Rehabilitation fitness: exercises after childbirth. Gymnastics after childbirth: functions, tips, sets of exercises

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It is known that during the postpartum period the body recovers from the stress suffered the day before. In addition, mothers want to regain the physical shape they were in before pregnancy as soon as possible. To fulfill this desire, you must follow certain recommendations. And exercise after childbirth is one of these recommendations.

Of course, physical exercise is very beneficial for the body, but we must not forget about reviewing the system and diet. During pregnancy and after childbirth, weight usually increases slightly because the body needs a large amount of nutrients to provide energy not only for the mother, but also for the fetus.

Classes in the first weeks

You can ask the question: is it necessary to take any active actions at all to quickly restore the body after childbirth? So, the answer to this question is unequivocal - it is necessary, even necessary.

the production of hormones responsible for good health and mood increases in the brain;
body weight is normalized, and the figure acquires the contours characteristic before pregnancy;
prevention of pain and rapid fatigue;
increase in vitality.

In addition, systematic physical exercise after childbirth helps smooth out the symptoms of postpartum depression.

As can be seen from all of the above, exercise after childbirth is of great importance in restoring the body.

Figure after childbirth

When should you do so-called physical therapy? It is recommended to start doing physical exercises already in the maternity hospital. If the birth took place without complications, then you can start exercising within a day after the birth of the child.
It is recommended to exercise several times a day. However, it would be a good idea to consult a doctor about this. If, when performing certain movements, you feel discomfort, then you should stop performing the movements and call a doctor.

You should start with short (approximately five-minute) sessions. Practice in this mode until you are ready to perform more complex movements.

Physical activity after caesarean section

You need to start with simple exercises that will promote recovery and strengthen the abdominal muscles after surgery. It is possible that the stitch may pull while you engage in physical activity, but please note that there should be no pain.

After a caesarean section you may feel more tired, but this is normal since you have had surgery.

Prohibited exercises

Doctors do not recommend swimming until seven days after vaginal discharge has stopped. If you had stitches or a caesarean section, you should start exercising after you have been seen by your doctor six weeks after giving birth. In addition, it is not recommended to exercise in the knee-elbow position for several weeks, because there is a possibility of developing an air embolism (the formation of air bubbles at the placenta attachment site). There is no need to practice fitness if less than six weeks have passed since the birth of the child.

Where should you start?

The most important movements after childbirth (in the first few days) are exercises that work the pelvic floor muscles (also called Kegel exercises), so it is recommended to start doing them as early as possible. They speed up the recovery of the vagina and perineum. Blood circulation in this area improves, swelling and hematomas disappear faster. When performing Kegel exercises, there is virtually no risk of seams coming apart.

Exercises for the lower abdominal muscles

The lower abdominal muscle is also called the transverse abdominal muscle. It, together with the pelvic floor muscles, stabilizes (supports) the pelvis and back. By strengthening these muscle groups, the former physical shape returns and the stomach becomes flat.
The exercise must be performed lying on your side or back. Inhale, and then as you exhale, tighten your pelvic floor muscles. Imagine that you are trying to delay the process of urination.

When the muscles are contracted, you need to pull the navel inward and upward so that there is a feeling of tension in the lower abdominal muscle. You need to stay in this position for 10 seconds, without holding your breath, and then slowly relax your muscles. Repeat the exercise several times (5-30). Here the lower abdominal and pelvic floor muscles work simultaneously. According to the assurances of an American specialist in the field of gynecology, Kegel, this exercise is an effective prevention of urinary incontinence.

Pelvic tilts

This exercise is very useful as it uses the muscles of the back and abdomen. The movement can be performed lying down, sitting or on an exercise ball.

Exercises for the muscles of the upper back and neck

Since at the initial stage of the baby’s development, parents have to spend a long time in a bent position, exercises for the neck and back are important.

Exercise: you need to sit up straight, cross your arms over your chest, turn to the left, then to the right. Repeat the movement 10 times in each direction.

One more move e: performed from a sitting position, hands connected at the back of the neck. Turn the torso to the sides.
Stand facing the wall, your legs need to be apart and slightly bent at the knee joints. Your hands should rest your palms on the wall, your forearms should be pressed against the wall. We tense our abdominal muscles, as if bringing our right elbow together with our left knee and vice versa. This exercise uses the back and abdominal muscles.

At the same time, bending and turning the head are the main exercises for the neck.

