After giving birth, most women want to restore their bodies to how they were pre-pregnancy as soon as they can. However, a lot of women struggle to lose weight after pregnancy.
Raising a new child is full-time work and it’s not surprising that many women find it difficult to get back the energy and zest they had before they gave birth. While caring for your child is the number one priority, it shouldn’t mean that you can’t lose weight and get back to the body you enjoyed prior to getting pregnant.
In this article we’ll take a look at the best methods for getting back in shape after you’ve given birth.
Recovery post-pregnancy
During the last 9 months of your pregnancy your body has endured a large amount of changes and it’s undoubtedly been an up-down roller-coaster of emotions while you took this journey. However, as one challenge ends, another begins, and you’ll need to quickly adjust to the demands of motherhood.
At this point you might be wondering; “how do I get my pre-pregnancy body back?” Well, the body actually recovers naturally from most changed endured during pregnancy and the uterus will shrink to its normal size over roughly 6 weeks.
In around 3 to 6 months the ligaments of the body will return to their normal size and elasticity.
Unfortunately, muscle tissue does not react in the same way so you will need to take up some exercise in order to aid them in returning to their former size and shape. This kind of training is a good opportunity to grow your muscles ever stronger than they were before your pregnancy.
The most essential thing to keep in mind is that you need to begin a common sense muscle training program so as to stop your muscles from potentially atrophying and becoming weaker. With all of the baby carrying and lifting you’ll be doing, you’ll need to make sure your muscles aren’t being worn down and have a chance to heal themselves.
In keeping a strong spine, you need to make sure your training program focuses on maintaining good spinal alignment and core strength. You should strike a balance between cardio and muscle building exercises.
It might be a good idea to solicit a personal trainer to help you achieve your fitness goals. Any good personal trainer will understand the best way to help you get back to your pre-pregnancy figure.
How soon should you begin exercising after giving birth?
It you have just had your first child; you may be a little disillusioned and perhaps surprised by how different your body looks after giving birth. Your tummy, once a bulbous and dense mound now looks more like a deflated balloon without any tone or muscle.
It’s important to remember that it’s totally normal for your body to look like this over the first 6 weeks post pregnancy while your uterus contracts to its original size. After the 6 weeks, most of the recovery work will be down to your postnatal exercise schedule.
David Smith was born and raised in Calgary Alberta and loves to share his passion for health and fitness with others. Apart from running his own podcast, which uploads weekly shows that covers current health trends, he spends his time canoeing and backpacking. David recently spent a summer working at the CFIA as a health supplement reviewer. In regards to academics, David studied kinesiology at Guelph University.
