Postpartum Exercise - How And When To Start Exercising After Pregnancy

ByGordon Freeman

Exercise might be the last thing that comes to your mind after giving birth. Your schedule may be jam packed due to the demands of being a new mom. You have to move between caring for the baby, eating healthy and at the same time take ample amount of rest in order to recover faster. But at the same time when you look in the mirror, you tend to shy away.

The excess amount of weight gain during pregnancy does not shed immediately after giving birth. It may take a long time and depends on numerous factors. The weight loss after pregnancy is a slow process and demands a lot of patience.

If you did exercise during pregnancy, you will have a faster weight loss. Apart from this factors like nutrition and exercise also tend to play their part.

Postpartum exercises area the exercises that are meant to assist the body in recovery after giving birth and also to get back in shape.

WHEN TO START POSTPARTUM EXERCISES:

A general opinion is to start exercising after 6 weeks in case of a normal delivery. In case of a C section this period may be around 8 weeks. Some people are of the opinion that low-impact exercises can be started as and when you feel like it.

But before you choose to do any kind of postpartum exercise, it is always a good idea to ask a doctor. The recovery period after giving birth may vary from individual to individual. So do not follow others. Instead understand the needs of your own body and start exercising accordingly.

EXERCISING AND BREASTFEEDING:

Most new mothers are concerned about exercising because they feel it may have an effect on their nursing ability. But it is not so. In fact it has been found that exercising does not have any effect on you milk quantity or quality.

But keep in mind that if you do heavy exercises after pregnancy, it may lead to the accumulation of lactic acid in your milk. This may make your milk sour in taste.

HOW TO START:

After you have rested enough and it seems comfortable to start exercising, you must start with low impact exercises like walking. When it feels comfortable you may as well shift to jogging.

Another beneficial postpartum exercise is yoga or Pilates. Yoga is pretty easy on your body and helps you regain your flexibility.

There are many programs that are offered for new moms at the gym or fitness center. This may prove to be an opportunity to meet new moms.

There are many exercises which allow you to workout with your baby. This is a great way to get in shape and at the same time share your immense love for your newborn.

One thing that you must keep in mind always is never to over exert yourself. It is always a good idea to take the help of a fitness professional for your workout plan. But at the same time your body will give you signals on when you should slow down.

If during a workout, you feel dizzy or out of breath, then stop immediately and take rest. Remember that you can always exercise later. With so much already on your plate, it is a bad idea if you hamper your recovery by extreme exertion.

It is also important that you take ample amount of rest and eat a well-balanced nutritious diet. Exercising alone will not give you the results you may be looking for.

Exercising is a great way to get your old self back and keep off postpartum depression. Make a plan and then stick to it till you see the results.

Support of the people around you also plays a very important role in your journey as a new mom. If your family is supportive, it will be very easy to stay dedicated and achieve your fitness goals. Exercising with your family may prove to be a great way to increase the love and get fit together.

Weight loss after pregnancy will sometime test your patience and diligence. So be prepared for it. Also keep in mind that pregnancy may have altered your body permanently to some extent. So love yourself as who you are and enjoy the precious gift of life that has been given to you.

Learn some interesting information about postpartum exercise.
Also learn about some interesting exercises for post pregnancy workout.

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Weight Loss After Pregnancy - 3 Dangerous Post-Pregnancy Weight Loss Mistakes (Is This You?)

When attempting to lose weight after a pregnancy, there are 3 dangerous mistakes most every woman makes in her quest to regain that pre-pregnancy body. Here are 3 of the biggest post-pregnancy weight loss mistakes and what to do instead.
Post-Pregnancy Weight Loss Mistake #1
Attempting to Begin an Exercise Routine too Soon After Giving Birth
Many women are so anxious to get their pre-baby bodies back, they sadly neglect their health. Please, under no circumstance should you participate in any strenuous exercise within 1.5 months of delivery.
What to Do Instead - When you feel up to it, you should begin light physical activity.
The trick is to incorporate this type of mild exercise into your daily routine. This is a great way to begin easing yourself into a more aggressive workout routine.
Post-Pregnancy Weight Loss Mistake #2
Expecting Results too Soon and Feeling Bad About Little to No Results
If you read the latest gossip column, you might mistakenly believe that every new mom has the ability to jump off of the table in the delivery room and right into some spandex shorts to begin her aerobic exercises. The assumption is that if this "media darling" can shed 60 pounds in the 9 weeks, you can do the same and when you don't achieve the same results, you feel depressed.
What to Do Instead - Cut yourself some slack.
When you are tempted to beat yourself up about how little weight you are losing, in comparison to some overrated actress, just remember that it took nine months to get your body into the shape it is in now. Isn't it okay if it takes more than 9 weeks to regain your pre-baby body?
Post-Pregnancy Weight Loss Mistake #3
Failure to Seek Out the Latest and Most Effective Weight Loss Advice
Most women rely on what they think they know about losing weight and sadly never reach their goals. Have you ever wondered by your favorite celebrity can shed all the weight they gained during pregnancy plus an extra 5 pounds?
The answer is simple; they have the latest tips, tricks and shortcuts to eating and exercising from their chefs and personal trainers.

