Change the baby, feed the baby, put him/her in the bouncer, do the dishes, put the baby to sleep, then do the laundry. Now you lay down to take a quick nap and as soon as your head hits the pillow, your baby starts crying.
We all know this schedule too well. So where is the time for yourself? At least for the first six weeks, you have absolutely no time to yourself. Your child is your top priority. Even when you try to do something for yourself, you end up doing something for your child.
Being a new mom is hard and we understand. Once your baby is around two months old, doctor permitting, you are able to work out again. However, going straight back into whatever you were doing before you were pregnant is not always easy or beneficial.
Losing weight after pregnancy is not easy and it is important you ease your body back into things. Below we’ve listed some great workouts you can use to help get back into shape after giving birth to help with slimming down that mom pouch.
- Hip Raises: Lie on your back with your knees bent and feet on the ground. Lift your pelvis up toward the ceiling and hold it for two seconds when your back is in a straight line with your legs. Do three sets of ten. If using weight, place the weight directly above the hipbones. Ten pounds is the maximum weight you should use.
- Heel Taps: Lie on your back with your feet at a 90-degree angle. Tighten your core and lower one heel down to the floor very slowly while exhaling. While inhaling, bring your leg up to the other one at a 90-degree angle. Do three sets of ten.Bonus: Try heel taps with your toddler sitting on you!
- Traditional Squat: Make sure your spine is straight, toes forward, pelvic is tilted, then lower down. When going down, your butt should remain above knee level and your weight should go on your heels, not your toes. Do three sets of ten.
- Lunges: We cannot forget about lunges. There are two types that are beneficial, the front and side lunges. First, the front lunge. Standing tall, with your feet shoulder-width apart, lunge forward with one leg. Be sure to keep the front leg at a 90-degree angle and the back leg slightly bent. Also, keeping your back straight is key. Do three sets of ten.
- The side lunges are similar, but you lunge to the side and go into a squat position. It is easier to alternate legs so the ninth and tenth lunges are not poorly done because your leg is tired, but either way is fine. Do three sets of ten.
Always check with your doctor before doing exercises when first getting back into it. Once you get the okay from her, you can start doing these exercises. There are other exercises to do, but these focus on your core in the right way. If you learn nothing else from this post, leave here knowing that crunches are BAD for you after giving birth. They cause your stomach to bulge, not contract. Doing a thirty-day abdominal challenge might sound perfect, but in reality it hurts you rather than helping you.
While taking care of your baby is your number one priority, whether you know it or not, taking care of yourself is important as well. It is okay to replace doing the laundry or dishes while your baby is sleeping to do these exercises. However, telling yourself to put off doing chores is sometimes hard to do. Then getting in shape is even harder to do, but mom’s have done it before and will continue to. Take charge of your health, you can do it!
Love,
