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Pregnancy can affect a woman’s lifestyle, especially their eating habits and workout routines. And these may cause them to gain weight. Plus, the fact that their body changes to support their growing baby can also add more weight.
Weight Gain During Pregnancy
According to the U.S. Institute of Medicine (IOM), the recommended BMI and weight gain during pregnancy are as follows:
- 28 – 40 pounds of weight gain for women who are underweight before pregnancy.
- 25 – 35 pounds of weight gain for women who are of regular weight before pregnancy.
- 15 – 25 pounds of weight gain for women who are overweight before pregnancy.
- 11 – 20 pounds of weight gain for women who are obese before pregnancy.
Read Ideal Weight: Get to Know More About Your Body to know your recommended BMI before pregnancy.
It is very challenging for most moms to lose weight after pregnancy. It may take a while before they can reach their pre-pregnancy weight again. The best way to lose weight is to follow a weight loss diet with physical exercise.
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When is it safe to do exercises after birth?
After a cesarean birth, it will take you at least six weeks to heal. Wait for your postnatal check and seek advice from your doctor if it is safe for you to exercise. Avoid lifting heavy weights and doing abdominal exercises that may put pressure on your scar.
After a vaginal delivery, you can do exercise as soon as you feel your body is ready. Start with low impact workouts. Avoid strenuous exercises. Stop if you feel any pain. Avoid swimming until your postnatal check, 6-8 weeks after birth.
5 Safe Exercises After Pregnancy.
Here are the safe exercises you can do after birth that can be done even at home if you don’t have time to go to the gym.
1. Walking
You can start to lose weight by gently walking every day for a few minutes. Gradually speed up and take long walks when you feel your body has recovered its strength.
2. Child’s Pose Yoga
This yoga pose lengthens and strengthens the lower back. It helps relieve back pain and promotes digestion. It can also help you relax and calm your mind. Practicing yoga will not only help you regain physical fitness but may also help fight postpartum depression and anxiety.
3. Kneeling pelvic tilt
One of the safe exercises after pregnancy is the kneeling pelvic tilt, which can help strengthen your abdominal muscles. It can also help relieve back pain. Check out the video below to know how to do kneeling pelvic tilt properly.
4. Kegel exercise
Kegel exercise can help improve your pelvic floor muscles and help reduce risks of incontinence, which is the lack of voluntary control over urination or defecation. Check out the video below to know how to do kegel exercise properly.
5. Moderate Intensity Aerobics
Aerobics can improve your strength and stamina, and boost your energy levels. A study shows that postpartum physical activity can improve mood, maintain cardiorespiratory fitness, improve weight control, promote weight loss, and reduce depression and anxiety.
Just a Reminder!
Make sure that exercise will not interfere with your breastfeeding. The good news is that exclusive breastfeeding can help you lose weight. Study shows that exclusive breastfeeding for at least three months had a small but significant effect on postpartum weight loss.
Before doing any exercise, make sure that your body has recovered from labor and birth. It may take time, so be patient if you notice that you are not losing weight fast. Consult your doctor for some advice and alternatives on how to lose weight.