Fitness & Exercise

 

After Pregnancy— Exercise Your Way Back to Fitness

One important question you may have after your baby is born is, “How soon can I start exercising?” After months of watching your body change so dramatically, you may want to get back in shape as soon as possible.

You may be eager to begin exercising soon after baby’s birth. In addition to helping you get back in shape, exercise can help you feel better and lift your spirits. It can also increase your circulation, help you heal and ease body soreness. It can even give you more energy!

• There are many things you can do to get back in shape—you can do some of them while you’re still in the hospital.
  
  
• Be sure to ask your doctor or the nurses taking care of you if it’s OK to do these activities.
  
  
• Start by doing simple exercises immediately after delivery.
  
  
• Practice holding your stomach muscles in.
  
  
• Do your Kegel exercises (see page 42).
  
  
• Even sitting down can be an exercise. If you can sit in a chair, sit tall in the chair. Plant feet firmly on the floor. Align hips and shoulders while sitting straight. Open your shoulders, and lengthen your neck. Keep head high. Tighten pelvic muscles and tummy muscles.
  
  
• When you are up and about in the hospital, you can do other forms of exercise, if you didn’t have any complications during the pregnancy or birth that would prevent you from being active.
  
  
• When you feel able, get up and walk around the hospital.
  
  
• Do mild leg and arm stretches, which may feel very good after delivery. During labor and delivery, you used many muscles, often tensing them during pushing. Stretching after recovery can relieve some tension and loosen your muscles.
  
  
• Other exercises you can do include leg stretches, neck and shoulder rolls, shoulder shrugs, and foot and ankle circles.
  
  
• If you have done yoga exercises in the past, some of the gentler stretches may be good to do at this time.
  
  
• No matter what you do after baby’s birth, a word to the wise: Don’t expect to leave the hospital in the shape or physical condition you were in before you became pregnant.