Fitness

This type of physical activity should be postponed for at least six weeks after birth. Fitness is good for your health, but you need to exercise it very carefully during the postpartum period, especially if you had a caesarean section. This applies, first of all, to lifting weights.

Fitball exercises

Fitball is a gymnastic ball that has many positive properties. Simple exercises on a fitball after childbirth are great for lifting your mood and don’t require much effort. You need to sit on the ball and perform springing movements as quickly as possible. Then you can complicate the task: alternate springing movements with pulling your knees to your chest.

Lie down on the exercise ball with your stomach, raise your legs slightly above the floor, start walking on your hands so that the gymnastic ball rolls across your body from your shins to your chest. You can place the ball under your shoulder blades while starting to lift your pelvis. In general, there are a large number of exercise options using a fitball. So you definitely won’t face monotonous workouts.

Recommendations for performing exercises during the postpartum period

When rising from a lying position, you first need to roll over onto your side, and only then stand up.
It is recommended to lie on your stomach most of the time, as this helps to contract the smooth muscles of the uterus: thus facilitating the outflow of postpartum secretions.
Try to walk more: walking speeds up recovery processes.
The exercises must be performed regularly, several times a day.
Movements must be done smoothly.
Classrooms must be well ventilated, and the air temperature in them must be at least 18 degrees.
Exercise after childbirth only in comfortable clothing.
It is recommended to carry out training after breastfeeding.

It is not necessary to perform exactly the exercises listed in this article. They are indicative, you can modify them, introduce some of your own movements, and experiment. For example, Kegel exercises can be performed in various modifications. By diversifying your workouts, you will enjoy them more.

Thus, physical exercise after childbirth is an excellent tool that promotes rapid regeneration of the body. Before engaging in physical activity, you should consult your doctor. In addition, it is important to conduct self-control. You will be pleasantly surprised how quickly exercise will help you tone up, improve your mood, and prepare your body for further work.

A set of exercises after childbirth

Many women are interested in physical exercises after childbirth, thanks to which they can regain their previous shape and become attractive again. Since a number of changes occur in the female body over a long period of gestation, after the baby is born the mother will have to spend some time recovering.

The article will tell you what exercises you can do after childbirth to lose weight and strengthen muscles without moving away from your baby. At home, you can perform a whole range of different movements that will quickly return your body to its normal state.

Why do mothers need physical education?

Exercises after childbirth are necessary for women to improve their well-being and tighten their figure. The most important thing is to approach sports responsibly so as not to aggravate the condition, because in addition to training, strength and time must be spent on the baby. Exercise helps:

improve blood circulation;
reduce weight;
reduce spasms;
normalize metabolic processes;
restore the tone of the abdominal muscle groups;
recharge your batteries;
mobilize forces;
restore vaginal muscles;
return to normal breast shape.

Basic rules

A set of exercises after childbirth can easily be performed at home, but this should be done with extreme caution. Training should have a noticeable effect and not cause harm to health. To ensure this, you need to learn a few simple rules:

loads must be regular;
when performing exercises, the air temperature should be no less than 20 and no more than 23 degrees;
before training you need to empty your bladder and bowels;
in the first month after childbirth, it is forbidden to make sudden movements and lift weights of more than 4 kg;
During breastfeeding, you should not perform exercises that load the shoulder girdle, as they can disrupt lactation.

Restrictions

The most common exercises after childbirth, to the surprise of many mothers, have certain limitations. They should not be performed in the following situations:

excessive exhaustion of the body;
exacerbation of chronic diseases;
severe birth injuries;
acute pathologies.

In the case of cesarean section, perineal ruptures and episiotomy, you are allowed to start exercising only two months after birth. In addition, the approval of a doctor is required to perform physical exercises, since each person’s body has its own individual characteristics.

Elementary exercises

Mothers are often interested in what exercises to do after childbirth, forgetting about the simplest steps:

"Bike". This well-known exercise helps you lose weight and strengthen various muscle groups. It is done in a lying position with legs raised and bent at right angles. Next, for a certain time, you need to alternately move your legs, imitating riding a bicycle. You can make the task more difficult by placing your hands behind your head and lifting your shoulder blades off the floor.
"Scissors". Another popular exercise from childhood is performed in the same position. It requires raising your straight legs 45 degrees and crossing them in rhythm, without lowering or raising too high.
"Boat". Having turned over on your stomach, you should simultaneously raise your legs and torso, depicting the rocking of the vessel on the water.
Twisting. The complex ends with an exercise that everyone certainly did at school. To perform it, you need to lie on your back, bend your legs and pull them towards you, rest your feet on the floor, and place your hands behind your head. Having fixed your legs under a sofa or any other weight, you should lift your torso, exhale, and then return to the starting position while inhaling.

