the day after you gave birth. These are very simple, non-stressful ones, like leg stretches. If you had a cesarean, it is best to wait until you’ve stopped bleeding and your doctor has told you it is ok to start doing any kind of postnatal exercises.
Advice for Breastfeeding Moms
If you are breastfeeding, there are a few things you should keep in mind when you’re exercising. First, make sure your breasts are properly supported when you exercise. Try to breastfeed your baby before exercising. This will help the comfort level, since your breasts won’t feel full.
Plus, some studies have found that some babies who are fed post-workout can be fussier because their mother’s milk tastes sour due to an increase in the level of lactic acid in the milk. If you can’t feed your baby before, then consider pumping some milk into a bottle. This will help make your breasts feel less full as well as make your baby happy with the pre-workout milk. Also, try to keep your breasts dry and clean, which will help prevent your milk ducts from getting clogged and possibly infected.
New mom exercise tips to come in Getting Back into Shape After Having a Baby Part 2.
Omaha new moms like to get baby in the stroller and hit the great hills at the Henry Doorley Zoo, or for a brisk walk around Lake Zorinsky. It is fall in Omaha, new moms, get baby out there and walk, walk, walk.
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