Although it has felt weird to not be exercising regularly I haven’t been all that bothered. There has been the odd day where I have felt very lazy and not enjoyed not fitting in my jeans – but then I look at my baby boy and any of those feelings just disappear!
But now I have hit the 6-week post birth point I am going to slowly start getting fit again. So after a little bit of research, I have found out that the following exercises are best to get you back into fitness and exercising.
Walking
As with prenatal walking is a great form of exercise for postnatal mummas. It is great because it is a very gentle workout for the full body, also it is a great opportunity to get out of the house and get some fresh air for both you a baby! I love to put Ezra in the wrap for our daily walks – I guess you could say this gives me a little bit of a weighted walk!
Swimming
Swimming is amazing because it works your lungs, heart and most of your muscles without being too hard on them.
I would make sure you wait to get in the pool until any postnatal bleeding has stopped and any stitches you had have healed.
Yoga
Yoga not only is a great way to exercise post-baby but it helps to relax your body and prevent any aches and pains that come with picking up and holding your baby. Breastfeeding can cause all sorts of backache!
Yoga is really good for building strength within your core muscles and can be really helpful for boosting energy and putting you in a great mindset.
I love it when you see yoga mums flowing with their babies on the mats with them! I can’t wait to get doing that with Ezra – I’m not sure I trust my arms and core to keep me up just yet!
If you aren’t brave enough to leave the house and go to a class yet, there are a tonne of videos on YouTube that you can follow along. I have a playlist on my YouTube channel if you want to take a look!
Pilates
A lot like yoga, Pilates helps you build up strength that might have been lost during pregnancy without causing too much pain! Again there are a lot of classes out there for you to go to but if you are not up for it yet, head to YouTube!
Bodyweight Exercises
Gentle weight training is really beneficial alongside any of the exercises above, it will help to strengthen muscles allowing you to make the most out of each workout.
Bodyweight exercises are so good as you can do them in the comfort of your own home and you can pick and mix the moves you want to do. Also, you can build up the reps to suit your strength and fitness over the weeks.
My favorite move at the moment is squats with Ezra in my arms, but at the rate he is growing I am not sure I will be able to do it for much longer! 😂
Please make sure you get the go-ahead from your doctors before you start exercising again and listen to your body. There is no rush to get your fitness or body back – You and your baby are the priority!
Have you started your fitness journey again or just about to? Comment below with what you plan on doing!