To eliminate a hanging belly, it will be enough to perform all these exercises every other day. It is recommended to do each of them in 3 sets of 1 minute.

Fitball training

Quite effective physical exercises after childbirth can be done on a special ball, which is available in many homes. Fitball training is very simple, so it is ideal for those who want to start exercising immediately after being discharged from the hospital:

10 jumps on the ball from a sitting position;
8 crunches (lie on your back on the apparatus and raise your shoulder girdle);
30-40 seconds of bridge (done as a regular exercise, but here you need to place the fitball under you so that it does not allow you to fall).

Other complexes

In addition to the above, there are other interesting exercises. Alone, they provide only a minor effect, but taken together, their positive aspects will be noticeable almost immediately.

Below are different workout options. They are aimed at working the abdomen, spine, pelvic muscles and other purposes. Since it is recommended to practice every day, these complexes can be performed in turn. Thanks to this, the load will be evenly distributed and the desired goal will be achieved faster.

Abdominal exercises

The main problem of all mothers is stretched abdominal muscles. It is possible to cope with this, but it will take a lot of effort. Experts offer interesting ones. They will very quickly tone up the abs, normalize the functioning of the intestines and stomach, and also help a woman lose weight.

The best home exercises after childbirth for abdominal muscles:

Lie on your back, place your hands behind your head, bend your legs and place your feet at a distance of 8-10 centimeters from the pelvis. As you exhale, you need to tense your buttocks and thighs as much as possible, and then lift your pelvis off the floor and lift it as high as possible. After 10 seconds you should return to the starting position. A total of 10 repetitions are worth doing. At the top, the muscles of the buttocks and thighs should still remain tense.
Without leaving the lying position with bent legs, you need to place your left ankle on your right knee, clasp your hands and bring them to the back of your head. After exhaling, you should tense your abs and try to touch your left knee with your right elbow, and then return to the original position. This exercise should be performed in 3 sets of 15 repetitions.
While remaining in a lying position, you need to move your flattened feet 20 centimeters away from your pelvis and raise your toes. Then you should touch your right heel with your right hand, lifting your shoulders and shoulder blades off the floor. Afterwards, the same actions need to be done with the left side. All this must be done at a moderate pace, feeling the tension in the press. In total, you should perform 2 sets of 15 times.
You can complete the complex with the “bicycle” exercise described above.

Spine training

Exercises after childbirth at home, the purpose of which is to strengthen the spine, are also popular. They are easy to perform without additional equipment, so they can be called ideal for independent implementation within a house or apartment.

The complex includes the following exercises:

"Fish" The first step is to lie on your back, place your arms along your body and completely relax. Next, you need to move your hips and body in opposite directions at a moderate pace, imitating the movement of a fish in the water. It is recommended to repeat such movements for a minute.
"Kitty." The well-known exercise is performed in a standing position on all fours. To do this, you should rest your palms on the floor, and then, as you exhale, bend your lower back and lower yourself down as much as possible, without using your arms and legs. After inhaling, you need to bend your back in the opposite direction and at the same time lower your head. This exercise is performed at least 10 times.
"Wall". Standing closer to the wall, you need to straighten your spine and touch the back of your head, buttocks, heels and shoulder blades to the surface. Next, you need to take turns raising your bent legs up, pressing your knees to your stomach. It is advisable to do this without using your hands, but at first you can still use them a little. The “wall” should be performed 15 times.
"Tree". The final exercise is done in a standing position. Your feet should be shoulder-width apart and your arms should be raised up. As you inhale, you need to stretch upward, feeling each vertebra. Then you need to repeat the same thing, spreading your arms to the sides. You must hold each pose for 30 seconds.

Prevention of varicose veins

Among the variety of exercises for women after childbirth, there are also those that help fight varicose veins. Many people face this problem, but not everyone knows about its solution. In fact, there is nothing particularly difficult about this.

To prevent varicose veins, you can perform the following exercises:

Lie on your back, straighten up and curl your toes. After holding for 15 seconds, relax, and then tense them again. In total, you should perform 10 repetitions (if desired, the number can be increased to 20).
Without leaving the previous position, you need to quickly tense and relax your buttocks (together or in turn), thighs and ankles for a minute. Then place a pillow under your feet and lie in a relaxed position for about 15 minutes.