What to Do Instead - Stop trying to follow last year's advice on how to burn your baby fat.
Stay away from products and services that offer up over hyped promises of instant weight loss. Instead, find a trusted source of information and gobble up any product or service they offer that will bring you one step close to a slimmer trimmer new you.
Ready to learn more about how to get the most from your weight loss efforts? So let's get started, why don't we?
There is a Free eBook I created on how to burn fat fast, waiting for you over on my blog at

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Simply follow the instructions on that page to grab your copy of this cutting edge eBook and get going in the right direction before your head hits the pillow tonight!

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How to Lose Weight After Pregnancy - 7 Simple Tips for Losing Baby Weight

49-year-old male with weight loss, diarrhea, and endoscopically normal mucosa. Trichrom. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
Do you know how easy it is to get the post-pregnancy weight loss results you are looking for without all of the headaches of traditional dieting? You will after you discover these 7 tips to burn through your baby fat. At the end, you will also find a bonus tip that is guaranteed to dramatically increase your ability to achieve lasting results.
Tip # 1 - Forget About the Traditional Diet
Your emotions are so high after becoming a new mom, the last thing you need is to feel deprived. This time can be stressful enough without adding to it the pressures of dieting.
Tip # 2 - Adjust Your Goals
A realistic expectation is the best source for lasting weight loss. During pregnancy, your body undergoes permanent changes from your hormones to your hips and waistline. Expecting to fully return to a pre-baby body is somewhat unrealistic.
Tip # 3 - Recognize That Slow is the New Fast
When asked how much weight loss is safe, the experts agree that about a pound and a half a week is safe, practical and achievable.
Tip # 4 - Go Shopping
Who says trying to lose weight doesn't have its perks? As a busy mom you need sources of energy and nutrition that are healthy and delicious. Investing in a quality blender and fruit juicer for smoothies and homemade juice are an essential investment.
Tip #5 - Don't Give Up on Breastfeeding
Breastfeeding can be a challenge, especially if your newborn has a difficult time trying to latch onto your breast. If you continue trying and are successful, two good things come about.
First, breastfeeding gives you a reason to eat healthier because you know the statistics that show babies who were breastfed show well stronger immune systems and brain development. Second, having your son or daughter suck the calories right out of you is the next best thing to liposuction.
Tip # 6 - Avoid Skipping the Most Important Meal of the Day
Between late night feedings and diaper changes, maintaining a consistent schedule in the early days is difficult. Traditionally this means that as mothers, we try to grab a bite to eat where we can.
While this approach may seem unavoidable, it is best that you do it on a somewhat consistent basis starting with breakfast. Recent research has now shown that skipping breakfast can sabotage your weight loss efforts.
Tip # 7 - Get Some Much Needed Sleep
When doctors studied the sleeping habits of new mothers and compared them, they discovered that those women who slept 5 hours or less per night, were more likely to hold on to their baby weight than those who slept 7 hours.
In addition to the notion that tired moms look for easy way out in their eating and exercise routines because their energy levels are so low, researchers also discovered that when you are tired, your body releases a stress hormone known as cortisol which actually promotes weight gain.
Bonus Tip: The best way to get lose the weight and keep it off is to have ongoing access to the most up to date resources on health and fitness without the fluff that comes from most of what you see online these days.
And I have one of my most powerful free reports titled, "How To Lose Fat Fast" waiting for you over at
Click here to claim Your Free Instant Access right away, and then get started before your baby's next feeding.