Postpartum Exercises

Day 1 Exercises

Kegels (Pelvic Floor Exercises)Kegel exercises strengthen the muscles of the pelvic floor. These muscles are weakened by the birth process and should be exercised immediately after birth. However, it may be somewhat difficult to do these exercises soon after your delivery; do as many as you can and gradually the tone will return. • Squeeze the pelvic floor muscle for three seconds, relax the muscle for three seconds, then squeeze again. • Begin with 10 three-second squeezes, three times a day. Increase repetitions gradually.• Work up to doing 50-100 Kegels each day.Abdominal StrengtheningDo each exercise one to two times each day with three to five repetitions.Pelvic Tilt• Lie on your back, with your knees bent.• Tighten your stomach and buttock muscles.• Allow your pelvis to tilt upward.• Flatten the small of your back against the floor as you inhale.• Hold for a count of five.• Relax and exhale.• Repeat three to five times.

CAUTION: DON'T arch your back, bulge your abdomen or push with your feet to obtain this motion.Abdominal Breathing1. Lie down on a comfortable surface with your knees bent.2. Relax your body as much as possible, allowing your weight to sink into the surface on which you are lying.3. Gently put your hands on your abdomen, close your eyes and begin to notice your breathing. Feel your hands rising as you inhale and falling as you exhale. 4. Inhale, abdomen and hands rise upward; stretch your abdominal muscles outward. Hold for a count of five. 5. Exhale, abdomen and hands fall downward; pull in your abdominal muscles. Hold for a count of five. Repeat three to five times. Ankle Circles (To enhance circulation) • Make 10 circles with your ankles clockwise and counter-clockwise.• Do the ankle circles in different positions such as sitting, lying down, etc. Repeat circular pattern three to five times.Add the Leg Sliding exercise and the Arm & Upper Back Stretch Exercises to the previous exercises during the rest of Week 1.

Full Back Release

Starting Position:

Sit in a chair with your feet flat. Relax your shoulders and keep your head level. Your weight should be evenly distributed between your buttocks and your feet.

Action:

Relax your neck. Curl your neck, upper back and low back slowly forward. Allow your hands to reach the floor so your palms are touching the floor. Hold for ____ seconds. Straighten up slowly so that you bring your head up last. Return to the starting position.

Trunk Rotation

Starting Position:

Assume the "all-four's" position.

Action:
Reach one arm under your body toward the opposite knee. Hold for ____ seconds. Slowly return to the starting position. Repeat, alternating arms.
With weight on both hands, bring one knee towards the opposite shoulder. Hold for ____ seconds. Return to the starting position, Repeat, alternating knees. Do Not Cause Pain.

Push Up

Starting Position:

Lying on your stomach, place your hands, palms down, on the floor at the level of your shoulders. Flex your toes so that the weight of your body is shared by your hands and soles of your feet. Pushing with your arms raise your trunk and legs off the floor. Keep your back straight and do not let your stomach sag.

Action: Bend your elbows to lower your body halfway toward the floor then push your body back by straightening your arms. Do Not Cause Pain.

Postpartum tummy tightners

Step-by-Step Ab Toners
Starting position: Lie on your back, knees bent, arms out at sides; let back curve naturally. Breathe in and out slowly and deeply; pull navel in toward the spine as you exhale. To prevent injury, do not arch your back during the exercises. When breathing feels comfortable, add exercise 1. All exercises start from this position; work up to each gradually.
1. Without holding your breath, tighten lower abdominal muscles and slide one leg down the floor until it's flat, then slide it back up to a bent position. Relax ab muscles. Repeat with other leg. Continue, alternating legs. When you can do 20 slides on each leg, move to exercise 2.
2a. Pull lower abs in and raise one bent leg until calf is parallel to floor. 2b. Then extend leg straight out without touching floor. Pause, then return to starting position and relax abs. Repeat 5 times without pausing for each leg. When you can do 20 times on each side, proceed to exercise 3.
3a. Inhale, exhale, and pull abs in, keeping them taut. Raise one bent leg, then the other, so calves are parallel to floor. 3b. Bring first leg back to floor, then raise it again. Repeat with second leg. When you can do 10 reps on each side, go to exercise 4.
4. Pull in abs and lift both legs, as in 3a. Then, extend one leg straight out, without touching floor. Switch leg positions. Repeat "bicycle" so each leg is extended 10 times. Work up to 20 reps on each leg.