Complex for pelvic muscles

The joints and muscles of the pelvis, oddly enough, also need attention. To work them out, there is an interesting complex that includes only 2 exercises. Performing them is not so difficult, so even for mothers who have just been discharged from the maternity hospital, they will not present much difficulty.

Effective exercises after childbirth for the pelvic muscles:

Sitting on the floor with your legs extended in front of you, take a few “steps” forward and back, using only your gluteal muscles. You need to repeat this for a minute.
Standing straight with your palms on your waist, perform 10 pelvic rotations in one direction and then in the other. In this case, the muscles of the buttocks, abdomen and thighs should be relaxed.

after childbirth

Another amazing set of exercises designed for the pelvic floor muscles is loved by all women. The main task after childbirth is to hold the internal organs in the pelvis, which is difficult to achieve, because under normal conditions these muscles work extremely rarely.

Before you look at Kegel exercises, you need to identify the muscles you need. This is done very simply: you need to try to stop urination. At this time, tense muscles will be felt, which are necessary in this complex.

Now it’s time to go directly to the training. The whole complex contains a lot of exercises, but it makes no sense to consider them all, because the process of their implementation and effectiveness are similar to each other. During the training period, you need to tense only pre-defined muscles (as indicated above).

The best exercises in the Kegel complex are:

Squeeze the muscles, hold for 5 seconds and relax (10 repetitions).
Clench and unclench the muscles at a fast pace (3 sets of 8-12 repetitions)
Squeeze the muscles as hard as possible, hold for 30 seconds and return back (5 times).
Push moderately, as during childbirth (4-5 repetitions).

The entire complex must be performed in a lying position. These 4 actions will take no more than half an hour, so mom will have time to exercise while her child is sleeping peacefully.

Breathing exercises

Special breathing exercises help in losing weight no less than Kegel exercises after childbirth. It is recommended for restoring the body and improving well-being. Its goals are to improve blood circulation and speed up metabolism. In addition, breathing exercises are a good way to strengthen the abdominal muscles.

Gymnastics is performed as follows:

put your hands on your ribs;
inhale deeply through your nose, inflating your stomach;
exhale smoothly through your mouth, drawing in your navel.

During the execution, be sure to watch your shoulders. They must remain motionless, otherwise no effect will be obtained. In total, it is recommended to perform 2 sets of 10 inhalations and exhalations.

The question of when, after discharge from the maternity ward, you can start playing sports to get in shape faster is relevant for many. Usually, even in the maternity hospital, the doctor warns about what physical activity should be postponed for a certain period of time, directly related to the health status of the mother in labor. This is due to the need to restore the body, reduce the uterus to its usual size, and end lochia. Therefore, even if you really want to go to the gym, sports after childbirth, when to start exercise, which largely depends on the chosen type, is possible no earlier than a month later.

What can you do immediately after discharge?

Gentle loads for young mothers are not only allowed, but also directly indicated. They help normalize blood circulation, recover faster after surgery, and get rid of swelling. Such activities may include:

dancing;
fast walking;
yoga with calm asanas.

If a woman has not stopped exercising during pregnancy, then there is no need to take a break and continue exercising immediately, naturally, if the doctor approves of them and the birth was without complications. Running, cycling, and working with weights are not included in the loads allowed during this period, even if the strength and desire to do them are present.

Sports after childbirth accompanied by ruptures or episiotomy with suturing

Quite often, childbirth occurs with complications. In this case, you should start thinking about what exercises you can do after childbirth much later than if the birth of the baby did not cause additional health problems for the mother. If there are stitches in the perineum, regardless of whether they are the result of an episiotomy or repair of tears, you can exercise after they have resolved or been removed, in fact no earlier than 5-6 weeks later. But even after this point, the load should be chosen that will not further injure the damaged area. Therefore, cycling or exercises related to weight lifting should be postponed to a later date. But you can do aerobics, fitness, gymnastics, and running without any problems.

