Most of us don’t have a personal trainer to help us lose the weight gained in pregnancy within days of giving birth. In fact, it takes many women a year to get back to their pre-pregnancy shape, so don’t fret about that baby bulge. But if you are looking to feel like your old self, here are some ways to do it.
Go to the swimming pool with your baby
Check with your midwife or health visitor, but it is usually okay to take your baby swimming once he has had his 12-week vaccinations and you have given yourself six weeks after the birth of your child. Although you’ll have your hands full and won’t be able to swim lengths yourself, you can still do a mini workout in the teaching pool with your baby in your arms. Take large strides and move as quickly as you can through the water from one end of the pool to the other. You’ll soon feel your heart rate quicken and it’s a great way to exercise your legs and abdominal muscles. Your little one should really enjoy it, too, but be sure to keep him close to you and in the water as he’ll soon get cold otherwise.
Walk it off
You’ll be surprised by the huge impact a brisk daily walk has on your shape and weight. Brisk walking is the ideal exercise because baby can come too. Get your technique right and you can definitely walk fit, walk firm – and walk off the weight. Buy a reliable pedometer so you can start counting up your daily steps, and make sure some of those steps are at your personal optimum walking pace (OWP). To find yours, establish your ‘break point’ walking pace: start walking and increase your pace every 30 seconds until you’re about to break into a jog. This is your break point. Ease back by about five to 10 per cent of that and you have your OWP.
You can notch up your daily steps during your baby’s everyday activities. Aim to walk for at least 30 minutes a day, with 10 minutes of that at your OWP. Keep a notebook by your bed and record your daily step count each night to help you stay motivated.
Pushy Mothers brings together mums and mums to be and gives them a fun way to work out with buggies. The exercises are designed by pregnancy and postnatal fitness professionals and are a safe and effective way to get into shape, as well as meet other mums in your local area. To find out more, visit www.pushymothers.com
Aquaerobics
If your partner or a family member can look after your baby for a couple of hours, an aquaerobics session at your local pool is a great way to get back into shape without putting too much pressure on your body. It can reduce those common parent aches and pains, such as backaches, and it’s also a good way to improve your posture and get a decent cardio workout. You can take it at your own pace and have fun while doing it.
FACT: The average woman gains about 10kg to 15kg (22lb to 33lb) during pregnancy* and many women are still trying to shake off those last 10lb (4.5kg) a year after the birth. If you have had more than one child, you face even more of a challenge, as most women carry weight from their last pregnancy – partly due to a dip in progesterone, a hormone that increases your metabolism.
* Source: www.nhs24.com
Swings and roundabouts
It may have been a long while since you went to a park, but having a baby is the perfect excuse to rediscover swings, slides and roundabouts! Your little one may not be old enough to enjoy them yet, but he’ll like to be rocked back and forth in your arms as you swing. Using the right muscles, going on the swings can give your legs a good workout. You and your partner can also take it in turns to push each other on the roundabout while one of you sits on it holding your baby. Go on, rediscover your inner kid!
Post-pregnancy yoga
This is one you can do with your baby and is adapted from classic yoga. Classes give you and your baby the opportunity to stretch, move and relax together. As well as helping you tone up, there are all sorts of benefits for babies, such as strengthening and development of the brain and nervous system. Baby yoga can also help with common baby problems such as sleeplessness, colic and digestive problems.
Pilates
You may have noticed that your posture isn’t what it once was before you had your baby. The weight of carrying your baby for nine months and then bending, lifting and perhaps carrying your baby in a carrier can all take its toll on your back and shoulders. Pilates is a really good way to improve your posture and at the same time improve your strength, flexibility and overall mobility. It can help you achieve a strong core, develop leaner muscles and feel generally good all over.
Healthy eating is essential
Of course, along with exercise, eating a healthy, balanced diet will help you lose the baby bulge. We’ve got some delicious recipes here created especially for breastfeeding mums.
Pre-plan
It may be the last thing on your mind as you clear the kitchen of baby debris, but try to plan your meals the night before, or even better, plan a week’s worth of healthy, tasty meals before you do your weekly shop. This will boost your energy, save time and keep you away from the biscuit tin.
Frontload your day
People who eat breakfast are often the most successful at losing weight. Breakfast eaters tend to consume fewer calories, less saturated fat and cholesterol and have better overall nutritional status than breakfast skippers. If you don’t have time to eat first thing, snack on a banana to keep you going, but do plan to eat again before 11am.
Good for baby, good for me
Try eating some baby purées. Try puréed squash on wholemeal toast with ham and avocado, or puréed fruit with natural yogurt and wholegrain cereal for fibre and nutrients.
For more advice on losing weight gained during pregnancy, take a look at Joanna Hall’s section on this site.
Do you have some top tips for losing pregnancy weight? If so, why not share them with other mums on our forum.