Gwen Stefani and Angelina Jolie share tips

Gwen Stefani and Angelina Jolie are sharing tips about post-childbirth weight loss, reports Life&Style magazine.
Gwen tells Angie to eat fresh vegetables and drink milk. Angie tells Gwen to exercise.
No doubt they can chat in peace while a platoon of nannies care for Shiloh and Gwen's two-month-old son Kingston.

Knee push up

Starting Position:
Lie on your stomach on a mat. Place your hands, palms down, on the mat at the level of your shoulders.Pushing with your arms, lift your trunk and thighs off the surface of the mat until your elbows are straight. Your knees should be bent, and your lower legs and feet should be on the mat. Keep your back straight and do not let your stomach sag.
Action:
Slowly bend your elbows, lowering your trunk and thighs toward the surface of the mat. Push away from the mat again, straightening your arms. Do Not Cause Pain.

Hip Extension

Starting Position:

Lie on your stomach on a mat. Bend your knee to a 90 degree angle so the sole of your toot faces the ceiling.

Action:

Lift one thigh off the table approximately 6 inches by raising your foot toward the ceiling. Your hip bones do not leave the table as you lift the leg. Slowly lower your thigh back to the starting position.

Do Not Cause Pain.

Arm Lifts

Starting Position:

Lie on your stomach on a mat. Stretch your arms over head and slightly out to the side (in a V position).

Action: Lift one arm, with your hand positioned so that the thumb points upward. Keep your thighs and your opposite arm relaxed. Slowly lower your arm, then raise the other arm in the same manner.

Back Extensions

Starting Position:

Lie on your stomach on a mat. Place your arms at your sides so . that your hands are by your hips.

Action:

Raise your head and shoulders off the mat as high as comfortably possible. Hold for ____ seconds. Lower the head and shoulders. Do not tense your shoulder muscles. Do Not Cause Pain.

Press Up

Starting Position:
Lie on your stomach on a mat. Place your hands. palms down, under your shoulders.

Action:
Straighten your arms, raising your upper trunk off the floor. Keep your pelvis against the mat, allowing your lower back to arch. Hold for ____ seconds. Return to starting position and repeat. Do Not Cause Pain.

Another helpful exercise

Starting Position:
Lie on your stomach on a mat with your weight on your forearms.
Action:
Lie on your stomach on a mat and lean on your elbows Stay in this position for about _____, making sure that you relax your low back completely. Do Not Cause Pain.

Hnnad-knee rocking

Starting Position:

Kneel on a mat with your knees and ankles. Allow your buttocks to rest on your heels.

Action:
Take your upper body over so you are in a crouched position with your arms stretched out in front of you. Relax in this position and then slowly move forward with your elbows straight into a press-up position. Do Not Cause Pain.

Pectoralis Stretch

Starting Position:
Stand with your legs together facing a corner. Extend your arms and place your palms against the opposite walls of the corner.
Action:
Lean toward the corner. Keep your body and legs straight and your heels firmly on the floor. Hold for ____ seconds. Return to the starting position. Repeat, gradually increasing your distance from the comer. Do Not Cause Pain.

Hip Extensions

Starting Position:

Assume they "all-four's" position.

Action:

Bring one knee toward your head as you lower the head Extend the head up and the leg out to a flat position parallel to the floor Return to the starting position. Repeat, alternating legs. Do Not Cause Pain.

Tail wagging

Starting Position: Kneel on a mat and assume the "all-four's" position Keep your head in a neutral position by looking down at the floor.Action: Keeping your shoulders still, move your right hip toward your right shoulder as far as you can. Slowly return to the starting position then move your left hip toward your left shoulder as far as you can Do Not Cause Pain.

Cat ad Camel

Starting Position:

Kneel down on the floor and assume the "all-four's" position. Keep your head straight so that the gaze of your eyes is toward the floor.

Action:

Slowly allow your trunk to sag as far as you can so that your back is arched Do no, pull it down. but let it relax as you lift up your face towards the ceiling Then round your back up at the waist as far as you can by contracting your lower abdominal muscles as you lower the top of your head toward the floor. All motion should be initiated from your low back Do Not Cause Pain.