Physical activity after childbirth through surgery

A cesarean section operation imposes even greater restrictions on your lifestyle: you cannot strain your abs and go to the gym until you have fully recovered, otherwise the stitches may come apart. At first, movements should be smooth and careful, although few people would think of going to the gym, since even simple steps cause pain. The ban on caesarean section also applies to whether you can spin a hula hoop after childbirth. Usually, doctors impose restrictions on the types of activities of the mother during a cesarean section for at least two months. This is due not only to the condition of the outer seam. The uterus recovers more slowly after surgery than during natural childbirth, so scar formation also takes time. Doctors recommend calm walking, home exercises, then swimming and Pilates as the first exercises after surgery. All exercises should not cause discomfort, although pain in the suture area can persist for up to six months and this is considered normal. Active fitness involving bending over, working on the abdominal muscles, and lifting weights can be started after six months and preferably after consultation with your doctor.

How much to exercise and how to combine sports with breastfeeding

The load should be increased gradually, regardless of the type chosen. It is advisable to start with simple exercises, allowing the body to remember the sensations during and after exercise. The number of exercises themselves, be it squats or abdominal presses, should be such that the last of them is done with effort, but not with all your might. Here a lot depends on the level of physical fitness, but the general principle remains the same: you need to increase the number of exercises in stages, as well as the number of cycles. In order to get a visible result, there should be at least three workouts per week lasting 30 minutes or more.

There is a lot of discussion about the compatibility of physical activity and breastfeeding. When wondering what exercises can be done after childbirth, young mothers sometimes hear that it is better not to overdo the exercises, as this may “burn out” breast milk or change the taste due to lactic acid released into the blood. Regular fitness, swimming or other exercises cannot lead to such a result; for such changes to occur, you need to train almost to the point of exhaustion. If you feel that lactation is getting smaller after training, you just need to reconsider your drinking regimen. It is possible that the body loses more fluid during training, so you should drink not only after exercise, but also during it.

How to exercise with a new lifestyle

It is good if it is possible to leave the baby with grandmothers or a nanny, although if you are breastfeeding, even with such helpers it is difficult to leave home for a long period of time. If caring for the child lies entirely with the mother, there is no time for a gym or swimming pool. Therefore, to get your figure in shape, you will have to select activities that do not require special equipment and allow you to perform exercises without leaving your child. These can be the same yoga or Pilates, various aerobic exercises according to video programs, or banal exercises. It wouldn’t hurt to find out whether you can spin a hula hoop after childbirth, if your health allows it. But the most effective “simulator” for a mother during the postpartum period can be a stroller with a child. If you introduce the rule of walking for at least two hours twice a day, then even with simple walking at a measured pace during this period you can burn at least 1000 calories. If the movements are intense, then calorie consumption will increase. Some mothers practice climbing uphill with a stroller acting as a weight. This requires more effort compared to walking on a flat road. By combining such activities with proper nutrition, losing excess weight will not be difficult. Not only do the extra pounds gained during pregnancy go away, but the leg muscles also tighten and the silhouette becomes more toned. Particularly active mothers manage to combine walks with their children with roller skating, although this requires a fairly flat road and an open or spacious park, since rolling a stroller on skates along a narrow sidewalk is not very convenient or safe.

What other exercises can you do with your child?

In general, sports after childbirth, when to start doing what, is up to each mother to decide for herself, and can be accessible even with a baby in her arms. To do this, just put it next to you on the mat and perform body lifts, squats, lunges, and leg swings. Lying on your back, you can use the baby himself as a “weight.” The mother will have the opportunity to train her arm muscles, and the child will have the opportunity to develop the vestibular apparatus, train coordination of movements and just have fun. In the first months of life, when the baby spends most of the day sleeping, classes can be combined with these periods. It’s quite possible to carve out half an hour a day for yourself, and even such a short period of time allotted for exercise will definitely give results with regular exercise.

During the period when a woman carries her unborn baby for nine months, a significant restructuring occurs in almost all systems of her body. Due to the increased overall load and hormonal changes The woman’s weight increases, and as a result, after the birth of the baby, the young mother remains extra kilos.

Without a doubt, every young mother wants to return to her previous shape as quickly as possible. But in the postpartum period, the body is weakened, a reverse restructuring of all systems occurs, and very often, in order to return to the previous weight, you have to not only limit yourself in nutrition, but also ensure sufficient physical activity.

In general, the postpartum period lasts about eight weeks: during this time, the restructuring of the body occurs most actively. Due to such high tension, doctors do not advise practicing too much physical tension at this time. But still postpartum gymnastics can gradually be introduced into the lifestyle of a young mother from the first weeks. The main condition is that exercises in the first days after childbirth should be as gentle as possible, and the load can be increased gradually, from day to day.

