Caring for baby isn't a workout
Some may feel being a mother is exercise enough. It is not. Of course, activity surrounding the needs of infants, children and home does count, but it does little to advance your cardiovascular health and even less for muscular improvement. For you to feel comfortable in your body again, you need to address each of these.
Once again, time becomes the challenge. How do you find time to work out with a baby? There are a couple of ways, actually. One is to schedule a short workout each day when hubby can take over for you. Another is to incorporate baby into your activity.
If you are getting this time, make the most of it. Thirty minutes to an hour will allow time for a quick gym or video workout -- cardio, yoga, Pilates, strength or dance session. Or, you could take a refreshing power walk through your neighborhood, followed by a soothing bath for rejuvenation, reflection and a focus on yourself.
Move it, baby
If you can't carve out enough free time, make your baby part of your workout. When weather permits, put your baby in a sturdy stroller and get moving. Make sure it has a deep seat and the seat belt attached. You should also have a safety wrist strap to prevent any kind of separation from you and the stroller. If sun is a factor, shade the baby to protect his or her skin from sunburn.
Brisk walking is a great cardio choice, but pushing and maneuvering a baby in a stroller adds the element of strength to your walk. Babies become natural progressive weights for you in your quest for fitness. They start small and grow, which increases your resistance gradually and safely.
Build a better body
Strolling with baby will challenge your heart and lungs. Start on a smooth, level sidewalk or road, free of traffic, gravel and potholes -- vibration and bumping are not good for the baby or your wrists, arms and shoulders. Also, jogging strollers can teach poor posture habits because they encourage a forward lean. Concentrate on walking with your head up and a neutral spine.
As your fitness level improves, increase your pace or add incline to your walk. By walking with your baby, you are actively pursuing a healthy body and relieving stress, which will make you a happier mom. Furthermore, setting examples and instilling healthy habits right from the start will increase the likelihood that your baby will do the same. And not only is this the best gift a mother can give her children, it's also the best gift she can give herself.
Cindy Boggs, fitness presenter, author and Activate America director, has been an ACE-certified instructor/trainer since 1989. Send your questions about fitness, training or health to her at YMCA of Kanawha Valley, 100 YMCA Drive, Charleston, WV 25311, or email cindys...@aol.com. Look for Cindy's award-winning fitness advice book, "CindySays ... You Can Find Health in Your Hectic World," on her website, www.cindysays.com, or contact the YMCA at 304-340-3527.
CHARLESTON, W.Va. -- Dear Cindy,
As a young mother, I thought it would be easy. I delivered our daughter five months ago without a hitch, but now I have no more excuses for waddling when I walk. I can't lose the weight -- well, I lost 20 pounds but had gained close to 45 and can't lose the 25. I am desperate to get back in shape and depressed because I am not able to wear any of my pre-pregnancy clothes. I don't have time to exercise and no energy after getting up with the baby. My husband is supportive but I don't feel comfortable in my body right now. Please help. -- Amy
Dear Amy,
While pregnancy and delivery is very natural, the way your body looks and feels after the birth is just the opposite. Where is my waist, my ribs, my muscles -- and where's my energy? I had all that a few months ago! It's like a cruel joke when your beautiful baby arrives and all the best parts of us leave. Add to that all the unfamiliar work that comes with being a new mother -- yes, now that's where the real labor comes in. The trick is to embrace the joy and responsibility of your new maternal role without abandoning the vibrant woman that got you here.
When baby comes home
Once you leave the hospital, all focus shifts to caring for the baby. Families are there when you need them in the beginning. Friends may prepare a casserole or two, but soon after that, the umbilical cord literally and figuratively falls off both baby and you. And, because this is all the usual progression, it becomes even more necessary to attend to some of your needs.
Why is it so difficult?
Initially, your body requires energy to heal. Tack on nightly feedings, walking, bathing and diapering the baby, and it's pretty clear why having help with the baby, especially in the first month, is essential.
Enter supportive husband, who may not be getting any more sleep than you are but whose body is not compromised from delivery. Enlisting his help with baby at night, at least part time, will provide much-needed rest to face the next day with sufficient energy.
Your energy level dictates the way you perceive and, therefore, approach motherhood, both physically and emotionally. Taking care of yourself allows the restorative process to begin and physical activity, the kind that helps you recondition the body, can then be gradually factored into your life. Your husband's patience is admirable, but along with it you need some free time to get your strong body back.
Caring for baby isn't a workout
Some may feel being a mother is exercise enough. It is not. Of course, activity surrounding the needs of infants, children and home does count, but it does little to advance your cardiovascular health and even less for muscular improvement. For you to feel comfortable in your body again, you need to address each of these.
Once again, time becomes the challenge. How do you find time to work out with a baby? There are a couple of ways, actually. One is to schedule a short workout each day when hubby can take over for you. Another is to incorporate baby into your activity.
If you are getting this time, make the most of it. Thirty minutes to an hour will allow time for a quick gym or video workout -- cardio, yoga, Pilates, strength or dance session. Or, you could take a refreshing power walk through your neighborhood, followed by a soothing bath for rejuvenation, reflection and a focus on yourself.
Move it, baby
If you can't carve out enough free time, make your baby part of your workout. When weather permits, put your baby in a sturdy stroller and get moving. Make sure it has a deep seat and the seat belt attached. You should also have a safety wrist strap to prevent any kind of separation from you and the stroller. If sun is a factor, shade the baby to protect his or her skin from sunburn.
Brisk walking is a great cardio choice, but pushing and maneuvering a baby in a stroller adds the element of strength to your walk. Babies become natural progressive weights for you in your quest for fitness. They start small and grow, which increases your resistance gradually and safely.
Build a better body
Strolling with baby will challenge your heart and lungs. Start on a smooth, level sidewalk or road, free of traffic, gravel and potholes -- vibration and bumping are not good for the baby or your wrists, arms and shoulders. Also, jogging strollers can teach poor posture habits because they encourage a forward lean. Concentrate on walking with your head up and a neutral spine.
As your fitness level improves, increase your pace or add incline to your walk. By walking with your baby, you are actively pursuing a healthy body and relieving stress, which will make you a happier mom. Furthermore, setting examples and instilling healthy habits right from the start will increase the likelihood that your baby will do the same. And not only is this the best gift a mother can give her children, it's also the best gift she can give herself.
Cindy Boggs, fitness presenter, author and Activate America director, has been an ACE-certified instructor/trainer since 1989. Send your questions about fitness, training or health to her at YMCA of Kanawha Valley, 100 YMCA Drive, Charleston, WV 25311, or email cindys...@aol.com. Look for Cindy's award-winning fitness advice book, "CindySays ... You Can Find Health in Your Hectic World," on her website, www.cindysays.com, or contact the YMCA at 304-340-3527.
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