The one advice everybody is sure to give pregnant women is what to eat and which food will help baby’s development and baby’s health. After pregnancy, there seems to be no one advising now, how to lose weight after pregnancy.
You for sure would like to get back in shape and not keep those extra kilos on your body for long. You have many doubts on when to start working out again and what are the ways to lose weight safely. This article is attempts to answers some of your doubts regarding pregnancy and weight loss.
Don’t start too early
Just a few days after you have delivered, you are thinking about wearing your gym shoes and getting back in shape. But experts believe that losing weight too soon is not recommended. As mother of a newborn you require lot of energy and it will be unfair both to you and your baby if you are starving yourself and stressing too much on exercises. It is advised that you don’ start exercises until 6 weeks after delivery.
You will lose some of it naturally
Out of the 7-16 kilos that you have put on during pregnancy, 5 kilos will include the amniotic fluid, the placenta, extra bodily fluids and the blood supply; another 3 kilos will be the baby’s weight so most of this weight is lost after delivery. So you lose almost half of this weight naturally during delivery.
Don’t Starve
Experts recommend that 1200-1800 calories intake if you are breastfeeding. So don’t starve. You need to eat nutritious food to provide your baby with nutritious milk. Your body will also require energy to come out of the physical scars of pregnancy and get back in the shape you were in. So don’t starve yourself and eat healthy food.
You should lose it gradually
When it took you around 9 months to put on weight, you should not expect yourself to lose all the weight gained during the initial few days of delivery. It will take you as much as time to lose weight as much it took you to gain it
Breastfeeding helps…
If you nurse your child, then rejoice, you are most likely to lose weight that way. It is said on an average you lose 500 calories every day by breastfeeding.
Avoid major exercises during the first 6 weeks because,
During pregnancy a hormone called as ‘relaxin’ is produced in the body, which helps in facilitating delivery but it also causes loosening of ligaments till at least few weeks after the pregnancy which makes it prone to injuries that is why you should avoid exercises in the first 6 weeks after delivery.
Food options
You should not really take measures to control you weight when you are nursing but the food choices that you make can determine how much fat you put on.
Some tricks that can help you are:
Keep away from junk food
Binge on fruits and vegetables that are high on fiber which keep you full for long and gives you nutrition.
Small meals are the way to go. They will keep your metabolism in place and help in digestion.
Now about the exercises,
Dieting after pregnancy is not recommended but you should be able to do mild exercises that will keep you fit and agile. But make sure you consult your doctor before you start any exercises especially if you had a complicated or a Caesarian section delivery.
Walking: One such exercise that will help you resume activity without being too stressful is walking. Warm up your body before starting. Move your arms in circular motion circle your ankles and move your toes upwards etc. Even with walking make sure you go slow and do not go overboard.
Start with routines of 10 minutes, three times a day and then increase it by 5 minutes till you reach a good walking routine. After reaching a good speed, again slow down and bring your heart rate down before stopping.
Swimming: If you were a regular swimmer before pregnancy, and are now wondering when to get back in water, 6 weeks post delivery is a good time to start. Swimming can make you lose 400-500 calories per hour and doesn’t put pressure on your muscles much. But remember to consult your doctor if you had a difficult delivery.
Some of the strokes which are especially good are front crawl, back stroke and side stroke. Breast stroke is useful in strengthening the upper body but take care and be gentle during the kicking movement as your leg tissue and muscles are still weak.
Abdominal breathing: Abdominal breathing helps you during pregnancy and the tense times during delivery, and it again comes to rescue after pregnancy. Deep breathing through the belly will help you strengthen your abdominal muscles and relax you.
-Start with sitting comfortably on the floor place your hands on your abdomen. Inhale and hold your breath till the count of 5. Exhale and hold it till the count of 5. Repeat it 3 times.
Kegel Exercise: This exercise is to get your pelvic muscles back in shape after the birth process. You can do these sitting, lying down or standing.
-All you have to do is, tighten your pelvic muscles as if you are stopping your stream of urine. You have to tighten them for five seconds a time, four to five times in a row. Start by doing 2-3 contractions at first and then stay longer and try more contractions each time.
Mommy and Baby exercises: Here are some of the exercises that you can do along with the baby. These will not only keep you fit but also give you time to bond with the baby.
One step forward and bend- Stand holding your baby near your chest and take a step forward. Bend the knee of the leg that you have moved forward. Now, return to your position. Repeat this exercise about 15 times. This exercise will strengthen your leg muscles.
With the stroller: You can take your baby with you on a stroller and take a brisk walk or use just the stroller to do squats and leg lifts.
Finally, start your exercise regime only when you feel you are up, physically, to deal with it. Also if you feel any of the symptoms like- excessive bleeding, pelvic or abdominal pain, extreme shortness of breath, exhaustion after even mild exercise, muscle soreness that does not go away within a day or 2 days, stop immediately and consult your doctor.
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