Few women manage to maintain a slim figure after pregnancy and childbirth. Someone gains less kilograms, someone more, but in most cases the figure “blurs” to one degree or another, and this does not bring joy to women.

Losing weight after childbirth is one of the favorite topics for women: women discuss this problem with friends and relatives, at work and at home, with neighbors and even with unfamiliar ladies – the desire to become slim and fit again unites everyone.

Take yourself seriously
Diets are considered the most common way to lose weight – choose any, but after childbirth, and even when breastfeeding, this method is categorically not suitable. The body has already withstood a lot of stress, and strong ones, and rebuilt its hormonal background in order to produce breast milk, so it is necessary to restore the shape gradually, and only by gentle methods. If you “get down to business” with great zeal, you can not only leave the child without milk, but also disrupt your metabolism, and then it will be very difficult to restore it, and it’s not a fact that it can be done at all. Therefore, in no case should you strive to “immediately lose weight after childbirth”, however, you should not wait until “the weight goes away by itself” either – fitness classes can help here.

When can a young mother start fitness after childbirth? Doctors often give evasive answers to this question, and they can be understood: there are no general recommendations for all women – each endures pregnancy and childbirth in different ways.

The easiest way is for those who worked out before pregnancy, and even during it, as well as for those who gave birth naturally and without any complications.

If, after the birth process, you had to put stitches, or a caesarean section was performed, it is better to first consult with your gynecologist – recovery is also different for everyone. The mental attitude is also important: the result will be much better if you do not lose patience even when the previous form returns very slowly.

Fitness after childbirth – preparation first
Any load after childbirth should be gradual. As soon as you can go for a walk with your baby, try to do it every day, starting with 20 minutes. If the weather is not suitable for walking with a child, go out yourself, at least for a while: physical activity important, and walking is a great way to get rid of extra calories. The pace of walking must be changed: first go slowly, then quickly, etc.; It is desirable to overcome small ups and downs.

After a normal birth, fitness classes can be started in 1-1.5 months – in a gentle mode, and after a cesarean section or surgical dissection of the perineum, it is better to wait about 2 months – the tissues at the suture sites should fully recover.

However, there are exercises that you can and even need to perform immediately upon returning home from the hospital. The pelvic floor muscles will recover faster and become elastic from Kegel exercises. Several times a day, you need to slowly inhale the muscles of the vagina as much as possible, then hold your breath for a few seconds, and slowly relax the muscles as you exhale. You can do several approaches 5-6 times a day, and perform the exercise several times in one approach, trying to bring it to 20. These exercises were developed in the middle of the 20th century by the American doctor A. Kegel.

To put the uterus in order, it is good to perform simple exercises with a fitball – a large elastic ball. Gynecologists even advise sitting on it and breastfeeding the baby, while performing gentle circular movements with the hips.

Breathing exercises will also be useful: you can find different types, but after childbirth, those where chest, abdominal, fast and slow breathing alternate are suitable.

After such exercises, it will be much easier to do fitness, but you can move on to full-fledged training after 3 months – if the birth was without complications, or after about six months if doctors had to intervene in the natural process. These terms are not rigid and depend on many factors – a doctor will help here.

Now an approximate set of exercises after childbirth.

Exercises for the first lessons
First you need to warm up: 5-7 minutes to vigorously walk in place or around the room. Hand movements will also help to warm up.
Squats are considered a universal exercise. At first, it is better to squat against a wall or another support, slightly holding on to it – it is easier to get into the rhythm of classes. You can start with one approach, and in the following days do 3-4 sets, 15-20 squats each. Exercise will help strengthen your muscles and burn extra calories.

Twisting the press diagonally is done lying down. It is necessary to lie on the mat – on your back, hands behind head, bend the legs at the knees, and, raising the body and the right leg up, try, turning the body to the right, touch the left elbow to the right knee. Then return to the starting position and repeat the exercise on the other side.
The next exercise is called the shoulder bridge. Lie on your back, bend your knees and pull them closer to you. Gently lift your pelvis up from the floor until only the shoulder blades, head and feet remain on the floor, and then slowly lower to the starting position.
Standing on all fours on the floor, arch your back like a cat: bend up as you exhale, and down as you inhale.
To strengthen the triceps, perform reverse push-ups – for example, from the sofa. They are done like this: you need to stand with your back to the sofa, then sit down and put your hands on its edge with your fingers forward. Slowly move your legs forward, then inhale, and slowly bending your elbows, lower yourself to the floor. The hips should go straight down and the shoulders should be parallel to the floor; then straighten your arms while exhaling.
Finally, take a few breaths in and out, and stretch your whole body several times.

Fitness after childbirth: the main thing is softness and gradualness
Do not forget that during breastfeeding you can not perform too active exercises. The lactic acid secreted by the body during exercise will not benefit either the young mother or the child: if it gets into the milk, its quality will deteriorate. Aerobics in general can reduce the amount of milk: this is not the case for everyone, but it’s better not to risk it.

But Pilates classes are suitable for everyone, and even bring benefits: the muscles of the press, pelvis, hips and back will be strengthened carefully, but effectively – Pilates is recommended even after spinal injuries.

To restore the muscles of the pelvic floor, not only Kegel exercises will be good, but also women’s yoga. Asanas in this type of yoga are performed taking into account the characteristics of the female body: they are soft, smooth, develop flexibility and are so safe that they are allowed to be performed even in old age.

You should consult with your doctor at least twice: before starting workouts and a month after they start. This is to make sure that fitness really benefits you in every way. And of course, classes should be regular: only then you will get the desired result.