How to Stay Fit and Healthy after Pregnancy - Guest post By Diana Smith

Taking care of your weight and leading a healthy lifestyle is as important during pregnancy as it is after you’ve given birth. It’s vital that moms take care of their diet, and stay as much physically active as possible during pregnancy, so that they can go back on track quickly after delivery, and raise a healthy child. Your body will go through a lot of changes during pregnancy, so it may take some time before you are able to fit into your favourite jeans, but you’ll manage to do it by following these helpful tips.

Choose your foods wisely

Eating well should be everyone’s priority. This is especially true for breastfeeding moms, because their diet will affect for both their and their newborn’s health. Furthermore, a nutritious diet will also make you feel energized, aside from keeping you healthy. Eat plenty of fruit and vegetables, whole grains and leafy greens. For a sufficient intake of iron, opt for prune juice, lean meats and fortified cereals. Food rich in Vitamin C, such as oranges and tomatoes, will keep all the infections at bay and help the C-section wound heal faster. All of us get those snack cravings from time to time, but instead of reaching for snack packs that are filled with artificial sweeteners, have some nuts, low-fat cheese with a piece of fruit or a cup of whole-grain cereals with some milk.

Work out

As soon as you feel up to it, you can start exercising gently. If you had a regular workout schedule before pregnancy, you’ll probably feel anxious to go back to it, but you shouldn’t push yourself too hard. Keep in mind that you’ve gone through a tremendous change, and that your body will need time to heal, and adjust to the new you. Therefore, you can start walking, do gentle stretches, and pelvic floor exercises four weeks after you’ve given birth. When it comes to high-impact exercises such as running and aerobics, you should wait at least six weeks before you start. However, if you’ve had a C-section, you should consult with your doctor on when you should start exercising.

Postnatal exercises will strengthen all important muscles, and help you get your old figure back, so you can join a postnatal exercise class and work out with new mommies and your baby as well. Just make sure you have your comfortable bodybuilding clothes with you, so you can feel and look good while hitting the treadmill. If you don’t feel like hitting the gym just yet, add physical activity to your everyday routine. Choose the stairs instead of an elevator, ride a bicycle instead of driving, squat when picking up stuff from the ground instead of bending over, so that you can include both your knees and your back into the activity.

Not only will exercising help with your weight, but it’ll also be beneficial for your mental health. It’ll help you reduce the post-natal depression, and relieve you from stress. However, you should be careful with how much strain you put on yourself, because if you push yourself too hard, you may cause heavier postnatal bleeding. So, make sure you listen to your body and work at your own pace. 

Take care of your mental health

Mental health is as important as physical health, so it’s imperative that you work on that as well. Postpartum depression is a problem that every tenth woman faces, so you should do everything in your power to keep your mood elevated. Make sure you have enough time for yourself, and always find the time to rest. It may sound impossible, but it’s crucial that you feel good about yourself if you want to be a good mother. Accept help from your friends and family, and always rely on your partner. Socializing is vital for mental health, so make sure you go out with friends, and you can even bring your little one with you. Don’t be afraid to talk to your friends, family or your partner about your feelings. Speak your mind, so that you can get all the support you need.

Staying fit and healthy requires a lot of work, but it’s all worthwhile in the end. Keeping your body healthy will also help your child’s well-being, so make sure you adhere only to healthy habits. Eat well, exercise regularly and take care of your mental health, so you can be the best mom for your bundle of joy. 

Diana Smith is a full time mom of two beautiful girls and is interested in topics related to health and alternative medicine. In her free time she enjoys exercising and preparing healthy meals for her family.

*Images via Pixabay

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