It is very tempting to lie down on the couch with your baby. But if you want more energy and your old weight back, something has to happen and that is exercise!

The days after your pregnancy

The days fly by as soon as the baby arrives. You are happy when you have cleared the breakfast table at the end of the afternoon. And then you also have to exercise, because exercise is certainly good at the moment. How do other mothers do that? Women who remain active during pregnancy can easily resume their active lifestyle; after all, it is still in their system. This means they get back into shape much faster than women who ‘just do nothing’ during their pregnancy.

Tense and relax

There is no real exercise if you have just given birth, but you can start with the first pelvic floor exercises during the maternity period. It is useful if you become aware of your pelvic floor muscles during your pregnancy. Try to get a good feel for where they are. Then it will be easier to find and train them again after giving birth. After giving birth you can start with simple exercises for your pelvic floor muscles. You do not have to do difficult variations during your maternity period, but just train calmly: tense and relax. An example of a simple exercise for the pelvic floor muscles is to tighten the pelvic floor for three seconds and then gently release it completely, feeling that everything is relaxing. Many women tend to hold their stomach in and therefore automatically tense their pelvic floor muscles, but let it all go! You don’t train your abdominal muscles with it. To get a tight stomach you will soon have to do abdominal exercises, but not during the maternity period.

Active together

You can of course exercise alone, but it is extremely motivating to work out with other young mothers. If you have followed a pregnancy program at a home care organization, sports or yoga school, you can participate in a postpartum program, but there are more options.

In bed

Just stay in bed for the first week, as recovery takes place in your body in the first week. Many women quickly feel fit and want too much. Let others take care of you for a while. If you manage to take it easy for the first week, you will have much more energy afterwards and you will also recover much faster. If you have just given birth, you still have to be careful when lifting and carrying. Preferably do this as little as possible, especially if you have had a caesarean section. For better lifting and carrying, you can train your buttocks and thigh muscles during pregnancy, so that they can take over the work of your abdominal muscles. These will be counted out after you give birth! It is good to lift with attention; so don’t quickly grab your baby from the playpen from your back. It is better to bend on your knees and lift from your thigh muscles. Furthermore, try not to carry your baby too much on one side, but rather on your stomach. If you have pelvic complaints, lift and carry as little as possible.

Outside air

After the maternity period you can start exercising slowly. Simply walking with your baby in the stroller works very well. By walking a little further, your body already stretches. It is also nice to be in the outdoors. It gives you energy. Especially in winter, when you spend a lot of time indoors, it is wonderful to breathe in the fresh air, for example in the forest, the dunes or the city park. After about six weeks (eight weeks for a caesarean section) you can start exercising for your abdomen, buttocks and legs. Choose a fixed time, for example when your baby is sleeping or when your partner is at home. You can also build exercise moments into your daily rhythm: for example, put on a quiet CD before bathing and dance around the room with your baby close to you.

Workout

You know it’s good for you and of course you want your old body back, but where do you get the motivation? Training with other mothers is enormously stimulating. There are very nice initiatives you can participate in, such as workouts, with or without your baby, in the open air. In a group you see that you are not alone and you can also exchange some experiences in between. Moreover, a group acts as a stick behind the door; Everyone is there every week, so you don’t stay home when the rest of the group is stretching in the park, do you? Once you’re active, you feel so much better. You become stronger physically, but also mentally: you can endure more, broken nights for example! People who are active often automatically pay more attention to healthy eating. And that makes you feel better again.

Energy

The first months with your baby are busy, but once you go back to work it only gets busier. Your maternity leave is therefore the time to become active; then you won’t know any different. It’s also good to make time for yourself. You can recharge yourself by exercising and going outside. It is also good to become active in the case of pelvic complaints; an instructor or therapist can modify the exercises as needed. When you go back to work, exercise is mainly a matter of persevering. Think about what you want to work towards: do you want to increase your energy level or get your old body back? Keep that goal in mind if you are in danger of losing your motivation. For motivation you can also continue exercising with other mothers; then you can support each other. And it is also very fun!

Mom&Baby yoga

Yoga with your baby is double the pleasure. You will get back into shape and your baby will participate in class in a playful way. How will you sleep afterwards! Ask a yoga school if they offer mom & baby classes.