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So your pregnancy has reached its natural conclusion and you've given birth - well done you! If you've maintained your fitness in pregnancy you probably can't wait to get up and moving again, or maybe you're just keen to get that wibbly wobbly mummy tummy back under control and lose the baby weight. But don't be too hard on yourself! It's really up to you how quickly you get back into exercising after pregnancy but give yourself time to get to know your new baby, especially if it's your first and you're adjusting to being a mum. And recognise that giving birth is a huge physical challenge - allow your body time to recover! A few things to bear in mind! If you've had a C-section wait until you've had the all-clear from your GP before you undertake more than a gentle exercise programme Stitches can be sore for a while - take it easy until you have healed up. Pelvic floor exercises will help the healing process It's fine to exercise when you're breastfeeding but make sure you wear a supportive bra and breast pads if necessary. Exercise after feeding when your breasts are less full and tender. It's best to wait until you have stopped bleeding before you swim and ensure any stitches are completely healed. FittaMamma leggings and supportive tops work just as well for exercise after pregnancy, helping to keep your tummy supported (and smoothing your contours too!) Take it easy, start with some gentle post-pregnancy exercises and build up gradually as you regain your strength You will lose weight after pregnancy - but don't feel pressured by celebrities who are back to a size 6 within weeks! Whilst it's tempting to focus on your post pregnancy tummy, most of us are keen to have nice toned legs and bums as well. And the good news is that the balance required for these exercises will help strengthen your core muscles and benefit your pregnancy tummy too - so it's win win all round! Back lunge and knee lift Start off with your hands on your hips, feet hip distance apart. Lift yourself up as tall as you can so you connect with your pelvic floor and abs and step back with one leg, so both knees are bent at 90 degrees. Make sure your front knee does not move in front of your toes as you lunge back. Push up and back to standing following through with a knee lift on the leg that has just lunged back - at the same time raising your arms straight up above your head. Go directly back into a lunge, holding your tummy tight to help you balance (remember any postnatal exercise that engages your core will benefit your pregnancy tummy too!) Repeat 15-20 times on each leg. Make this harder by holding a weight in each hand. Make it even harder by holding the knee lift for a couple of seconds. Wide Pick Up Squats Bear this one in mind when you're picking up your baby as it's a great exercise after pregnancy that you can do whenever you lift anything up off the floor. Although if you have experienced any issues with your pelvis during pregnancy go for the not-quite-so-wide squat, keeping your feet closer together and not dropping too low. Stand with your feet turned out, wider than hip width. Pull in your abs, bend your knees and slowly lower towards the floor, keeping your back vertical and squeezing your buttocks as you come down. Hold the low position for a few seconds before lifting back up. Extend this by using a weight (whatever feels comfortable without straining - maybe 3-4 kg) - or use your baby! Extend this further by twisting from your waist as you come up, looking over your shoulder and lifting the weight over the same shoulder. Make sure you knees stay in line with your toes. Return to the starting position and repeat 15-20 times swinging your arms up to alternate sides. Remember, keeping your core engaged ensures you get maximum benefit from any post pregnancy exercise Alexandra McCabe is a founder of FittaMamma, the healthy pregnancy experts. FittaMamma is a free resource to help women enjoy an active pregnancy and lose post pregnancy baby weight with workout guide, recipes and yoga tips. Here are tips for toning your bum for part of postnatal exercise plans
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