The average woman will gain anywhere between 25 to 35 pounds during pregnancy. How long will it take to get back your pre-pregnancy body?
It depends. However, most women will lose half of their baby weight by six weeks postpartum. The rest will gradually come off over the next several months.
For example, you can lose up to one pound a week through diet and regular exercise.
How soon after giving birth can you exercise? What are some easy activities that you can do? Find out all that by reading the rest of the post!
Benefits of Exercise After Pregnancy
Postnatal exercise can help improve your physical and mental well-being. For one thing, it’ll help strengthen the muscles that were weakened and stretched during pregnancy (more info). It’ll also help you lose weight (especially if combined with a healthy diet).
Not only that, but it’ll also trigger the release of endorphins, which will help improve your mood; this can help prevent postpartum depression and promote better sleep. If anything, that’ll allow you to manage stress more efficiently.
How Soon After Giving Birth Can You Exercise?
Assuming that you had a healthy pregnancy and a vaginal delivery, you should be able to start exercising a few days after giving birth or whenever you feel ready.
For those who had a c-section delivery, you’ll want to ask your ob-gyn first before exercising. Depending on the situation, it can take up to 12 weeks before you can start any high-impact exercises.
How much exercise should you do? Aim for 20 to 30 minutes a day. Stop exercising if you experience any pain.
Best Exercises to Try After Pregnancy
Generally speaking, you want to start with something low impact and easy—like a daily walk. Other simple exercises that you can do include:
Pelvic Tilt
Lie down on the floor; your back should be flat against the ground. Tighten your core muscles and bend your pelvis up slowly. Hold the position for 10 to 15 seconds.
Repeat five times with 10 to 20 repetitions.
Happy Baby Yoga Pose
Lie on your back with your knees against your chest. As you inhale, take hold of the inside of your feet. Open your knees slightly wider than your hips and bring them toward the floor.
Your ankles should be directly over your knees at a 90-degree angle. Gently push your feet into your hands to create resistance. Extend your spine and draw your belly in. Hold for 30 to 60 seconds.
Safe Return to Exercise After Pregnancy
Now you can answer the question, ‘how soon after giving birth can you exercise’. If anything, the most important thing is to start gently. You don’t want to do too much too soon as that can do more harm than good.
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