Six gentle post natal exercises for getting back your flat tummy
As a fitness instructor, I’ve had many woman ask me how they can regain their pre natal figure after they’ve given birth. Many of them were in a real hurry to get their original body back and couldn’t stand their post natal condition.
Burn Your Baby Fat and Get Your Body Back
Exercises you might have done before you were pregnant can damage your ligaments and joints if you try them too soon in the post natal period. I’ll outline for you six easy and gentle post natal exercises you can do to help get your flat tummy back after you’ve given birth. These exercises won’t just to be to help get your figure back, but they’ll also contribute to helping to re-strengthen the muscles which were heavily used during your pregnancy.
The first exercise, is the Gentle pelvic floor exercise; the pelvic floor muscles stretch from side to side across the floor of the pelvis. It is attached to your pubic bone in front, and to the tail end of your spine behind. The openings from your bladder, your bowels and your womb all pass through your pelvic floor. Recovery of this muscle is important for continence and to support the pelvic organs.
Burn Your Baby Fat and Get Your Body Back
1.) Begin the exercise by either sitting, standing tall or lying on your back with your knees bent and legs comfortably apart. Then, close your eyes, and imagine what muscles you would tighten to stop yourself from passing wind or to ‘hold on’ from passing urine. Now that you can feel your pelvic floor muslces working, tighten them around your front passage, vagina and back passage as strongly as possible and hold for 4-5 seconds. This should allow you to feel your pelvic floor muslces ‘lift up’ inside you and feel a definite ‘let go’ as the muslces relax. Repeat this exercise 10 times or until you feel your pelvic floor muscles fatigue. Ensure you rest for a few seconds in between each squeeze.
The second and third exercises are both exercises for your abdominals. Stretching of the abdominals during pregnancy may reduce the efficiency in maintaining good posture and back support . Therefore, it is important to exercise these muscles regularly, after you have had your baby, to regain strength and pre natal shape.
2.) Lie on your back with your knees bent. Tighten your abdominals by pulling your belly- button in and upwards toward your spine. Hold this for 4-5 seconds. Rest and repeat 5 times. Breathe normally while doing the exercise. This exercise can also be done lying on your tummy or on your side, on hands and knees, sitting or standing. Do this exercise as much as possible.
Burn Your Baby Fat and Get Your Body Back
3.) Lie on your back, tighten your abdominals, then flatten your lower back, tucking your bottom under and tilting your pelvis towards your ribs. Repeat this exercise 5 times, holding for 2-3 seconds whilst making sure you’re breathing normally. Gradually increase the number of exercises to 10 repititions and then hold for 10 seconds.
The next two exercises are neck and upper back exercises; it’s easy to spend a lot of time sitting in a slumped position while you are carrying a young baby. Poor posture can give you the appearance of rounded shoulders, as well as giving you upper back and neck pain.
4.) Upper back stretches – Sit up straight with your arms crossed over your chest. Twist to the left and then to the right. Repeat this 10 times a day. Sit and link your hands behind your neck. Twist to the left and then to the right. Repeat 10 times a day. Sit and link both hands together in front of you. Take your arms up in front of you and above your head as far as you can. Hold for 2-3 seconds and then slowly lower your arms down again. Repeat 10 times a day.
5.) Neck exercises – Sit and slowly turn your head from left to right several times. Do this at least 5 times a day. Slowly, tilt your head so that you can move your right ear to your right shoulder, and then tilt your head so that you can move your left ear to your left shoulder. Do this at least 5 times a day. Slowly bend your head forwards to your chest and then backwards towards the ceiling. Repeat this at least 5 times a day.
The final exercise is Leg raises; this exercise will work your abdominals more than your legs, but it’s still important to get your legs back into shape during your post natal stage.
6.) Lie on your back with your knees bent and your feet flat on the floor. Tighten your abdominal muscles, and keep the small of your back in the neutral position while you slide your legs away from your body, this will gradually straighten your knees. Use your abdominal musclesto prevent your back from arching. As soon as you feel your back beginning to arch, bend your knees and return to the starting position. Repeat this 10 times.
Burn Your Baby Fat and Get Your Body Back