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Tuesday
Jul102012

Exercise After Baby! - GUEST BLOG by Katie Moore

I am pleased to welcome a Guest Blogger today on The Rebel Housewife Blog! Katie Moore is a talented writer, new Mommy and emerging blogger. I am so happy to have her on RebelHousewife.com -- Enjoy!

Exercise Guidelines for the Post-Partum Period

by RebelHousewife.com Guest Blogger, Katie Moore

After the initial fatigue of childbirth recovery wears off, many new mothers are excited at the idea of getting back into an exercise routine. Often, mothers with uncomplicated deliveries experience a surge of energy about three or four weeks after their babies' births. For the first time in months, they are not experiencing heartburn, backache and overwhelming fatigue, and the idea of working up a good sweat sounds like fun. I was a mom who exercised before pregnancy and couldn’t wait to get back to feeling fit and back to my pre-pregnancy size.

Exercise in the post-partum period does have some benefits. Performing light physical activity can decrease post-partum depression and curb the appetite for sweets and junk food. Exercise can help your body stay flexible so that you can avoid pulled muscles when you get back to your normal fitness routine.

Most doctors tell new moms to take it easy during the post-partum period. After all, childbirth is extremely hard on a woman's body, and it takes time for the body to heal. It is important to speak to your doctor about your post-partum health and exercise routines. My doctor was so helpful to me during my planning time for delivery, informing me of options like pain management, cord blood banking, and breastfeeding, and continued to be the best source for information about my post-partum habits and health.

Generally, if you had an uncomplicated delivery, there is no reason that you cannot do some light exercise, like stretching and walking, even before you visit your doctor for your six-week check-up.

Most importantly, you should pay close attention to how your body feels during exercise. If at any time you feel light-headed or weak, you should stop immediately. Additionally, exercise should not cause your bleeding to increase or turn bright red. If it does, you have done too much and should take a break for a day or two. A big surprise to me was how tired I would feel after about 10-15 minutes of exercise; its important to give into the feeling of fatigue, rest, and then come back to exercise later. Breaking up my workout routine helped me get in a least 30 minutes a day.

You will want to stick to gentle, low-impact exercises for the first few weeks after childbirth. Walking short distances at a moderate speed is fine. Yoga, my favorite workout, and stretching are also good for the post-partum period. Jogging, high-intensity aerobics and kickboxing will need to wait until the doctor tells you that it is okay.

If you were very physically active before you got pregnant, you may be frustrated in the body changes that pregnancy brought to you—I certainly was! You probably will have lost some flexibility and endurance and gained some weight. You need to remember that you can get back to where you were physically once again. However, this process will take a little time. You should be patient as you work your way back into your fitness regimen. If you try to rush the process, you will simply injure yourself and increase the amount of time that it will take to recover from your pregnancy. For me, it was constantly reminding myself that if I got hurt, I couldn’t take care of my daughter to the best of my ability. Remember that rest and recovery are important first steps before exercise and weight loss.

Caring for an infant around the clock takes more energy from a new mother than many might think. Being unable to sleep for more than three or four hours at a time can sap a new mom's energy. If you do not feel like exercising for a few weeks after childbirth, that is perfectly fine. You should not feel that you should push yourself to workout if it is all you can do to feed and change the baby. Exercise can wait until your baby sleeps a little longer at one stretch.

The highest priorities for a new mother in the post-partum period should be caring for the baby and rest. If you feel like you have the energy to exercise after taking care of those priorities, then you can safely begin some gentle exercise.

Katie Moore has written and submitted this article. Katie is an active blogger who discusses the topics of, motherhood, children, fitness, health and all other things Mommy. She enjoys writing, blogging, and meeting new people! To connect with Katie contact her via her blog, Moore From Katie or her twitter, @moorekm26.

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