Tuesday, February 22, 2011

Postpartum workouts

post

The worst thing any new mother can do as soon as you and your new baby come home from the hospital is try to be super woman. You are going to want to rest and get to know your baby and give your body time to recover from the stress that delivery has caused. There are, however, some postpartum exercises than you start the day after you come home to help your body adjust and return to normal. Before attempting any of the exercises mentioned here, make sure your doctor has okayed you for postpartum workouts.


Kegel exercises are designed to strength the pelvic floor which takes a beating during the birthing process. The muscles involved help control the flow of urination as well pushes the baby from the womb. Start with a few at a time and then work up to as many as you are comfortable doing. The nice thing about this exercise is that you can do them anywhere at any time. Squeeze and hold the muscles of the pelvis for three seconds and then release for three seconds. Repeat this for a total of ten at a time, three times a day until you do comfortably do 100 a day.


Since delivering your baby, have you discovered your feet? You may have found that your ankles may be slightly swollen or stiff. Do ten ankle circles clockwise and counter clockwise to stimulate circulation. Add ten gentle pelvis tilts to your day and then you will be done.


The trick is to continue each of these postpartum exercises and add a few more to your routine in order to help the weight go away and strengthen your body so that you handle the pressures of new motherhood. Abdominal strengthening can be accomplished by working on leg slides while performing the pelvic tilt. Stretch your upper back by raising your arms over your head with your elbows straight and hold for 10 seconds. Then lower them and clasp your hands together behind your back for 10 seconds. As the days get further away from the day you delivered your infant, the easier the exercises will become.


You may also notice that your stamina and energy will begin to return when you are actively participating in a postpartum routine. Each day after the first week you should add exercises to round out the routine so that all of your body parts are worked. Make sure that you can continue the abdominal exercises and that you are not suffering from abdominal muscle separation. This can be very painful and you will need to support your stomach when you do any strengthening exercises.


As soon as you feel up to it, and if the weather is nice, include some aerobic activity to your daily postpartum exercise routine. Get some fresh air and take your baby for a walk. Protect your back which will be weak from the pregnancy by lifting things with your knees. And above all else, enjoy your new baby!


The miracle of pregnancy is just that, a miracle. However we do have to take action in the real world to look out for the physical vessel bringing the new life to us, the mom. Take a leading role in your own physical condition, by visiting the site below. It was designed for moms by a mom.
http://www.squidoo.com/fityummymummy-IsReal
http://superiorselfimprovement.blogspot.com

Sunday, February 20, 2011

Post-Partum Blues - How Exercise Can Help

It is a well-known fact that many new mothers suffer what is known as post-partum blues after delivering their baby. The emotions can range from a sense of loss of not carrying a baby anymore, or even hit extremes of feeling bad from the added weight. In any case, it is one of the most tumultuous times for the mom, as well as for the dad, who might not know the first thing in dealing with her frequent mood swings. There is actually a way to help reduce the emotional extremes, and it is as simple as getting into an exercise routine as soon as possible.


The main reason why exercise can help provide relief is because it helps release endorphins, or happy hormones. Physiologically, this means there are hormones that dictate a person's mood. When you exercise, it triggers the release of these hormones, resulting in a happy feeling. At least this will help fight the hormonal imbalance that occurs during pregnancy and after delivery. It will also keep the mom from depending on emotional eating to get a high from her foul moods.


Second, if the new mother is feeling down due to the extra weight she put on during pregnancy, exercising will meet that need for confidence. Even though she may not necessarily look fit right away, knowing that she is doing something to achieve it will indeed boost her self-esteem. Being busy will also mean that she would be less likely to mope about her situation and instead be able to channel her energies to doing something about it. Of course, a side note is that she first has to get the go-signal from her doctor about when she can start exercising. Usually, doctors allow exercise starting from one or two months after birth, depending on the mode of delivery.


Lastly, exercising will also give her some sense of control over her general situation. Not knowing much about taking care of a new baby can add to the stressing factor of new mothers. As such, doing something familiar like taking a brisk walk or working out at home will at least lend some sense of being in control. This will at least calm the new mom to some extent. As a result, a less stressed mom will also be more confident in learning to care for her newborn, and a chain-reaction will follow.


