# Tone up after a baby



## meera (Feb 13, 2006)

You've just had a baby and now you want to get back in shape and shed the weight that didn't disappear when the baby was born. Those last 3 to 5 kilograms can be hard to get rid of, but consistent safe exercise will do the trick. The added bonus is that a regular exercise routine will boost your energy levels and give you the sanity to cope with those endless nappy changes and sleepless nights!

First six weeks

Getting back to exercise after the birth of your child should be a gradual process, starting with pelvic floor exercises and short, slow walks. A full-fledged return to exercise should only happen after you've had the doctor's go-ahead, at around the six-week mark. Even then it's important you ease back into exercise slowly and carefully.

Pelvic floor

As a new mum you've probably already been practising pelvic floor exercises, but are you doing enough of them? These exercises are an essential part of regaining your continence, bladder and bowel control, and it is essential that you strengthen these muscles before attempting any other exercise. Practise pelvic floor exercises in various positions and aim to complete a minimum of five contractions four times a day. Cross train your pelvic floor, sometimes practising long holds and sometimes short, strong contractions. Eventually you should be able to do 10 repetitions, holding each for 10 counts, morning and night.

Tighter abdominals

You're probably keen to tone your mid-section, but it's important to start with the right type of abdominal exercises so as not to overstress your muscles. Begin with gentle abdominal bracing and pelvic tilt exercises, and only when your pelvic floor becomes stronger should you progress to curl-up exercises. Ensure your rectus abdominal muscles have come back together before you do any kind of abdominal work other than bracing - ask your doctor or personal trainer to show you how to check these muscles.

Back strength

It's common for new mums to experience lower back pain, as the abdominal wall is too loose to adequately support the lower back. Range of motion movements and lower-back exercises will help with this, especially exercises that incorporate the stability ball. You might also experience upper-back strain caused by fatigue and breast weight - shrugging the shoulders and performing flexibility exercises for the chest and back should help with this.

Eating right

Don't be tempted to cut your calories to speed up weight loss because breastfeeding mums actually need to take in an additional 500 calories a day to provide baby with the proper vitamins and minerals. If you skimp on calories you'll be depriving yourself and your baby of important nutrients.

Do

*Take it easy

*Listen to your body

*Start off slowly and build up gradually

*Give priority to strengthening pelvic floor and abdominal muscles.

Don´t

*Push yourself too soon or too hard

*Return to exercise sooner than six weeks after giving birth

*Start exercise until you have the doctor's go-ahead

*Lift weights or do high impact exercise until the pelvic floor and abdominals are strong.

Benefits of exercise for new mums

*Boosts energy

*Combats stress

*Helps you sleep

*Makes you feel good

*Assists with weight loss

*Relieves back pain

*Guarantees time to yourself

*&#8230;not to mention that every one will tell you how great you look!

If you've had a caesarean section your body will need more time to recover, so start slowly and use caution when exercising, especially with your abdominal muscles. Your doctor and personal trainer will be able to help you develop a safe exercise program.

Avoid 'high impact' exercises like running and jumping until at least five months after the birth to allow the effects of the hormone relaxin to lessen. Relaxin loosens the ligaments to allow the baby to come through the pelvis and birth canal more easily, but it also makes it easy to overextend joints and become injured.

*TIP!* Keep exercise slow and steady. It takes 6 to 12 weeks to fully recover from childbirth, and up to a year for your body to return to the way it was pre-pregnancy. Listen to your body and go at your own pace.

LINK:

http://www.fitnessfirst.co.uk/news/news.as...&intelement=454


----------



## TypeR (May 28, 2004)

ill show my girlfreind this

thankyou!

Ben


----------