Basic rules of postpartum gymnastics

It is optimal to start playing sports after the birth of a child only after consulting with your doctor: he will be able to determine whether the recovery process is proceeding normally and will tell you which exercises can be practiced now, and which loads are best avoided for now.

The main task facing a woman who intends to gradually introduce postpartum gymnastics into her daily routine is the restoration of posture, gait, and the return of the normal tone of all muscles that have lost elasticity during the period (in particular, we are talking about the pelvic floor and abdominal muscles).

Also, gymnastics after childbirth helps to return the pelvic and abdominal organs to their normal position, activates blood circulation, breathing, and helps normalize the state of the nervous system.

In order for postpartum gymnastics to bring maximum benefit to the young mother and contribute to both physical and emotional recovery, several important points should be taken into account.

When starting to do exercises every day, you need to go from simple to complex, gradually increasing the load. It is advisable to perform a set of exercises every day that is at least slightly different from the previous one. Boring gymnastics, monotonously repeated day after day, can negatively affect the general condition of the body and have no effect in terms of weight loss. In addition, there is a high risk that such activities may simply bore the young mother.

In the first weeks of classes, gymnastics should be performed every day. When the intensity of physical activity and the total duration of the session increases significantly, the number of such workouts can be reduced to 3 times a week.

A woman who has recently given birth to a child should perform all movements smoothly and slowly; if necessary, immediately make a short stop and restore breathing.

For training, you need to choose suitable clothes - comfortable, not restrictive to the body. Recumbent exercises should be performed while lying on a flat floor surface. Before training, it is important to thoroughly ventilate the room so that during the exercises the woman deeply inhales clean and fresh air.

Before starting gymnastics, a young mother must empty her bladder and bowels. It is advisable to take a thoughtful approach to the time of training: it is optimal to do a set of exercises about one hour before meals and after the baby has finished feeding. The fact is that in the process of intense loads, production occurs lactic acid , which can change the taste of milk. If you exercise too much, milk production may decrease slightly. Therefore, it is recommended both during physical training and after performing exercises to drink as much fluid as possible - preferably plain clean water.

During the postpartum period, the preferred types of physical activity are walking with a stroller and swimming. In winter you can go skiing and ice skating. But with strength exercises, cycling, running, as well as extreme exercises and sports, it is advisable to wait at least a few months.

Exercises from the postpartum gymnastics complex in the first days after childbirth

Whatever set of exercises a young mother chooses, before starting the main part, you should do a short five-minute warm-up. If a woman exercises for at least an hour, then warming up can take up to ten minutes.

The beginning of the warm-up can be deep breathing - several very deep inhalations and exhalations. Next comes the stretching: you need to stretch up, then bend down and touch the floor with your fingers. The warm-up can include wide arm swings in different directions, up and down, and steps in place.

Almost the next day after the birth of the baby, provided there are no complications and good health, the new mother can perform simple exercises.

While lying down, you can twirl your hands at face level for several minutes, imitating washing in a unique way. In the same position, you need to tuck your legs one by one, sliding them along the surface of the floor.

While lying down, you should lift your pelvis up. In this case, the legs are bent at the knees, and the hands are behind the head. You can sit down several times from a lying position, while waving your arms, trying to reach your toes. It is also recommended to perform light movements, making a “bicycle”. Then you can roll over onto your stomach and, clasping your hands under your chin, lift your legs one by one, holding them a little in a suspended position. You can also lift your legs up one at a time while standing on all fours. All exercises are performed ten times. After this, clench and unclench your toes ten to fifteen times. These simple exercises are useful both for preventing the development and for training weakened abdominal muscles.

There are other postpartum gymnastics complexes that can be practiced the very next day after a grandiose event in the mother’s life. Exercises that involve deep breathing are very useful. It is important that the lower abdomen is involved in the process of inhalation and exhalation.

For the first exercise, you need to lie on your back and bend both legs at the knees. Hands are on the stomach. Inhale through the nose, slowly, exhale through the mouth. When exhaling deeply, the stomach should be stroked from below to the navel. It is important that no pressure is applied to the stomach: movements should be light. This exercise is repeated 15-20 times. After this, the woman should roll over onto her stomach. To make lying more comfortable, place a small pillow under your stomach. Breathing is done from the lower abdomen, it should be as deep as possible. When you exhale, the pelvis moves upward. Such exercises help improve the functioning of a woman’s cardiovascular system, activate blood flow, stimulate metabolism . In addition, by performing breathing exercises for several weeks, you can perfectly prepare your muscles for further more intense exercise. The total duration of gymnastics in the first days after childbirth should not exceed 10-15 minutes. But you can perform such simple workouts several times a day. But it is extremely important that a woman under no circumstances exercise too intensely in the first days after giving birth: she absolutely must not overexert herself.

