New Moms! Here’s the 12 Week Guide to Exercise After Baby
Working up the motivation to hit the gym is hard enough, but after you’ve just had a baby? Forget about it. You’re sore and tired, and curling up with that sweet li’l babe sounds way more appealing than crunches and pushups. Your body has just gone through some intense changes and your emotions are all over the place, especially when faced with the seemingly impossible task of dropping that newly acquired baby weight. Never fear, this infographic from the folks at Make Your Body Work breaks down postpartum exercise week by week to gently ease you back into your workout routine. Before you know it, you’ll be back to your old self and ready for the crawling stage!
For the first six weeks after birth, you’ll focus on pelvic floor exercises and do lots of other strengthening. Your body just went through a major trauma, and it’s important to take things slow.
For the seven to twelve weeks after birth, you can start increasing mobility (Yay!). Go for walks and take your wee one with you. And sorry, but this is the stage where planks and crunches come back into your life.
At twelve weeks after birth, you can really start getting back up to your pre-baby fitness level. You can safely engage in more intense exercises like squats and mountain climbers. However, it’s important to understand that everyone is different and physical recovery may take more time than you think it should. And as always, make sure you check with your doctor before you start any workout plan.
Do you have any tips for easing back into fitness post-baby? Share your thoughts in the comments below!