Knowing how to cope with post-partum depression is very important for the benefit of the mom, the dad, and the entire family. This is especially important since looking for the wrong ways to feel good will only snowball into a worse set of mood swings at this very sensitive time. At least exercise is proven to have positive effects all throughout. This makes it one of the best ways to battle the blues that come on right after delivery. The best thing that family and friends can do is to help support the mom in slowly getting back into a regular exercise routine.


Over at the FitnessArmory.com, you can let our expert advice on fitness and equipment reviews help you create the perfect home gym but without all the huge costs. We have the exclusive reviews on all your favorite brands and models to help you get in shape, get healthy and look great. Recent product reviews include: Stamina 15-9003 Recumbent Bike Rower, Stamina Versa-Bell 25 Adjustable Dumbbells. We invite you to stop by or drop us a line if you have any questions or need help with your fitness equipment selections.

Thursday, February 17, 2011

Exercise While Pregnant - Fitness Tips and Secrets for Expecting Moms

While pregnant, fitness should be a consideration for both your health and the health of your baby. By implementing a fitness regimen during your pregnancy you'll have a jump on getting to your pre-baby weight and helping to make sure that you have an easier labor and delivery.


As your pregnancy progresses, your stomach is obviously going to become larger which can make some exercises not only difficult but sometimes dangerous. Your large abdomen can affect your balance and timing, so exercises that are performed in a sitting position are generally best.


Yoga has some routines that are geared specifically for expectant moms and their growing bellies. While being low impact, they help to stretch and strengthen ligaments and muscles that will be affected during the birth process. Getting these muscles in shape will aid in an easier birth.


Swimming is also a great exercise during pregnancy. In addition to being low impact, it is a very accommodating activity when it comes to your growing belly. If you don't have your own pool, join a local club or borrow a pool from a friend. It's a great way to get out and stay active in the later months when many other activities are uncomfortable.


Taking walks are also encouraged during pregnancy. If you have a dog, you and your dog will both enjoy a nice stroll through your neighborhood. This helps with cardio without over doing it and is great for the circulation in your legs when the baby is sitting on major nerves and blood vessels that might make you uncomfortable. Some doctors even encourage walking during the final weeks to encourage the onset of labor if you are over due.


When working out while pregnant, fitness should be your objective. Exercise with the intent of weight loss can be harmful to you and your baby, potentially depriving him or her of needed nutrition. Think of fitness during pregnancy as a maintenance program that will keep you toned and prevent excess weight gain during your pregnancy. Although some weight gain is expected, you should be able to easily get to pre-pregnancy shape if you maintained an exercise program to maintain your level of fitness.


Being fit while pregnant insures that you will have a faster recovery after the baby is born. Most new moms are extremely tired in the first month after birth not only due to the schedule of the new baby, but because they are often physically depleted. If you maintain an exercise program while pregnant, fitness levels after delivery should be fairly close to normal allowing you to enjoy your new family.


The secret to pregnant fitness is to make sure you are following a proper diet and exercise program that is perfectly tailored to meet the needs of expecting moms. The most successful programs make it easy and walk you through a diet and exercise program that will help you to have a healthy pregnancy and delivery, look wonderful during pregnancy, and help you quickly get back to your pre-pregnancy figure. You can see an example of a great pregnancy fitness program at www.HappyMotherAndBaby.com

Tuesday, February 15, 2011

5 Tips For Exercise After C-Section

The main thing about exercise after c-section is to wait until your incisions (i.e., stitches) have healed.


Before you try to exercise after c-section get the go ahead from your doctor to start an exercise program.


Once you have the go ahead from your doctor to exercise after c-section, try these exercises.


1. Walking. Walking is the best exercise after c-section for getting your body used to the idea of exercising again. Start with short strolls around the block with our baby in a stroller. Then lengthen your walks and maybe start to jog or run a little.


2. Kegel exercises. While the main point of kegel exercises is to strengthen the muscles of the vaginal wall, they can also help to strength pelvic muscles. So you can continue to do these exercises after birth.


3. Yoga. Be careful of anything that will stretch your abdominal muscles excessively. Otherwise, you should be able to perform basic moves like warrior I, pelvic tilts and supported bridge. You may be able to find postpartum yoga classes at your local gym or YMCA.


4. Pilates. Pilates is excellent for rebuilding your core. Listen to your body and make any modifications that will make the exercises easier and comfortable.


