Postnatal exercises are important for you to regain the strength of your abdominal muscles, after the birth of your baby as strong muscles help prevent lower back injury, prevent abdominal organs from “dropping forward” through lack of support and help you to regain a flat stomach.
It is recommended that you wait until your six to eight-week postnatal check before starting up with your workout routine. Your body will take a little longer to recover and heal if you have had a C-section.
Postnatal Exercises:
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Deep breathing: Try to do this regularly for the first few days.
- Foot and ankle exercise: Circle your ankles a few times and paddle your feet up and down briskly. It will help to prevent the formation of clots and also reduce any swelling in your feet and ankles.
- Stretching: For stronger tummy muscles- lie on the floor with a small pillow beneath your head. Bend up your knees, tilt your pelvis back and pull up your pelvic floor. Breathe out. Tighten your tummy, lift up your head. Reach both hands forward to touch your knees. Hold for a few seconds, lower slowly. Breathe in and rest.
- Knee rolling: Lie with knees bent together, feet resting on the bed. Pull in gently on your tummy muscles and slowly rock your knees from side to side in a small movement.
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Yoga: Yoga is the best exercise to reduce tummy after pregnancy. Involve yourself in daily, early morning yoga routine which is a complete package of exercises and breathing techniques for your mind and soul.
- Side stretch: Lie on the floor with a small pillow beneath your head. Bend up your knees, tilt your pelvis back and pull up your pelvic floor. Breathe out. Tighten your tummy, lift up your head. Reach with one hand towards the opposite ankle. Hold for a few seconds, lower slowly. Breathe in and rest. Repeat to the other side.
- Swimming: Swimming is recommended after 10 to 12 weeks of birth to avoid Swimming tones up the muscles and helps in losing weight.
- Dancing: It provides a light cardiovascular workout that involves all the major muscle groups and improves balance and coordination. It also ensures the elevation of your mood, no matter how tired and stressed you might be.
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Make sure to take proper rest post workout that will help replenish you. The steady progression of postnatal abdominal bracing and pelvic floor exercises are important to improve the strength and tone the body. Healthy proportions of fruits and vegetables, along with the diet are strongly recommended. A healthy diet will help you to lose fat instead of lean tissue.
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“Your body may take few months to recover following the birth of a baby. Listen to your body, start slowly and build.”