We should not take pregnancy and exercise as opposites, but as something that compliments each other. It is a known fact that it is natural for a pregnant mother to put on weight during pregnancy, but this weight gain must be maintained at all times. It will be easier to get rid of this excess weight after the child is born.
Note: This article contains Affiliate Links. If you purchase anything after clicking an Affiliate Link, I may receive some compensation, with no additional cost to you. Read more here.
Many women, or even men, believe that when a woman gets pregnant, it will make the woman out of shape and feel that she will not get back to the body she once had.
We need to remove this image from our minds.
As you can see, many actresses and celebrities have gotten back into shape after having delivered their children.
So if they can do it, so can you.
Even when writing this post, a mother of three, Mrs. Kokilam Kathiravalu from Malaysia, was one of Mrs. World’s 2019 beauty pageant’s top three winners. Please read it here.
Pregnancy exercise is one more thing that should always be done at the advice of a medical doctor, and mainly, you should know if you are fit to exercise. He will give you the right workout plans for pregnancy.
There is this traditional belief that a pregnant woman should not do exercise or any heavy work. In the olden days, it was difficult to get a doctor if you felt “sick,” so the best thing to do was to stay away from all activities. Today, this is not the case anymore as there are so many doctors who can attend to you promptly if there are any complications or queries.
And it is a fact that a healthy mother will lead to an easier natural delivery and to a healthy, jovial baby.
Healthy Pregnancy Habits
Some pregnant women have this yearning to eat or do something. Some will eat more than usual, whether it’s healthy or junk food. Some will smoke to reduce stress, and some will drink alcohol. These are all terrible habits that need to be restrained for the mother and the baby’s good.
So they should incorporate proper nutrition and healthy workouts into their daily lives. The partner should play an active role together. He should give all the support and motivation possible at all times.
Eat lots of fruits and vegetables to get what is necessary for both of you. Try not to depend much on pills or supplements. Eating as healthy as possible is best. There is also a tendency for some to be couch potatoes. They will try to get their partner to do most of the things around them. Some say this is their chance to “bully” the partner.
But never be a couch potato. Please do the workouts as before you were pregnant, and if you have been an active person, you should be able to assess how much exercise you can do. But then there are some women who go through bad vomiting or morning sickness. You are the most knowledgeable about what you should do. Never sit down and do nothing.
Some housework where you need to bend and twist a little is okay. But always remember during this pregnancy period to do things in moderation. Never exert yourself or do high-impact exercises or work. Even a racket game is not advisable when you are out of balance.
So, maintaining a good workout routine during the pregnancy period will keep you healthy, happy and motivated.
Pregnancy Workouts
Brisk walking is one of the best exercises you can do. Your husband, or if you have other children, can tag along. This activity is suitable for family bonding and time together. Pick unfamiliar places every day, so you will not get bored. A beautiful environment or a different park will be good for excitement and happiness.
But depending on where you are staying, in high-rise buildings or apartments, it would not be easy to find a suitable walking place. You can always get a treadmill or an elliptical machine to work out on. Both are low-impact machines. Working out on them will be one of the safest forms of exercise, and whenever you feel like it, you can workout.
Next is in the swimming pool, where you can swim lightly or walk in the water. Again, your children or other children jumping, shouting, or diving will give you joy too. Watching them play is so wonderful.
The key here is variety in daily activities and places. The smell of natural fresh air, flowers, and nature will do wonders.
Coming back to home or gym exercises, if you were highly active before your pregnancy, you might miss your cardio sessions where blood circulation and an excellent heart-pumping activity will be right for you and the baby. This is where gentle hiking or brisk walking comes in handy.
If this is difficult, you can also get a home exercise bike or other home fitness equipment to do some cardio exercises. A stationary bike is a beautiful way to give you a good sweat.
No matter how active you were before you were pregnant, try to restrain yourself from doing active sports like skipping, full gym workouts, running, and other bumping sports. Avoid strenuous activities, but a little strength training is OK as long as it’s done at a very minimum.
You may have heard, or maybe you are going through it, that the back, neck, and legs ache during pregnancy, especially during the later pregnancy stage. So an excellent, moderate workout involving all these muscles will reduce all these aches. If good posture is maintained, all this discomfort will lessen.
Again, get expert medical advice on the best types of exercises and how they should be done. Just be careful and don’t overdo it. Daily movement and not being idle is essential.
Exercises After Pregnancy
Now, with all the activities done to get yourself in good controllable shape and not gain unwanted fat around the body, and with the beautiful baby’s delivery, what is next to get back to your beautiful self before pregnancy?
It will not be easy, but persistence, regular activity, and the correct nutrition will get you what you want. Your mindset should be in the right state first. What you want is what will happen. Remember, many celebrities are back to normal after delivery.
Think about this for a moment. You are back to your standard body shape, but with the addition of a healthy and joyful baby. What else does a woman want?
Depending on if it’s a standard delivery or a caesarian, you can be back to a slow workout after a few weeks. Usually, with standard delivery, the mother can start some light activities after two or three weeks. Give yourself about two or three months to start an exercise program.
Go for all the daily light activities you can do initially, like slow walking. Monitor yourself if you increase the intensity. You can start with some light home exercises, like using the home fitness equipment most suited to you. A treadmill that has variable speed and incline will be okay. Even a stationary bike with music or a TV with entertainment will do wonders.
It will amaze you how well you have done within six months. You will be the envy of most mothers. Note that a child’s birth does not “cage” you to living a life with an out-of-shape body. If you closely monitor your activities, you can have many babies and have the same body shape.
You will instil in the child your determination, persistence, discipline, and hard work. Medical science has proven that what a mother does during the pregnancy period is what the child picks up. These are all excellent qualities a child will pick up. Who knows, he or she will be a talented athlete one day.
One great thing about being in shape after pregnancy is that you get to use all the dresses, pants, and other items you have not used for some time.
The incredible feeling of the nine months, delivering the baby, and getting back into your usual self, or better, will be one memory a mother will never forget, and so will it be for the father.
In Summary,
Remove the belief that if you have a child, you will lose your beauty and people will no longer see you the same way. Always have this picture in your mind that if others, after having babies, look like a lady who is not married, can look so beautiful, so can you.
What you need is just a healthy mindset with determination and persistence to follow all the activities. It is OK to let go and enjoy what you yearn for during pregnancy, but in a steady state. Always be conscious of what you are eating or what “inappropriate activities” you are doing, and you can never be wrong.
That is you. A beautiful mother with a beautiful baby.
Mothers and would-be mothers, are you doing activities you would like to share in this post to benefit other would-be mothers? Please share your experience below in the comments section.
Note: This article contains Affiliate Links. If you purchase anything after clicking an Affiliate Link, I may receive some compensation, with no additional cost to you. Read more here.