Tips to Get Your Figure Back After Childbirth
A woman’s body changes a lot during pregnancy. However, with a good diet and exercise plan, getting your figure back is easier than you might think.
It’s very common for women to want to immediately create an exercise routine and strict diet after giving birth. They’re eager to get their figure back right away! However, this isn’t an obligation, and no one should demand it. You need to understand that motherhood drastically changes a woman’s body. You won’t immediately recover.
If the mother is in good health, she shouldn’t be pressured to get her figure back. This needs to be a personal decision to feel good about herself, and nothing more than that.
Not all women look or feel bad with a few extra pounds. Many women actually love their stretch marks, since they symbolize their motherhood. There are also ladies who only feel good if they have a flat stomach, toned legs and a slim figure.
You can recover your figure after childbirth with a good diet and daily exercise routine. It’s not an impossible task. You just need perseverance and conviction.
Remember that you won’t see changes overnight. It’s a long process, and it takes time to get good results.
Before starting this mission, it’s important to visit a specialist to monitor your progress. He or she will help you design a plan, tell you how much food you need, and create your exercise routine.
Tips to get your figure back after childbirth
Some medical specialists recommend starting to recover your figure 4 months after giving birth. By that time your organs are back to their normal place. Your hormones are a little more stabilized and your metabolism starts to accelerate.
By then, the mother will have also adapted to the baby’s routine. This way, you can organize and start an exercise routine and other habits, like these:
No negative thoughts
It’s important to take on this challenge with positive thoughts. You’ll need to be encouraging to yourself and rely on your loved ones. Negativity gets in the way of reaching your goals. The mind always dominates the body. Therefore, you need to embark on every challenge with the best possible attitude.
Have an active pregnancy
For 9 months, it’s a good idea to keep moving constantly. This includes walking, doing yoga, aerobics and lifting weights. Then, after giving birth, your body will be used to a routine and it’ll be easier to resume it after childbirth.
Lactation
Breastfeeding actually causes the mother to burn a lot of calories, and this helps with weight loss. A lot of the accumulated milk will come out naturally. Thanks to this, you’ll lose some pounds in a few weeks.
Exercises
Exercising, in addition to being very healthy, prevents blood clots from forming due to inactivity. Keep in mind that, if you had a vaginal delivery, these should start two days after giving birth.
Of course, you should do simple exercises like shaking your feet, bending your ankles, turning your body from one side to the other, and pushing light objects with your feet.
On the other hand, you can do abdominal workouts after 4 weeks. These help contract your uterus so it will return to its normal size. From there, you can make the routine more intense, as long as your body can handle it, and you don’t neglect caring for your baby.
“You can recover your figure after childbirth with a good diet and daily exercise routine.”
Good nutrition
It’s necessary to have a balanced diet that includes vegetables, fruits, grains, minerals, vitamins, and low-calorie foods. All of this will help you regain the energy you need to exercise. In addition, this will improve your skin, stretch marks and immune system.
Avoid saturated fats and foods with lots of sugar. Also, cook your meat, steam your vegetables, and avoid frying.
Postpartum girdles
These belts are a good option to get your figure back after delivery. You should learn when and how to use them.
If you had a caesarean section, you can use a girdle after 8 weeks. It will help protect your skin while you lose weight through diet and exercise.
Sleep on your stomach
Actually, this sleep position will help your stomach gradually flatten. It will also relax your back and legs. This helps with your posture and overall makes you feel more relaxed.
Drinking water
Your body needs to regain stability. Hydration is very important for that. Remember, you’re 70% water. Water helps you eliminate toxins and accelerate your metabolism, so you can quickly burn accumulated fats in your body.
Patience and perseverance
It’s a long journey. Your abdominals are the most demanding and slowest to show results. You have to keep your spirits up, be constant, and be patient. You’ll reach your goals before you know it.
If you’re desperate to recover your figure and it takes longer than you expected, you could suffer from postpartum depression.
Give your body the time it needs, love yourself as you are, and set attainable goals with reasonable times. This way, you’ll surely succeed. Stay motivated until you reach the goal you set for yourself.
All cited sources were thoroughly reviewed by our team to ensure their quality, reliability, currency, and validity. The bibliography of this article was considered reliable and of academic or scientific accuracy.
- Ortega FB, Lavie CJ, Blair SN. Obesity and Cardiovascular Disease. Circ Res. 2016 May 27;118(11):1752-70.
- Swift DL, McGee JE, Earnest CP, Carlisle E, Nygard M, Johannsen NM. The Effects of Exercise and Physical Activity on Weight Loss and Maintenance. Prog Cardiovasc Dis. 2018 Jul-Aug;61(2):206-213.