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Gentle Postpartum Fitness
You Can Start Right Away By Kelly Burgess
I went to see my neighbor's 1-month-old baby recently and was amazed at how terrific the new mom looked. Except for the fact that she couldn't quite get the top button of her jeans fastened, she looked almost as if she'd never been pregnant.
When I asked her how she'd managed to "shrink" so fast, she said she thought it might have something to do with the fact that she worked out so faithfully before and during her pregnancy. And, she added, she was very much looking forward to starting her workouts again as soon as her doctor gave her clearance.
What my neighbor didn't realize is that there are a few exercises that she could have started as soon as the day after she gave birth. Perhaps they aren't exercises in the strictest sense of the word, but they will start the initial process of tightening up a few important muscles. After that, with a doctor's "OK," a fit, knowledgeable new mother can often start exercising earlier than she realizes.
"It's important for new mothers to realize that most of the physiological changes will persist for four-to-six-week period, though some experts (myself included) agree that the body does not return to a 'normal' pre-pregnancy state of the muscles, tendons and joints for at least nine months," says De Simone.
So, while you may not want to jump right back into your weight routine, here are a few gentle exercises De Simone recommends that can be started well before that traditional four to six week period:
