That new bundle of joy can make dramatic changes in your life. The vast majority of changes are worth it, but some make it hard to keep up with the important things like regular exercise and adequate sleep. You're not alone. Just about every woman at one time or another has struggled with exercise after pregnancy.

Getting back into "regular" clothes is exciting, yet challenging for most new mothers. But don't expect to be able to get into your favourite pair of jeans for at least several weeks. Keep in mind it took some 40 weeks to gain your pregnancy weight, so it will take time to lose it too.

Movement is perfect and should begin within hours after you give birth, even if you required surgery. We know that mums who move after birth do tend to heal more quickly and feel better sooner than less active women. This doesn’t mean jog around the block, but it does mean getting up and moving around your hospital room or in your home. Even after surgery or after an epidural, you can begin to walk with assistance in just a few hours. Though the first few attempts may be painful, but overall the movement is good.

Here are some tips to help you get back into exercising and get back into shape;

Start out slow

Since you need to conserve your energy to recover from the labour and birth, baby steps are the key! Wait until after your postnatal checkup (usually 4-6 weeks after delivery) to start a proper exercise routine. But most new mums can begin walking and doing pelvic floor exercises (see our article on pelvic floor exercises) and lower-tummy muscle exercises almost immediately.

What training is suitable?

During the first six weeks, you can begin brisk walking to increase your circulation and for general exercise. Do what you can handle, even if it's only 10 to 15 minutes, and increase your time as you become stronger.

After you've had your postnatal check up, you can build up to 50 to 60 minutes of continuous exercise, four to five days a week. With a new baby around, finding the time to fit exercise into your daily life is difficult but not impossible, as long as you make it a priority. Try to do three 10-minute sessions throughout the day if you can't fit in a full 30 minutes of exercise at once. And be sure to find an activity that you enjoy and look forward to so exercise isn't a chore.

Variety and support is the key and by joining in classes you’ll find building a routine is easier – you’ll also find that most fernwood clubs run supervised play areas and can take children from around 10 weeks.
 

Activities that are suitable

• Low impact classes such as gentle aerobics, light weights, yoga.
• Strength training as prescribed by a personal trainer
• General cardio exercises such as the bike, stepper, rower treadmill.

Be patient, and keep these tips in mind as you work toward your goal:

• Once you get the green light from your doctor, any type of aerobic exercise will help you shed the extra pounds. Exercises that use large muscle groups and elevate your heart rate such as walking, cycling, or jogging are particularly effective.
• If you're new to the joy of exercise, start slowly and increase your intensity and duration over time. If you exercise too hard too soon after delivery, your vaginal flow (lochia) may increase or turn pink -- a signal to slow down.
• If you're breastfeeding, exercise when your breasts aren't full of milk. For comfort and extra support, wear a sports bra over your nursing bra.
• This isn't the time to diet to lose weight. Though milk production is largely independent of nutritional intake during the first few months of breastfeeding (the fat accumulated in pregnancy provides a ready supply of calories) if your diet isn't adequate, you're more likely to be tired and listless.
• