Losing Weight After Childbirth: An Effective Approach to Exercise

How to lose weight after childbirth with exercise and more

A woman who decides to practice weight loss exercises at home after giving birth needs to approach this comprehensively. Physical activity alone is not enough; other factors need to be considered as well – you can read more about this in our blog. But once the main issues are resolved, the question of postpartum fitness for weight loss remains. How to approach it correctly and effectively, which weight loss exercises for moms won’t harm breastfeeding, and how to benefit your health without causing harm, we will discuss in this article.

When can you start losing weight after childbirth?

There are active mothers who want to start working on their bodies even before leaving the maternity hospital. Others prefer not to focus on their shape, choosing to care for the home and baby, waiting until breastfeeding ends or the child starts daycare. Both positions are extremes; a reasonable compromise is needed.

1. No extreme weight loss exercises should be performed postpartum until the body has fully recovered! But this doesn’t mean you should just wait: initial exercises will help with quicker recovery. Just don’t expect too much from them in terms of weight loss initially.
2. The start depends on the mother’s condition and the specifics of the childbirth. Natural childbirth allows for the start of exercises around 4-8 weeks, after bleeding ends. Tears or episiotomy delays this until full healing—another couple of weeks, while a cesarean section extends it to up to 2 months. It’s worth discussing this with a doctor.
3. Diastasis, birth injuries, and any chronic diseases may become contraindications or limitations for exercising at home for weight loss after childbirth. Professional consultation is necessary.
4. Overly active activities are not quite suitable for nursing mothers. However, cardio workouts, elements of yoga, and gymnastics can be beneficial. To choose them correctly, seek assistance from a specialist.

Features of Performing Postpartum Weight Loss Exercises

For weight loss exercises after childbirth to be maximally beneficial and not harmful, they need to be approached thoughtfully and consistently. Doctors and postpartum weight loss specialists advise following a number of general recommendations.

1. Steadily and gradually. It is better to exercise every day for 10-20 minutes than to spend an hour or two on gymnastics all at once and forget about it for a long time. Workouts do not have to be daily, but it is better to create an optimal plan and try to stick to it. 2-4 times a week is sufficient. Approaches of “once in a while” will not make weight-loss exercises effective.
2. Calm pace. There should be no “jerky” loads. Exercise should be done carefully, smoothly increasing the correctly chosen load. The specialists on our site can assist with this.
3. Well-being comes first. If pain, nausea, or dizziness occurs during workouts, exercise should be immediately stopped.
4. Control of breathing and pulse. For greater effect, you should try to synchronize inhalations and exhalations with the execution of exercises. Many techniques specifically require this. Shortness of breath and heart palpitations should not be allowed.
5. 3-5 repetitions. This is sufficient for each exercise in the weight loss routine. More can be done if a woman feels strong enough.

Lose Weight at Home and Outdoors

Effective postpartum weight loss exercises can be done not only in the gym but also at home and outdoors. Women have many opportunities for this, including elements of gymnastics, yoga, cardio workouts, and Pilates.

Cardio Workouts for Postpartum Weight Loss

Contrary to many opinions, they are not harmful for young mothers if there were no contraindications before childbirth. If the pelvic floor muscles have fully recovered, one can start favorite jogging and walking with alternating speeds, inclines, and descents. The stroller is not an obstacle! Fresh air is essential, so it is better to choose a park or, if possible, a beach, rather than a path along a busy street.

Yoga Elements for Postpartum Body Beauty

If aerobic exercise is not your preference or is contraindicated, yoga can be a great alternative. Properly chosen yoga elements can be done by the mother even together with the child. All you need is a mat and a bit of free time. You can perform some poses while taking a walk outdoors or limit yourself to home workouts. Our specialists can help organize yoga sessions for postpartum weight loss correctly, as they have the necessary knowledge and skills.

Exercise for Postpartum Weight Loss

A series of gymnastic exercises is specifically aimed at restoring muscles and reducing the size of key problem areas after childbirth – the abdomen, hips, and tightening the chest muscles. Choose exercises that are not contraindicated for breastfeeding – those that do not require sudden jerks and overly vigorous exhausting movements. Many of them can also be done outdoors.

Since during pregnancy, different organs experienced varying degrees of stress and changed to different extents, their recovery may also proceed unevenly. The main principles of weight loss workouts for a woman after childbirth are realistic expectations and gradual progression.