5. About your abs...start slow. Don't over do it or you run the risk of permanently damaging your ab muscles. These will probably be tender for awhile.


Use these tips to exercise after c-section and you'll lose weight reasonably and you get your body into proper shape without hurting your body more.


Visit my blog for more tips on how to lose weight after delivery.

Exercise the Abdominals After Childbirth

How to Exercise The Abdominal Post Pregnancy


The Abdominals are the main focus of a new mother, as far as her body is concerned anyway.
There are many articles and programs in books on DVDs and in Drs waiting rooms for a new mother to read. Many are good some are great and many are lies. It takes pure hard work to regain your figure after giving birth to a baby. There is a group of exercises you can do to regain that flat tummy. Start with coordinated breathing. Do a test on Abdominal separation and start safely.


Your Starting Point


As soon as possible after delivery, if you are keen enough, start on the Pure Pilates coordinating breathing technique. This will be the starting point for all of your future exercises.


Pure Pilates the Beginning


o Lay on your side with knees bent up and a pillow under your head.
o concentrate on your breathing pattern.
o As you blow out draw your stomach in below the belly button.
o Let it it out as you breathe in
o This is the opposite pattern to which you are used to.
o Practice co-coordinating your breath out with a tummy in, action, in any position soon


Start this simple exercise and you are on your way to the next post partum exercises.


There is an important point to note here first
Many mothers have a abdominal separation


Test your Tummy Now


This should be done by a Physiotherapist, but you can get an idea doing it yourself.


A test for abdominal separation after pregnancy.


o Lie on your back with your knees bent and your feet flat on the floor.
o Place your hands flat on your abdomen with your fingers pointed towards your each other
o Just at and below your belly button dig your finger in deep to your belly.
o Lift your head and shoulders off the floor and feel the abdominal muscle tighten
o If you feel a gap or bulge in your abdomen, you may have an abdominal separation after pregnancy.
o Do this test 2-3 times and make sure you can feel the 2 ridges of the long rectus muscle.
o The muscle separation pregnancy test is very valid and it may be gap up to 10cm wide


If you have a separation then the coordinating pure Pilates exercise should be progressed slowly


For more information follow the link below read as much as you can on this topic


Annette Willson
1.Physiotherapist
2.Mother of Three
3.Elite Horse Rider
http://www.squidoo.com/post-partum-exercises-from-a-physiotherapist

Sunday, February 13, 2011

What exercise to do after delivery ?

Doing the right form of exercise
is very important after delivering
the child.

Not only should the exercise be
geared towards reducing the bulge
at your tummy, it should also help
to tone and firm up the skin there.

The second part of your body that
you should work upon is your vagina.
For after the excruciating pain of
widening and opening the vagina for
the baby to come out .....inevitably
the muscles around there should be
loosened and agitated.

Thus it is mandatory that certain
exercises be performed to firm up
the laggardness down there.

So what exercise is best after
chilbirth ?

For the answer, I did a yahoo search
and got these results :


