How to get back in shape after child birth
After Your Child is born, your body will naturally lose some of the pregnancy weight. But there are things you can do to help the process along too.
During pregnancy, it is normal for mothers to gain around 10 – 15 kg of weight. And once giving birth, you will likely lose around 5 kg immediately and continue to do so by a slight amount in the first week of postpartum. Hence, whether you will lose the remaining weight gained before childbirth will be lost depends on your diet and lifestyle. We’ll be looking at efficient ways to get back in shape after delivery.
Breastfeeding
Breastfeeding Your Child can help burn as much as 595 calories per day. So if you are careful about your calorie intake, you can get back to your former shape by as early as the end of the second month.
Control your diet
Your diet is very important because you will need a lot of energy to take care of Your Child. Breastfeeding mothers, especially, need a nutrient-rich diet to provide healthy breast milk. So don’t get yourself worried about losing weight at the early stage of postpartum, and stay mindful of the following diet choices:
- Sufficient nutrition: Make sure you are fueling yourself with 5 basic food groups. If you are breastfeeding, you should consume 1,800 – 2,000 calories per day.
- Avoid too much fat: Choose to eat nuts, beans, or meat without fat, to get a proficient level of protein, and stay full longer.
- Avoid unhealthy food: Try not to eat highly processed food or meals that are high in saturated fat.
- Healthy snacks: Carry around snacks made of cereals, fruits, or low-fat dairy products if you get hungry.
- Drink lots of water!
Exercise
Exercising may be hard for many first-time mothers who are busy caring for their newborns. However, the later you start, the more excess weight you’ll hold. Walking is easy and strengthens the abdomen while constricting the uterus back to its original size. You can start this exercise whenever feeling ready after delivery, including both natural childbirth and cesarean section. It usually takes at least 6 weeks for a mother’s body to recover after giving birth. During that time, you can also choose low-frequency and low-intensity workouts, switching between cardiovascular and weight exercises. For natural birth, after your stitches have healed, you can start Kegel or other pelvic muscles exercises suggested by a physician.
Give yourself enough rest
Adequate sleep increases the efficiency of your metabolism, which is important for converting fat into energy. So whenever Your Child sleeps, use that opportunity to rest as well, so you have enough energy to both take care of the little one and exercising.
However, mothers should carefully judge the need to quickly get back in shape immediately after delivering a child. Unless certain obligations require you, feel free from the pressure to lose weight and overwhelm yourself with a strenuous workout regimen. Rather, relax, and take your time to build a consistent routine. Your mental health is important to both you and Your Child.
