How to Get Back in Shape After Having a Baby

Video Transcript

"Now, that you've had that precious baby, the question is, how are you going to get back into shape? Hi everyone, I'm Carol Ann, with Studio Group X, and I'm going to talk about how you can get back into shape after having a baby. Well, the first thing that you want to think about, is you were pregnant for about ten months, so you're ten months into the pregnancy, and think of it being ten months out of your pregnancy, so give yourself plenty of time. Just relax mentally. You will get there soon enough. You also want to make sure that you have been released by your doctor, to get back into a regimented exercise program, so if you've had a vaginal birth, it will take you about four to six weeks, before your doctor will release you. If you've had a C-section, it will take you about six to eight weeks, to be released by your doctor. Next, you can do light movement, days after you've given birth. Just light walking or maybe some nice stretching, that you can do head to toe, so you can do some light movement, days after. Next, you want to resume your pre-pregnancy program gradually. Try not to over do it. Don't over exert yourself. Now, to start a program, start off with three days a week, doing some cardio exercises, some walking, swimming, biking. You can even incorporate some push-ups in there, for your upper body, and again, make sure you're stretching on a regular basis, and I know that a big concern for a lot of us, after we've given birth, are those abdominal muscles, so if you want to incorporate some abdominal exercises, first you need to do a little test. During pregnancy, your abdominal muscles, or your abdominal wall, tends to split right in the middle. It stretches, so after pregnancy, you may have some time before those abdominals come in back together, so how you can test to see if you're ready to do traditional abdominal exercises, is you want to lie down on the floor. Place your fingertips right above your belly button. Then, you want to lift your shoulders up off the floor, and then if this separation right here on your abdominal area, is bigger than two to three fingers, then you're not quite yet ready, to do traditional abdominal crunches, so if that's the case, some pelvic tilts would be nice to do, and some leg slides, and just some really easy abdominal curls. Then, after your wall comes back together again, about one to two fingers in separation, then you can go back to some traditional abdominal exercises, so I hope that has helped you, and given you some information about how to get back into shape, after having a baby, and I'm Carol Ann, with Studio Group X, and good luck to you out there."