Having a baby is a beautiful feeling. It’s an energy-consuming phase of a woman’s lives which requires them to take extra care of themselves and not just the baby. Eating healthy, maintaining a proper sleep cycle and mild workouts with the permission of the doctor can help women feel better about themselves post-childbirth. So, you need not put your fitness goals on the backburner, as exercising will help you lose pregnancy weight, improve your mood and keep up your physical strength and mental well-being.
This might vary from case to case depending on the delivery conditions. Therefore, one should consult their doctor before starting.
Listed below are a few workouts that one can indulge in while breastfeeding their child.
- Shoulder Overhead: This helps in stretches the shoulder, arms and chest muscles. “Women often feel pain and discomfort in these areas and stretching these muscles would help reduce stress. Light movements are to be ensured to avoid any injury. This would not disturb the baby while it is enjoying its dose of milk, says Priyanka Jhunjhunwala, Advance PT coach, FITTR.
- Box Squat – can be done on a sofa as well. One needs to sit and get up straight
- Wide leg Squats: Mothers can do these exercises right when they are breastfeeding without disturbing the baby. The position can be held for a few seconds before releasing and moving to the next. Keep the spine straight for better outcomes. “This also strengthens the pelvic region and is a great exercise for new mothers,” adds Jhunjhunwala.
- Hamstring stretch (Sitting): Women who have recently given birth or are nursing children, often feel the stretch in the hips and backs, this exercise will help in relaxing the back and thigh muscles while strengthening the core. “One can do this exercise while they are seated with their legs straight and try to touch their knees with their nose,” feels Jhunjhunwala.
- Quadriceps stretch (Side Lying): Here, all one needs is to lie down on their side and hold one of their feet backwards with their respective hand. This would help in relaxing the legs as well as hand muscles.
- Wrist and Ankle mobility: Having discomfort in the ankles and wrists is again a normal condition post pregnancy, and women can do mild stretches of the ankle and wrist joint to promote flexibility and relax the joints.
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