When and how can you start exercising after giving birth?

You can do fitness to lose weight six weeks after giving birth. You need to start with the simplest exercises so that your body gradually gets used to the new routine. Breastfeeding mothers need to monitor their well-being, not get carried away with strength training, and if any discomfort occurs, stop exercising immediately. You should also follow a drinking regime, because the body loses a large amount of fluid.

Restoring your figure after childbirth

It is simply necessary to restore your former figure after childbirth. Firstly, if you like yourself, you will be in a good mood, and therefore your baby will be in a good mood. Secondly, after sports you will feel a surge of strength. Moms who exercise regularly look more active and energetic. Those who already love sports know that a good workout is like a fresh breath of air. Don't believe me? Then try fitness classes after giving birth.

You need to restore your figure after childbirth on all fronts, and not just through sports.

First of all, you need to normalize your weight, and this can be done with the help of a proper diet. Of course, during the period of breastfeeding you will have to forget about all sorts of diets that you were on previously; they are generally inappropriate during this period. Not only are you still not fully strong after giving birth, but diets will also deprive you and your baby of nutrients.

Exercises for weight loss after childbirth: getting in shape

The most problematic area is the abdomen, as the muscles are stretched during pregnancy. Due to stretched muscles, women may experience a lack of urge to defecate or urinate.

Even if you wore a brace during pregnancy, it only helped to fix the muscles. Now we need recovery, and for this we need to induce muscle contractions.

Exercise vacuum, or abdominal retraction

The technique is simple:

1. Lie on your back with your knees bent.
2. The feet are pressed to the floor, the palms are placed on the stomach.
3. As you inhale, pull your stomach in as far as possible and fix this position.
4. Then exhale.

The number of vacuum repetitions reaches 10 times. Hold the tucked-in position of your abdomen for 5-10 seconds. Lying on your back protects against dizziness and accidental falls.

Bridge

We are talking about the gluteal bridge, and not a generally accepted exercise. Thanks to this technique, you can tighten your buttocks, remove your stomach and restore blood circulation in the pelvic organs.

How to do the exercise?

1. Lie down on the floor.
2. As you exhale, lift your pelvis up.
3. At the maximum point, pull in your stomach and tighten your buttocks.
4. Hold the static position for a few seconds.

As you lift your body up, press your chin to your chest. Even if at first it seems to you that this exercise is very difficult, you will soon be able to perform it many times.

Kegel exercises

This complex is based on compression of the muscles of the perineum and anus. Such exercises help cope with urinary incontinence, which is often found in women who have given birth. In addition, you can improve the elasticity of the vaginal muscles and recover after childbirth. Thus, you will not only improve your health, but also make your intimate life more vibrant.

Alternating contraction of the muscles of the anus and vagina will help you become aware of your body. You can get acquainted with the features of this complex and start practicing with the help of a training video.

Changing the diet

The first step on the way to your former figure is to reconsider your diet. Surely, if you are breastfeeding, you already adhere to certain nutritional rules. After all, smoked foods, fatty foods, carbonated drinks, and products with artificial colors and preservatives are not recommended during lactation. If you haven’t eaten all this for a long time, we can say that half the battle is done. It’s worth adding a few nuances:

1. You should eat small meals 5 times a day. If you feel hungry between meals, eat some fruit or drink a glass of kefir.
2. Avoid sweet, salty and starchy foods. These are the three main enemies of an ideal figure.
3. Drink more fluids. Normally, a person needs about 2 liters of water per day. The deficiency provokes a decrease in metabolism, therefore, calories are not consumed. In addition, breast milk is 90% liquid, so drinking clean water during lactation is essential.

And lastly, healthy sleep also affects metabolism. When your baby sleeps and you allow yourself to sleep, dust and debris will not go anywhere.

Rules for training

The main dangers of overloading the body after a recent birth are gynecological complications, suture dehiscence and decreased milk supply. Therefore, in playing sports to restore your figure, in addition to the start date, there are a number of important rules:

• The main condition for the benefits of classes is phasing. The load should begin with minimal intensity; in order to avoid overwork, the number of repetitions is increased daily by no more than 1–2 times;
• duration. Breastfeeding requires significant energy expenditure, so if you eat properly, you will lose weight even without exercise. Taking into account this fact, there is no point in long training; 15–20 minutes every day at home will be enough. In the future, you can add trips to the gym or to the pool 1-2 times a week;
• drinking regime. It is important to monitor the amount of fluid you drink during the day, taking into account physical activity; its lack in the body will lead to a decrease in breast milk production;
• time for exercise. It is recommended to warm up after the next feeding so that there is no unpleasant feeling of heaviness in the chest. It is better to train in a bra for normal fixation of the mammary glands during exercise.