Exercise after pregnancy: How to get started - MayoClinic.com
see all in Labor and delivery; Postpartum care (7) Exercise after pregnancy: How to get started; Maternity leave: Tips for returning to work; Weight loss after pregnancy ...
www.mayoclinic.com/health/exercise-​after-pregnancy/MY00477 - Cached
How To Exercise After A Vaginal Delivery | LIVESTRONG.COM
How To Exercise After A Vaginal Delivery. Losing weight quickly is the desire of many women after having a baby. Even though giving birth vaginally is natural, it takes a ...
www.livestrong.com/article/169926-how-​to-exercise-after... - Cached
Exercise After Baby - Getting Back in the Exercise Saddle ...
Your old friend Kegel — who helped you get your pelvic floor in shape for delivery — can help those muscles recover faster now that you're ready to exercise after ...
www.whattoexpect.com/first-year/week-3/​exercise-saddle.aspx - Cached
Going Home: The First 6 Weeks
You can begin Kegel exercises twenty-four hours after delivery. HORMONAL CHANGES Progesterone and estrogen levels fall dramatically in the first seventy-two hours ...
www.mjbovo.com/Pregnancy/After6wks.htm - Cached
Exercise After Delivery
If you are
www.emaxhealth.com/86/1422.html - Cached
KEGELS: EXERCISES FOR AN EASIER DELIVERY
KEGELS: EXERCISES FOR AN EASIER DELIVERY ... Kegel exercises strengthen all the muscles supporting your ... Incontinence can continue after pregnancy, since ...
www.askdrsears.com/html/1/t012200.asp - Cached
EXERCISE AFTER DELIVERY
Worried about your appearance ? Your problem is largely temporary - if you avoid excessive weight gain ...
www.planababy.com/​EXERCISE%20AFTER%20PREGNANCY.htm - Cached
How soon can you exercise after delivery? - Yahoo! Answers
Best Answer: I wouldn't think it is going to hurt to do a little at a time. Start slow and then move up to a better work out. Your sluggish because you just had a ...
answers.yahoo.com/question/​index?qid=20080918171337AAsAaTQ - Cached
Stomach Exercises For After A Delivery | LIVESTRONG.COM
Stomach Exercises For After A Delivery. Women often want to start stomach exercises after delivering their baby and realizing the effect pregnancy had on their belly.
www.livestrong.com/article/333067-​stomach-exercises-for... - Cached
Postpartum Care: Tips for After Delivery Information on ...
Exercise after pregnancy - How Hard Should I Exercise? Use the Borg scale to estimate how hard you should work.
www.healthline.com/.../tips-exercises-​after-delivery.html - CachedSponsored ResultsPregnancy Exercise
Complete Information and Resouces about Pregnancy Exercise
www.topsites4u.net/sg


And for more info about after
delivery exercises, you can try
to check it out at Bing for these :


Exercise After Delivery
If you are

www.emaxhealth.com/86/1422.htmlGoing Home: The First 6 Weeks
You can begin Kegel exercises twenty-four hours after delivery. HORMONAL CHANGES Progesterone and estrogen levels fall dramatically in the first seventy-two hours after ...

www.mjbovo.com/Pregnancy/After6wks.htmWhat should be the diet and exercise schedule after a caesarean ...
What should be the diet and exercise schedule after a caesarean delivery? ... Always include warm ups prior to and cool downs after exercises. All the connective ...

doctor.ndtv.com/faq.aspx?fid=3641Postpartum Care: Tips for After Delivery Information on Healthline
Exercise after pregnancy - How Hard Should I Exercise? Use the Borg scale to estimate how hard you should work.

www.healthline.com/yodocontent/pregnancy/tips-exercises-after-delivery.htmlExercise After Delivery - RightHealth
Exercise after pregnancy: How to get started - MayoClinic.com . Exercise after pregnancy Follow these strategies to keep it safe. ... Labor, delivery and postpartum care: Getting in ...

www.righthealth.com/topic/Exercise_After_DeliveryHimalaya ayurslim drugs - Diet and Exercise Discussion Forum ...
You are here: Home > Message Boards > Issues after Delivery > Diet and Exercise > Himalaya ayurslim drugs Please do not give any personal information or money to ...

www.indiaparenting.com/boards/showmessage.cgi?messageid=14&table_name=dis_postdietexercisePrecautions after Normal Delivery | Precautions after Cesarean ...
Precautions after Normal Delivery | Precautions after Cesarean Delivery | Exercises and precautions after delivery The precautions which are to be taken

www.netguruonline.com/precautions-after-normal-delivery-precautions-after-cesarean...How to loose fat after delivery
After delivery don’t try to for vigorous exercises in losing fat rapidly, as it may causes many side effects to the body. During pregnancy time try to do some exercise like ...

www.articlesbase.com/weight-loss-articles/how-to-loose-fat-after-delivery-1022353.htmlBack pain exercises after delivery
Ask a doctor about Back pain exercises after delivery, symptoms, diagnosis, treatment, questions and answers, health articles, videos, images, news, doctors, health tips, drugs ...

www.healthcaremagic.com/healthpage/Back-pain-exercises-after-deliveryAfter Pregnancy Birth Exercises | eHow.com
0 posts · By Lillian Downey
According to researchers at the University of Michigan, beginning an exercise program shortly after delivery helps ease or prevent postpartum depression and anxiety.

www.ehow.com/way_5336524_after-pregnancy-birth-exercises.html


Now that you know how to
find exercises related to post-delivery,
it would be very easy to find the
right type of exercise that fits.