New mothers: losing weight

It’s the month of May and on the fourteenth of this month, the country will be celebrating mothers of all ages.

But what about first-time parents who want to shed their baby weight and do it the right way? How soon is too soon to re-enter the gym, and what are some of the areas you should be concentrating on?

Here’s our condensed guide to getting back on track after giving birth.

Firstly, providing you feel up to it, it’s perfectly fine to go on short, relaxed walks as soon as you’re back from the hospital, provided you haven’t had a Caesarean that’s requiring you to take heavy painkillers.

From there? The NHS, the UK authority on healthcare, suggests waiting until after your 6-week postnatal check before heading back to the gym.

Bear in mind: Your back and abs will have lost some of their strength. Your joints will also be surprisingly supple, but be careful not to stretch too far or you’ll injure yourself. Finally, your bra size has likely changed, so get shopping for a new one.

Here are some good gym exercises for new mothers:

1. Walk and run. Whether you’re using the treadmill or hitting the open road, light cardio will help you start to burn off that post-baby weight.
2. Strengthen your core. Your stomach and back muscles are often weaker after childbirth, so incorporate light stomach work will help.
   1. Try lying on your side with your knees bent and letting your stomach relax while you breathe in and draw your lower stomach tight. Hold for a count of 10, squeezing your pelvis, then release and repeat 10 times.
3. Eat well. You want to be consuming plenty of fruit and vegetables and cutting out refined sugars. You might have the temptation to snack on chocolates, but let the natural sugar in fruit tide you over. Keep yourself feeling fuller longer with healthy proteins like nuts and treat yourself to lean meats in the evenings.
4. Look after your back. When you’re exercising, be aware that your back has taken strain for nine months. Try bend your knees, rather than bending your back, when you’re exercising.