Weighting agents of any kind are prohibited from being used during the postpartum period. Even if there are no complications during childbirth, you can go to the gym no earlier than a year later, or better yet, after stopping breastfeeding.

When can you exercise after giving birth?

Many women who have decided to regain their previous figure are concerned with the question: “How long after giving birth can you start doing fitness?” First of all, don’t rush to the gym on the third day or after discharge. It’s worth warning right away that you won’t be able to lose weight quickly after giving birth. After all, these extra pounds have been accumulating for nine months. In addition, sudden weight loss can play a cruel joke; your breast milk may disappear. Therefore, gradualism is important in this matter.

Doctors usually recommend starting sports training 5-6 weeks after giving birth. This is only if the birth took place naturally without any complications. And then you shouldn’t start intense training right away. If you were involved in fitness before and during pregnancy, then returning to your normal sports regime after childbirth will not be difficult for you.

There is another important point why you can’t immediately start active training. The fact is that if during lactation a mother engages in intense strength exercises, then she secretes lactic acid, which spoils the taste of the mother’s “delicacy”. That is, the baby can simply refuse the breast. Therefore, do not rush to exhaust yourself with sports. And if you want to continue feeding your baby, then it is better to give preference to Pilates or yoga. This kind of fitness after childbirth will definitely not do any harm.

Fitness and breastfeeding

Some new mothers avoid any exercise for fear that their milk supply will decrease. But in the course of research, scientists have proven that sport has no negative impact on either lactation itself or the development of the baby.

The only point that needs to be taken into account is that intense physical activity can affect the composition of milk itself - it increases the lactic acid content. As a result, the child may not like the sour taste, but this does not always happen. To avoid breast refusal, it is recommended to simply limit yourself to moderate exercise and drink more water. Expressing milk half an hour to an hour after training also helps - it contains the largest amount of lactic acid, so it will not get to the baby.

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Sports after cesarean

The case where the birth took place by caesarean section requires special attention. Returning to training will be more difficult. In addition, there are special programs - fitness for losing weight after childbirth by caesarean section, but you can start them only after consultation and permission from a doctor. Typically, a woman is allowed to return to training only after the wound has healed, to eliminate the risk of infection and rupture of the stitches. As a rule, this requires at least 8 weeks.

Complex for nursing mothers: exercises for losing weight after childbirth

Squats

1. Main stand.
2. Lower your hips until they are parallel to the floor.
3. The knees do not go beyond the feet.
4. Use your heel to push your body up.

Use your baby in your arms instead of weights. You can improve your figure regardless of the time of day.

Push ups

1. Lying emphasis.
2. If well prepared, do push-ups from your feet.
3. If difficulties arise, then you can do push-ups from your knees.
4. Elbows go out to the sides to an angle of 90 degrees.

The most gentle option is inclined wall push-ups.

Strengthening the triceps

Push-ups from a support will help restore tone to your arms. Typically, excess fat is concentrated in the shoulders, under the arms and in the lower arms. This adds bulk to the silhouette, making it look huge.

Technique:

1. Place your hands on the support.
2. Lower your body down, bending your arms to a right angle.
3. Using your arms, return to the starting position.

Hyperextension

Hyperextension will help remove fat folds from the back.

The technique will not cause any difficulties:

1. Lie on your stomach.
2. Secure your lower body.
3. Hands behind your head.
4. Raise your torso up.
5. At the highest point, pause for a few seconds.
6. Return to the starting position.

Bike

A familiar exercise will help everyone strengthen the oblique abdominal muscles and abs.

1. Lie on your back.
2. Hands behind your head.
3. Alternately pull your elbow towards the opposite knee, contracting your abdominal muscles as much as possible.

You will find a video with a complex for nursing mothers here

Exercise will be beneficial if done regularly. All exercises for losing weight after childbirth are performed on a hard surface without jerking. Before training, it is advisable to ventilate the room, and in the warm season it is better to exercise outside. Clothing should not restrict movement.

A piquant tip for young mothers that you should not refuse - visit the toilet before starting training. It is better for breastfeeding women to start exercising after the baby is full and the breasts are free of excess fluid. By regularly performing a set of exercises for weight loss after childbirth, you will quickly restore your body's stamina and get rid of excess fat.

Carrying a child and his birth, although they are natural physiological processes, do not pass without leaving a trace on the body. After childbirth, the body definitely needs restoration, because increased stress weakens the tone of the abdominal muscles and perineum, and problems with the veins that began during pregnancy can progress. Gymnastics after childbirth is necessary for complete and effective recovery of the body. The sooner it is started, the faster and better the restorative effect will be.

