Returning to fitness is not something you can rush. Here are eight ways to get your body back after having children...

1. Take it slowly
It’s natural for you to want to get your figure back straightaway – but remember, you’ve been pregnant for nine months and, realistically, you should give yourself at least that long to tone up your body again.

Some bodily changes, such as stretch marks, are permanent, though they will fade considerably. It is possible to tone up that sagging tummy and tighten your pelvic floor (the muscles that support your bladder, vagina, rectum and uterus). The key is to start gently, gradually building up the intensity and level of exercise. ‘For the first six weeks, use exercises suggested by your midwife or physiotherapist after the birth,’ says postnatal exercise teacher Meg Walker from Stroud, Gloucestershire.

2. Tone that pelvic floor
Your pelvic floor, a hammock-shaped set of muscles that runs from the vagina to the anus, will have been strained enormously during pregnancy and birth. Weakened pelvic floor muscles can lead to problems such as leakage of urine, so it’s in your best interests to tone them up again immediately. ‘It’s difficult to get motivated to do pelvic floor exercises, but they really will help – by promoting bloodflow to the area, which aids healing, and by tightening up all those over-stretched muscles,’ says Meg.

Exercises for the pelvic floor (see Quick pelvic floor workout, below) are small, controlled movements that can be done as soon as you feel able after the birth. But if you are worried or if it hurts when you do them, ask for your midwife’s advice.

Don’t be alarmed if you simply can’t feel your pelvic floor for a few days after the birth, as this is perfectly normal – but arrange to see your GP if you experience problems with urine leakage after doing these exercises for six weeks.

Quick pelvic floor workout

• Sit, stand or lie with your knees slightly apart and keep your breathing steady.
• Slowly tighten and pull up the muscles around your vagina and anus (as if you’re trying to stop peeing in mid-flow) as hard as you can – try to imagine a lift going up, floor by floor, as you do the exercise. Hold for five seconds, then relax. Repeat five times.
• Pull up these muscles and relax them quickly five times.
• Do these exercises at least 10 times a day, increasing the level and intensity as you tone up. Some women remember to do them by linking them to a regular daily activity, such as washing their hands.

3. Try to breastfeed
Breastfeeding your baby, even for the first few weeks, will help you get back into shape in two ways:

• It helps the uterus – which grew to around 20 times its normal size during pregnancy – shrink back more quickly after the birth.
• It uses up an extra 500 or so calories a day, so you may lose weight without trying!

4. Eat healthily
If you’re going to do some exercise, your body will need enough energy to cope. Try to eat a well-balanced, healthy
range of foods, choosing items from the following groups:

• Starchy foods, such as bread, pasta, rice and cereals.
• Milk and dairy products, such as cheese and yoghurt.
• Fruit and vegetables, including citrus fruits which contain vitamin C and iron-rich vegetables such as cabbage and spinach.
• Protein-rich foods, including meat, fish and pulses. Don’t go on a diet, as your body needs these essential nutrients and calories at this time, especially if you are breastfeeding.

5. Take care after a caesarean
A Caesarean is major abdominal surgery, so strenuous exercise soon after the birth is out of the question. Speak to the physiotherapist or to your midwife about postnatal exercises before you leave the hospital. Most experts recommend waiting at least until after your six-week postnatal check-up before attempting ‘formal’ exercise. It is vital that your scar has healed properly and even then you’ll have to start slowly, especially with abdominal and stretching exercises. ‘A lot depends on how you feel,’ says Meg, ‘but it does take time for those tissues to heal so take things slowly.’ Swimming may be a good form of exercise to start off with, as it’s a gentle, all-round workout and will support your body, rather than putting any strain on it.

6. Join a postnatal class
There are plenty of postnatal exercise videos that you can try at home, but perhaps the best way to get fit safely, under expert supervision, is to join an exercise class for postnatal mothers. ‘You’ll also meet other mums in the same boat which can be a tremendous advantage, especially if you don’t have friends with babies near you,’ says Meg.

If you can’t find a specific postnatal class near your home, you might like a low-impact class (without bouncing or jumping) and remember to tell the teacher you’ve just had a baby, so she can adjust your workout accordingly. To find a class in your area, ask your health visitor, ring a sports centre or visit the Guild of Postnatal Exercise Teachers’ website at www.postnatalexercise.co.uk.

7. Listen to your body
Your body has been through a lot during pregnancy and birth, and there may be unseen damage that could be worsened by over-exercise. Stop exercising and contact your GP for advice if you experience any of the following symptoms:

• Sudden pain – for example in your back, abdomen or joints.
• Heavy or unexpected vaginal bleeding.
• Dizziness or faintness.

8. Make exercise part of your daily routine
If you don’t want to join a class, sneak some exercise into your everyday routine. Push the pram or pushchair briskly for 20 minutes at a time so that your heart-rate increases and you feel slightly out of breath. Run upstairs every time you forget something – spare nappies, for example – and take the stairs rather than lifts when out shopping without the buggy. If you have older children, play some energetic games with them, joining in with all the running around!

---

Stress-free joints
No matter how eager you are to lose your baby fat, experts caution against any activities that put major stress on your joints – such as jogging, jumping, or running – for at least six to eight weeks. Why?

During pregnancy you produce a hormone called relaxin, which makes joints loose and more prone to injury, and you will still have significant amounts of this hormone in your blood for several weeks after childbirth.

Put too much stress on joints during this time and you could end up sidelined for months with a serious injury. Drink plenty of water while exercising, especially if you’re breastfeeding. Start slowly, don’t over-stretch (the pregnancy hormone relaxin will tend to make your ligaments soft) and wear a good sports bra for support.

---

‘It took me eight months to get back in shape’
Gym classes and the WeightWatchers diet led to Georgina Maric, 41, losing 6.4kg (1st) a year after giving birth to Max.
‘After Max I was the heaviest I’ve ever been. My legs, which used to be my best asset, had become thick and my belly hung down. I started doing body pump (weights) twice a week at my gym and one step class, (cardio) which nearly killled me, but I persevered. Once I went back to work I continued body pump and step and started body jam, too, which I now love. I’m in the best shape I’ve been for years.

---

---

Image: Getty