Women who have suffered , should postpone physical activity until your doctor allows you to do light exercises.

Already in the maternity hospital, the young mother should remember the so-called Kegel exercises . To perform this exercise correctly, the pelvic floor muscles need to be pulled in as you inhale and relaxed as you exhale. Gymnastics afterward must necessarily include such an exercise, since it is extremely important for restoring the elasticity of the vaginal muscles. In order for muscle tone to be restored as quickly as possible, this exercise should be repeated every day at least a hundred times, performing it in several approaches throughout the day.

All the described exercises can be varied at your own discretion. There is no need to perform those that cause a persistent feeling of discomfort. The main thing is that the activity brings pleasure, and after it there is a feeling of vivacity, and not fatigue.

Exercises from the postpartum gymnastics complex during the recovery period

Around the third week, more complex exercises can be introduced into the postpartum gymnastics complex, which help strengthen the tone of the body muscles. It is advisable to diversify the set of exercises in a lying position. So, you can perform alternate leg lifts: straightening your leg at the top, a woman can hold her leg in this position and work with her toe, alternately pulling it towards her and pulling it back. On the following leg lifts, you should make rotational movements. Repeat lifting each leg 15-20 times.

In a lying position, the arms are extended along the body. As you exhale, your legs should be pulled toward your chest one at a time. The exercise on each leg is repeated 6 times. After completing the approach, you should straighten up, stretching out in a string: your toes are pulled in one direction, your fingers in the other.

Lying on your stomach, your hands should be folded under your forehead with the backs of your hands. Exhaling air, lift your upper body up. Hands remain pressed to the floor surface. You cannot throw your head back: it is in line with the spine. The lift is repeated 6-7 times.

It is useful to introduce the well-known “cat” exercise into the general complex of postpartum gymnastics: to perform it, you need to get on all fours and bend your back as much as possible, rounding it. While performing this exercise, you should also retract the muscles of the perineum.

An exercise is also performed on all fours, which helps strengthen the tone of the muscles of the perineum and abdomen at the same time. To do this, you need to lower yourself onto your elbows, exhale air and bring your shoulder blades together. As you inhale, the shoulder blades spread, and the back rounds as much as possible, as in the case of performing the “cat”. Remaining in this position, you should retract the perineum and abdomen as much as possible. As you exhale, maximum relaxation follows.

Another exercise should be performed while sitting on a chair. In this case, you need to straighten your back as much as possible and pull in your stomach. The legs are located approximately shoulder width apart. In this position, bends to the sides are performed. In this case, you need to reach the floor with your palm. You need to bend over 6-7 times in each direction. However, for women who had sutures placed on the perineum during childbirth, it is better not to perform sitting exercises for several more weeks. You can also bend to the sides alternately from a standing position: this exercise helps shape the waistline.

In a standing position, you can do any simple exercises aimed at training the abdominal muscles, arms, and legs. Exercises that include movements of the pelvis are useful: for example, standing on your knees slightly bent (with your legs together), you should swing your pelvis back and forth, draw a circle in one direction and the other. When performing rotational movements, you should try to strongly retract your stomach. As you inhale, you need to stop, as you exhale, continue moving forward.

After completing a set of exercises, you should rest a little, lying on the floor on your stomach or back. In this case, breathing should be very deep.

At home, it is useful to include several exercises with dumbbells in the general complex of postpartum gymnastics. So-called resistance exercises to strengthen muscles are performed with light dumbbells (their weight should not exceed 1 kg).

In addition, after the postpartum 6-8 weeks, you can perform full abdominal exercises (sit down from a lying position), do push-ups from the floor.

Another option for quite fun postpartum gymnastics is doing exercises together with the baby and dad. While the child is small, he can act as a kind of “projectile”: the baby can be lifted on bent legs, squatted with a kangaroo backpack in which the baby is sitting. And later, the baby will gradually get used to the fact that daily gymnastics is the norm. In addition, activities with the mother always bring joy to a rapidly growing child.