Curl Ups

Starting Position: Lie on your back on a table or flat surface. Your feet are flat on the surface and your knees are bent. Maintain your pelvic tilt for the curl up exercises.
Action:
Slowly reach your arms in front of you as much as possible, curling your trunk. Slowly keep the neck muscles relaxed. Breathe normally. Slowly return to the starting position. Do Not Cause Pain.
Fold your arms on your chest. Tuck your chin to your chest and slowly reach your elbows to your knees, curling your trunk. Keep neck muscles relaxed and breathe normally Return to the starting position.
With your hands behind your head, slowly curl your head to your chest and then your trunk. Relax, breathe and then slowly return to the starting position. Do Not Cause Pain.

Lower Abdominal Exercises

Starting Position: Lie on your back on a table or firm surface. Knees bent and feet flat on the table. Flatten your back to the floor by pulling your abdominal muscles up and in.Action:
Bring one knee toward your chest. Hold this position for ____ seconds. -time depends on you, don't cause pain- Lower your leg to the starting position. Then repeat on your opposite knee.
Bring one knee toward your chest. Straighten the knee Hold for ____ seconds Slowly lower the leg to the starting position. Repeat on opposite leg.
Raise your leg keeping your knee straight. Hold for ____ seconds. Slowly lower the leg to the floor. Repeat on the opposite leg.
Maintain your pelvic tilt and keep your resting leg relaxed at all times. Do not hold your breath.

Women aiming to shed after-pregnancy pounds should add daily walks and limit TV time and trans fats, according to a new study by Harvard researchers.“The childbearing years are a time of particular risk for weight gain in women,” said lead author Emily Oken, M.D. “Modifiable behaviors in that early postpartum period — such as diet, television viewing and walking — can influence a woman’s risk of retaining weight.”Oken and colleagues evaluated data collected between 1999 and 2003 on 902 pregnant women along with their pre- and post-pregnancy weight, physical activity levels, dietary intake and television viewing habits.

For each hour of walking they did daily, women had about a 34 percent lower odds of retaining 5 kilograms of weight — about 11 pounds — at one year.“Most women retain a pound or two after pregnancy, but women who retain substantial weight are at increased risk of cardiovascular disease and obesity,” said Oken, an instructor in ambulatory care and prevention at Harvard Medical School and Harvard Pilgrim Health Care.

The results showed that the more television a woman watched daily, the less likely she was to shed pregnancy-related weight. Women who consumed more trans fats — often found in shortenings, margarines, crackers and fried food — also proved more likely to retain weight during the postpartum period.The benefits of each healthy behavior appeared additive. Women who watched fewer than two hours of TV daily, walked 30 or more minutes daily and ate fewer trans fats had a 77 percent lower odds of weight retention than women who did none of the beneficial behaviors.Although the study “emphasizes the fact that pregnancy is a big factor in weight retention,” said Raul Artal, M.D., professor and obstetrician/gynecologist at St. Louis University School of Medicine, he added that the population included mostly white, college-educated women with normal weight prior to pregnancy — a group generally characterized as being at low risk for weight problems.

However, the results should encourage pregnant or postpartum women to stay as active as they were pre-pregnancy, Artal said.

I had read that losing the baby weight was really easy. Well, that didn’t happen for me. Seeing all the celebreties lose all their baby weight within a couple weeks can be discouraging. They have access to a personal chef, and a trainer so of course they are going to look great soon after the birth of their babies. And yes, there are women in the real world you can lose the weight quickly, but for women like me, it can be a challenge. According to most experts, the average weight gain is between twenty-five and thirty-five pounds. If you are overweight, it is suggested to gain between fifteen and twenty-five pounds. Underweight women should gain between twenty-eight and fourty pounds. In a typical pregnancy, the weight gain during pregnancy consists of the following:• baby-6 to 8 pounds• placenta-1.5 pounds• increased fluid volume-2 to 3 pounds• uterus-2 pounds• increased storage of maternal fats, proteins, and other nutrients-4 to 6 pounds• breast enlargement-1 to 2 pounds• blood volume-3 to 4 pounds• amniotic fluid-2 pounds