Pregnancy and childbirth do not have to mean an end to your
figure. By doing post-natal exercises you can return to your old shape in no
time at all.
After the birth of a baby, it is all too easy for the new
mother to forget that she too is a person with her own needs – so taken up is
she with caring for the child. One important aspect of these needs is to
maintain care of her own body. A regular routine of post-natal exercises will
help achieve this.
Post-natal are valuable in a number of ways. They can
strengthen the muscles stretched and altered by pregnancy and childbirth; help
restore her former figure more quickly, giving her greater confidence in her
appearance; and promote the physical fitness which is so essential during the
arduous period of caring for a new-born infant. Moreover, setting time aside
for herself is psychologically important, and so the exercises may be useful in
combating the worst of post-natal depression.
The Exercises
The first types of exercise to concentrate on are those that
restore the abdominal muscles to their original state. To tighten these
muscles, lie on your back, a pillow beneath your head, with knees raised. Place
hands on stomach, tighten muscles, relax, and repeat five times, without moving
your chest. Then, to close separated abdominal muscles, place one hand over the
other on your stomach, hold the muscles down, pushing down with your hands, and
lift your head and shoulders off the pillow, trying to sit up. Repeat five
times.
For general circulation and leg strengthening, lie on your
back with your legs straight. First, move your feet vertically up and down five
times, keeping knees straight. Then move the feet around in circles, first
together and then separately, five times each. Follow by tightening the
kneecaps and tensing the leg muscles. Finally, with ankles crossed, press your
thighs together and at the same time tense your internal muscles.
Kneeling exercise help to restore general muscle tone and
relax tension. Start by kneeling with
hands flat on the floor and arching your back, keeping stomach muscles tight.
Then hollow the back inwards, and move head and hips to the right; relax, then
move head and hips to the left. Repeat five times.
Stretching exercises assist in toning up the whole body as
well as firming up the areas affected by childbearing. Lie on your back, a
pillow under your head and tighten your stomach muscles; stretch arms down to
each side alternately as if trying to grasp your ankles. Then lying on your
side, tighten stomach muscles and stretch the top arm and top leg out so that
the body forms one long line; relax and repeat for the other side. Each
stretching exercise should be done five times.
If at any time while you are performing the exercises you
experience any pain or strain, stop immediately, and give the routine a rest
for a day or two. If the pain persists, you should consult your doctor or
midwife. These exercises may not be suitable if there is extensive scarring
after the birth, of if you have had a Caesarean section. In any case, it is
wise to tell your doctor or midwife that you are doing post-natal exercises so
that they can advises you which exercises are more suitable to your needs, and
how you can safeguard against over-straining.
