After delivering a baby, a new mom may feel a little overwhelmed when she returns home from the hospital. She must feed, diaper and bathe her new baby and care for herself, as well. For myself, I felt a little on edge with nerves and lack of sleep; I wanted to be the best mom I could be.
Before I knew it though, my daughter and I adapted to our new routine and my biggest struggle, besides catching up on sleep, was getting my pre-pregnancy figure back. I quickly learned that, by adding exercises and a healthy diet to my daily activities, I had more energy, a brighter outlook on life in general and slimmed down nicely.
Any postpartum mom who wants to begin exercising should consult with her obstetrician before beginning any exercise program. Your doctor knows your pregnancy and delivery experience as well as you do. I went to my doctor for questions surrounding my birth plan concerning options like pain medicines and cord blood banking. When it came time to start exercising, I also asked my doctor to help give me some suggestions to reach my goal.
Here are a few exercises that any new mom can integrate into her day:
1. Every time a new mom lifts up her baby, she is strengthening and slimming down her upper arm muscles. This is an exercise she will do so many times that she will be unable to keep track of how many arm lifts she has accomplished. A baby is an excellent weight that gets progressively heavier. Most new moms have no problem at all with their upper arms.
2. Walking is another excellent exercise that a new mom can incorporate into her daily routine. She can put her baby in the stroller and walk. The baby will enjoy the movement and the mom will enjoy the fresh air and exhilaration she will experience from the activity. This was my favorite activity to get outside, exercise, and bond with my baby.
3. Swimming is an excellent exercise for new moms to engage in. A new mom will not have to wonder which part of her body the swimming is addressing. This is because it is addressing everything — her core, her cardiovascular strength, her muscles, flexibility, and even her balance. A new mom who has access to a community association pool can swim daily and become fit and trim in no time. I’m a natural swimmer, so even though I felt lethargic when doing other workouts, swimming was a fun one for me to do.
4. Bicycling is another beneficial and fun exercise. Many bikes come equipped with baby carriers. If a mom is an experienced bicycler, she can even bring baby along for the ride. Baby will be lulled to sleep and Mom will feel happy and peaceful because the cardiovascular aspects of bicycling stimulate the release of endorphins and dopamine—brain chemicals that bring an overall feeling of contentment, peace and fulfillment. A mom can put her baby in the bicycle’s baby carrier and take a bike ride during baby’s “fussy time” each evening. This will calm baby and mom, too. When the mom returns home, she can feed her baby and herself and both can settle into the evening seamlessly.
It’s All Natural
Some people look at the postpartum period as somewhat of an ailment that needs curing. But it’s not. It is a beautiful time of life where a woman changes and becomes happier than she ever imagined she would be.
“Katie Moore has written and submitted this article. Katie is an active blogger who discusses the topics of, motherhood, children, fitness, health and all other things Mommy. She enjoys writing, blogging, and meeting new people! To connect with Katie contact her via her blog, Moore From Katie or her twitter, @moorekm26.”
