Postpartum Exercises Every Mama Should Try
Article by: Betti Wilson
Description: Goodbye, postpartum body weight retention! Learn how to eliminate excessive pounds after childbirth through doctors-approved exercises. Do those planks, walks, kegels, bridges, and many exercises that won’t strain your body too much.
You’ve successfully given birth to your little angel. Congratulations! But wait, that’s not the end of the road; you need to get your original body and overall health back on track.
Did you know that women gain an average of 32 lbs during pregnancy and retain 10-20 lbs postpartum? Yes, you read that right. So the sooner you begin exercising the right way, the faster you’ll regain your original physique.
Want to know the best postpartum exercises and expert-level tips? Well, you’re in the right place. We’ll discuss five of the best exercises that will get you back in track sooner than you expect.
First of all, ensure you get the most out of your postpartum exercises by adopting important tips such as getting a workout partner, getting the right traffic, and eating healthily. Don’t forget to get a baby activity mat if you don’t want your baby to interrupt you while on the burnout. So what’s the solution? The baby thinks you’re selfish for playing alone; keep your little one happy by getting them a play mat.
Postpartum Planks
Also known as standard plank hold, this is one of the best hamstring exercises that you can perform after childbirth. It’s an all-round workout for the core, the upper body, and the glutes.
Here, the belly lies facing the ground while you support the bodyweight with your toes and bent arms. You then move your upper and lower body back and forth while maintaining the same posture. What’s the catch? As your body muscles gang up against the forces of gravity, you burn the excess belly fats while tightening your core.
If you don’t feel comfortable, you can bend the knees to the floor instead of supporting your weight with toes. As you scale up the ladder, you’ll get used to tightening the upper body and the butts as well as holding your breath for 30+ seconds while contracting the muscles.
Kegels
Kegels, aka pelvic floor exercises contract and relax the muscles that support the pelvic organs. They help strengthen such organs as the uterus, bladder, small intestines, and rectum.
Doing these core exercises is pretty simple; squeeze, relax, repeat, and that’s all.
At the preliminary stages, it’s easier to exercise while lying down. But as you progress, you want to challenge yourself by exercising while sitting or standing. The best way to do Kegels, especially when starting, is squeezing the pelvic floor muscles for around 10 seconds then releasing for the same period.
Repeating this process at least ten times in a row will guarantee excellent outcomes, but don’t force yourself if you find it unmanageable. It’s ok to start with baby steps and slowly but gradually move up the ladder.
Walking
You may despise walking as part of post-delivery exercising. And that’s where you go wrong. Indeed, walking is not so intense like other exercises, but guess what: it’s very important. Think of it as a preparation to the real fitness routine.
Bringing your baby with you in a stroller will give you an extra push and motivation. You can also stop to do a few squats just to strengthen your muscles and prepare them for the real exercises.
Other modifications that you can embrace as you challenge yourself are walking in a spiral and backward direction. Also, there’s no harm in performing light cardio exercises like joggings and rope jumps.
Bridges
Bridges are one of the best natural remedy exercises for lower back pain. They mainly concentrate on strengthening and stabilizing lower back, glutes, and abdominal muscles. They also stabilize the core and spinal areas.
You can perform bridges by lying on your back with both hands flat, bent knees, and feet grounded to the floor. Squeezing your muscles, push up your hips so that the rest of the body makes a single line from the shoulders to the knees. Stay put for 20-30 seconds before pushing down. Once you’ve cracked it, repeat the process at least ten times.
Cat/Cows
Flexing and relaxing the spine can never be more interesting if you embrace these core and back exercises. Performing these stretches enables you to alleviate back pain, increase blood circulation, and achieve a therapeutic relaxation.
Are you ready to play cat-cow game? Get both the hands and legs to the floor, keeping the black flat while facing the floor. Remember to keep the wrists directly beneath the shoulders and the knees below the hips.
Take a deep inhale, and on the exhale, lift your spine upwards. That’s called a cat position, and you should maintain it for around two seconds. After that, inhale again and simultaneously raise your head and tailbone. The belly will push down automatically. That’s the cow position. Continue for at least 60 seconds.
We encourage new mamas to prioritize these bodyweight exercises because it’s the only shortcut to stabilizing immunity, boosting mood, reducing stress, strengthening full body muscles, and more. Have you done postpartum exercises before? What was your experience, and how long did it take to regain your original physique? We’d love to know your thoughts.
Author’s Bio: Betti Wilson is a freelance author, but, what’s more important, what she is really devoted to, is her children. In her articles, she shares her own experience and writes about parenthood, lifestyle, family challenges and how to deal with them without losing a positive attitude.
