After giving birth, women experience significant changes in their body shape due to pregnancy, childbirth, and breastfeeding. They may become bulky and clumsy, and their breasts may become enlarged and saggy. The elasticity of their skin may also decrease. So, how can women recover their pre-pregnancy body shape after childbirth?
Increase activity during the confinement period
Engaging in appropriate exercise during the confinement period can help reduce fat and restore muscle elasticity throughout the body.
Under normal circumstances, postpartum women can start doing some gentle exercises or bed exercises on the second day. As their bodies recover, they can gradually increase the intensity of their workouts. However, they should avoid prolonged standing or squatting.
In the first few days, they can do activities that improve blood circulation, such as walking slowly around the room or doing basic pelvic exercises. Once they adapt to this exercise routine, they can do mild abdominal and pelvic floor exercises to promote uterine involution.
After 10 days, they can further strengthen their abdominal and pelvic floor muscles with exercises like supine leg stretches, leg curls, or leg lifts. After 30 days, they can resume normal activities, but they should not overexert themselves.
Dietary adjustments
In terms of diet, postpartum women should start with easily digestible foods in the first few days and gradually return to a normal diet. During the breastfeeding period, they should consume more soups to ensure an adequate milk supply. It is important to have a balanced diet with a mix of meat and vegetables. Generally, consuming 2 to 3 eggs per day is sufficient. Fish, chicken, and ribs are all good sources of nutrition for postpartum recovery, but they should be consumed in moderation. Additionally, eating fresh fruits and vegetables rich in fiber is important for maintaining overall nutrition and preventing constipation, which is a crucial factor in maintaining body shape and recovering body size.
Recommended exercises for postpartum body recovery
Cross-legged exercise
Sit cross-legged on the bed, hold your ankles tightly with both hands, lean your head back, and perform 30 continuous backward movements. This exercise helps straighten the back, tone the chest muscles, promote smooth milk secretion in the milk ducts, and enhance the elasticity and firmness of the breasts.
Neck exercises
The purpose of neck exercises is to contract the abdominal muscles and stretch the back and neck muscles. Neck exercises can start from the third day after childbirth. Lie on the bed with your body flat, your hands and feet extended, and lift your neck as much as possible, bending it forward to bring your chin close to your chest. Do this exercise once a day for about ten days, making sure not to move other parts of the body.
Chest exercises
The purpose of chest exercises is to restore the elasticity of the breasts and prevent sagging. Starting from the sixth day after childbirth, lie flat on the bed with your hands flat on the sides. Lift both arms straight forward, then extend them to the left and right, and then raise them up until the palms meet. Lower the arms back to the sides, and finally return them to the front of the chest. Repeat this motion 5 to 10 times. This exercise strengthens the pectoralis major and pectoralis minor muscles, gradually making the breasts full and firm.
Abdominal exercises
Abdominal exercises help strengthen the abdominal muscles and reduce abdominal fat. Lie flat on the bed, with your hands alternatingly supporting the back of your head. Use your waist and abdominal muscles to lift your upper body, touching your palms to your feet twice, and then slowly lie back down. Repeat this movement 5 to 10 times, gradually increasing to 20 times as your strength improves. This exercise makes the abdominal muscles flexible and flat. Be careful not to move your waist during this exercise.
What to consider for postpartum body recovery
Postpartum body recovery should follow a gradual progression in exercise intensity, starting with simple exercises and gradually working up to higher intensity levels as the body adjusts.
If a postpartum woman is breastfeeding, she should avoid intense exercises until after her first menstrual period. Give yourself enough time to rest and fully recover before choosing suitable exercise methods.
