After women become pregnant, their uterus grows larger due to fetal development, causing their abdomen to expand. This becomes even more pronounced in the later stages of pregnancy and can be difficult to recover from after childbirth. Therefore, it is beneficial for women to exercise after giving birth, not only to promote the recovery of physiological functions but also to restore their figure. So, what exercises can women do to regain their shape after childbirth?
Postpartum Exercises
Doing postpartum exercises can help the uterus contract, promote blood circulation, facilitate the restoration of reproductive organs, increase breast milk production, and also help exercise the relaxed muscles of postpartum women, relieve fatigue, restore body shape, and maintain female beauty.
Under the guidance of a doctor, postpartum exercises can be started as early as the second day after childbirth. Initially, exercises can be done while lying down.
Bed Exercises
1. Lie flat on your back with your legs straight, contract your abdominal muscles, feel like your belly is sticking to your back, take a deep breath, press your back against the bed, hold this position for a moment, then fully relax and exhale. Repeat this 5 times.
2. Lie flat on your back with your feet and shoulders supporting the ground. Lift your body, tightening your buttock muscles as much as possible, and then relax.
3. Slowly tilt your head back, raise both hands, take a deep breath, and then slowly lower your hands while lowering your head to your chest. Exhale. Initially, do this exercise only 3 times a day, repeating each movement 2 to 6 times. Gradually increase to 10 times a day.
Sit-ups
When the body has recovered to a certain extent after giving birth, sit-ups can be done to help restore the figure.
Start in a supine position, sit up with your hands crossed over your waist and your legs straight. Repeat this 15 times. Alternatively, lie on your back on the bed, hold the back of your head with both hands, slightly lift your chest and abdomen, and move your legs up and down alternately, gradually increasing the range of motion and speed. Repeat this about 20 times.
Doing sit-ups can develop the abdominal muscles, maintain a certain level of tension, eliminate excess fat in the abdomen, and avoid the formation of sagging and protruding bellies.
Leg Exercises
Lie on your back with your arms flat on either side of your body. Alternate lifting your legs and lifting both legs together, keeping them at a right angle to your body. Repeat this 15 times. If your physical strength allows, you can practice lifting both legs at the same time. Doing leg exercises every day can gradually eliminate leg swelling and make your legs symmetrical and beautiful.
What to Consider in Postpartum Exercises
1. When exercising after giving birth, pay attention to maintaining a normal exercise speed, ensuring that the muscles are exercised and avoiding injury.
2. Starting from the second day after giving birth, you can do some head lifts, arm stretches, and leg lifts on the bed to exercise your abdominal muscles. Do this 4 to 5 times a day.
3. To prevent a retroverted uterus from forming, it is best to lie prone for 15 minutes after giving birth. Starting from one week postpartum, you can do sit-ups.
4. Exercise under the guidance of a doctor or midwife, starting with gentle exercises and gradually increasing the intensity, avoiding excessive fatigue.
5. Women who have had a cesarean section can start exercising after the stitches are removed, while those with vaginal tears or episiotomy should avoid exercises that promote the recovery of pelvic floor muscles until the wounds have healed. Those with diastasis recti can start exercising after wearing an abdominal belt.