If there were no perineal ruptures or incisions during childbirth, you can start classes very soon, practically the next day after the baby is born, if, of course, your health allows it. If stitches were placed, you need to wait until they heal, this takes about 2 months.

First preparation

Your body has had nine months of rest from physical activity, so don't immediately grab barbells and dumbbells. You need to start exercising gradually, increasing the load over time. If you can’t leave your child with a nanny or grandma to go to the gym, it doesn’t matter. You can do fitness after childbirth at home; fortunately, there are many video courses for this. In addition, daily walks with your baby are also considered a kind of exercise. Walking burns calories. So don’t sit on a bench, but walk, walk and walk again.

There are exercises that you can do immediately upon returning from the hospital. After them, it will be much easier for you to start more intense training. So, these include:

1. Kegel exercise. It is necessary to restore the elasticity of the pelvic muscles.
2. Breathing exercises
3. Exercises with fitball. You can practice with this equipment every day. For example, while breastfeeding, you can sit on a stability ball and perform circular movements with your pelvis.

Exercise equipment

Various devices help in the fight against extra pounds. Such as:

• Jump rope. Known to us from an early age, it helps burn a lot of calories in a short period of time. Simple exercises that you can do at home, just a few minutes, are enough. Microvibrations caused by jumping destroy the “orange peel”, so that in less than a month the effect will be visible to the naked eye;
• Fitball. Not only the mother can practice on the ball, but even together with the baby, which will bring joy and pleasure to both. There are many sets of exercises and training videos. Increased loads are not recommended, as they can disrupt lactation;
• It is preferable to choose collapsible dumbbells to change the load;
• TRX loops. Elastic tape should be up to two meters long. Used in many exercises that are based on the principles of static dynamics.

Combining baby care with fitness

Many mothers refuse to play sports, citing the fact that they spend all their time caring for the baby. We will tell them a secret: these two activities can be successfully combined. The simplest option, which we have already mentioned, is walking. You need to be in the fresh air every day with your kids, so let it be useful for you too. For example, while walking, you can perform various movements, sometimes walking slowly, sometimes faster, on tiptoes. It only takes 40 minutes, and 300 kilocalories are gone.

Every mother does not sit or lie on the sofa, she moves around the apartment, doing household chores. So walking can be replaced with energetic dancing. By the way, yoga is ideally combined with caring for the baby. And it is not necessary to perform complex asanas; it is enough to learn a few simple poses.

Top best fitness programs after childbirth

We offer you the top best and most effective home workouts that you can do while your baby sleeps:

1. Cindy Crawford: fitness after childbirth

Perhaps this is the most popular program for young mothers, as it is affordable and gentle. Even if you didn’t play sports before pregnancy, you will be able to do this video course. Cindy Crawford created a program with a gradual increase in load, that is, you first start exercising 10 minutes a day for 14 days, then add another 15 minutes, and so on until a full workout.

2. Tracy Anderson: Post Pregnancy

Tracy created the program based on her personal experience. This video course is more advanced and may not be suitable for beginners. The set of exercises is designed for 50 minutes, and this is quite a strong load, so you can divide it into two approaches. The program contains a lot of abdominal exercises.

3. Hot Body Healthy Mommy

This is a new program from the famous Jillian Michaels. The set of exercises is designed for beginners and for those who have only recently recovered from childbirth. It contains 3 workouts for different parts of the body.

Exercises to correct posture

Squeeze your shoulder blades together as much as possible, hold as much as you can. Place your arms behind your back and lower your shoulders as much as possible, as if holding heavy weights in your hands. Perform both exercises in several approaches. The result is a feeling of the back muscles, relaxation of the neck, straightening of the shoulders and chest. To develop the habit of correct posture, go and stand with your back to the wall, touching it with three points - your heels, buttocks and shoulder blades.

Don't be afraid to start and don't waste time on yourself. After two to three months of such a simple fitness system, which includes physical exercises for postpartum recovery and balanced nutrition, your figure will make a completely different impression. And father and child can, without exaggeration, be proud of their wife and mother!

Beauty treatments for new mothers

Now you know what fitness means after childbirth, how long after you can start exercising, and which exercises are best to do and which not. In combination with sports, cosmetic manipulations will help restore the figure's fit. Here are some procedures that can be recommended for a young mother:

1. Home peeling. To improve skin texture, give it smoothness and elasticity, you need to use a scrub twice a week.
2. Self-massage. Several times a week you can massage yourself using special anti-cellulite creams.
3. Electrical stimulation. Suitable for nursing mothers. This is a hardware procedure that affects the lower layers of muscles. That is, it is an alternative to physical exercise.
4. Mesotherapy. Unfortunately, this method is not suitable for nursing mothers. But if you are not breastfeeding, you can use a mesotherapy procedure, which is aimed at burning fat and tightening the skin.
5. You can also make wraps with different compositions at home. Not recommended during lactation.

