Becoming Flabby After Baby

Along with the joy of the little one coming in your life, comes a fear of inevitable additional pounds. You even dread breast feeding your kid for it might sag your bosom. Getting back into your pre-pregnancy shape is not so easy. But don’t despair. It’s also not as hard as you think. With consistent workouts and a balanced diet you can get back into shape. Let’s see how…..
Breastfeed your baby
Breastfeed your child exclusively for six months. Breastfeed uses up all your fat stores! It burns about 500 calories per day so the longer you breastfeed, the more calories you burn. In fact, a study revealed that nursing mothers who exercise regularly have a greater milk supply than those who do not exercise. During lactation females must increase their intake of calcium rich food and calcium supplements as they transfer around 200 milligrams of calcium per day from their own stores to their milk. Calcium is critically linked to bone density and health, and its depletion can lead to the loss of bone mineral density.
Start early and go easy
Be up and about. Exercise. The sooner you start, the faster and easier it is to loose fat and tone up the body. But don’t go overboard. Begin slowly in the initial weeks after delivery. Do not lie flat on your back and lift both your legs in the air. And no sit-ups.
Take gentle and low impact exercises and gradually increase their intensity. Most doctors recommend starting exercise in about two weeks after a normal delivery and in case of Caesarean section, wait at least six weeks for the scars to heal.
Take Cardio – Workouts
Start with a 10 minutes leisurely walk with the baby every day and gradually increase the time and intensity to 30 minutes of brisk walk per day.

Begin with walking. It fits best into the new mom’s routine. Any gentle aerobic activity like swimming, stair climbing,etc, is a must. Apart from burning calories, aerobic exercises raise your metabolism (the rate at which your body burns calories), boost stamina, enhance blood circulation and help in healing. What more! It also helps reduce the post-partum depression.
Practice Kegel.
Contract your pelvic muscles as if you’re stopping your urine stream. Hold it for a few seconds and repeat it 4 or 5 times in a row. Perform a set of this exercise three times a day.
Kegel exercise is extremely important and effective for strengthening and toning up your pelvic floor muscles. These muscles support the uterus, bladder and bowel and are engaged during urination, bowel movements, sexual intercourse and also during childbirth. These pelvic muscles get stressed during the delivery. Kegel tightens these muscles and corrects bladder control problems, which many women experience after childbirth. This exercise also enhances physical intimacy with your spouse.

Stretch out

Stretch yourself for a muscle tone. Start out gently and slowly and work each part of your body individually. Begin with the head and neck, then move to the arms, and then continuing all the way down to the calf muscles and ankles to get the best results.

Crunch your abs

Few crunches a day are sufficient to firm up your belly again. Pregnancy actually takes a toll on your abdominal muscles. Start with ten to twenty crunches a day and then increase the number. Very soon you will see your loose belly getting toned up

Get a clean chit from your doctor.

 
Always remember, that every pregnancy and delivery is different and might have its own complications. So take advice from your doctor before engaging in any workout program after giving birth. In case you experience any pain, heavy bleeding, headaches, or other unusual symptoms during or right after exercising, stop immediately and check with your doctor.
Don’t rush out and start dieting

Concentrate on healthy eating, and develop your own exercise plan. Eat lots of veggies and fruits. Increase the intake of protein rich foods to help muscles regenerate. New moms need sufficient amount of fat and calcium also if they are breastfeeding.
So get start on your new exercise regimen to shake off those excess kilos.
With inputs from-Dr. Geeta Chaddha
(Senior Consultant Gynaecologist)
Apollo Hospital-Saket, Max Hospital

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