At home or in the hall?

Now that you have figured out how long after you can start training, it’s time to decide on the place. Both homework and gym work have advantages and disadvantages.

Hall

Disadvantages:

1. Expensive.
2. Time is wasted on the road.
3. You need to leave the baby with someone.
4. You may feel embarrassed about your failures at first.

Among the advantages, we highlight the help of a trainer and work with different exercise equipment.

At home

The disadvantages include:

• Limited list of activities. You won't be able to lift weights or run on the treadmill if you don't have a machine. Only the simplest equipment is available to you: jump rope, hula hoop, stepper, dumbbells.
• Nobody controls you. You can “freeload” and work half-heartedly if there are no other people nearby whose successes would motivate you.
• There is no coach who will advise and help.

But there are still more advantages:

1. You don't need to spend money on a subscription.
2. Saves time on travel to the hall.
3. You can practice several times a day for half an hour.
4. Develop willpower and self-motivation.
5. There is no need to tear yourself away from the child.
6. Self-esteem does not drop because you are worse than other girls in the room.

Read also: How to eat correctly so as not to gain weight after childbirth?

In addition, to begin with, you do not need such loads as you can get in the center. The simplest exercises with available equipment will be enough. Because it’s worth starting fitness after discharge in a gentle manner, even if you previously visited the gym and trained seriously. In a few months, when you want more, you can try a class at the center.

Useful tips

It is obvious that fitness after childbirth is important and necessary. But how can you do it without harming yourself or your baby?! You need to adhere to several rules and recommendations:

• If possible, it is better to hire a personal trainer who will tell you in detail what fitness is after childbirth, when to start exercising and what exercises you can do.
• If you work out at home on your own, then develop a program for yourself so that it involves all muscle groups.
• Don't do all the exercises in one go. You can spread them out throughout the day. For example, while the baby is sleeping.
• Start exercising only after feeding and an hour before.
• Don't neglect wearing a postpartum bandage. It is able to support the abdominal muscles and will not allow the skin to sag.
• You shouldn't give up breastfeeding for the sake of a beautiful figure. After all, this is important nutrition for the baby. In addition, breast milk production takes 300 kcal.
• You need to exercise regularly 3-5 times a week for 30-60 minutes.

Exercises at home

So, the question of how long after giving birth you can start getting your figure in order has been resolved. If you decide to go to the gym, the trainer will tell you what will be best in your particular case and prescribe a program based on your needs and capabilities. But if you decide to work on your own, here are some valuable tips that will help you build your own program:

• First, determine your level. If you can run outside, then go for a run at an average pace and notice how long you start to run out of energy. If less than 15 minutes have passed - this is the initial level, 15-30 minutes - average and more than half an hour - this is a high level of preparation for classes; your muscles and your respiratory system are designed for more serious loads. If you can't run, dance or do exercises during this time. This will determine how long you can take loads after giving birth.
• When you have determined your level, find out which exercise you prefer - yoga or Pilates, fitness with jumping and a stepper, or classes with dumbbells, abdominal exercises, squats and push-ups. If you force yourself to do something you don't like, your enthusiasm won't last long.
• Choose a program on the Internet that is designed for your level and taking into account what kind of activity you prefer. For example, fitness after childbirth with Cindy Crawford is very popular among girls. The videos of the famous American athlete and TV presenter are made so that you can train right in front of the TV or computer screen. In addition, the videos can be freely found on the Internet in the public domain.

Read also How to bandage the abdomen after childbirth: how to do it correctly and when you can

• If you don’t want to train using video lessons, after giving birth you can train according to your own program. Compose it with a certain number of approaches for the abs, buttocks and legs. It is important to gradually increase the number of approaches and duration of training.
• Exercise regularly, gradually increasing the time and number per week. For example, if you start with 3 times a week for half an hour, after a month you should already be working at least an hour 4-5 times a week.
• Do not reward yourself by refusing physical work and do not punish yourself with additional activity - such an approach to sports will not only completely “kill” motivation, but will also turn the desire to become slim and fit into nothing.
• Get someone involved in your sport. Work with a friend or mom. The husband, as a personal trainer, is also a good ally in this difficult task. The main thing is to have fun with it all!

Remember that an athletic woman is a beautiful woman. Just don't overdo it.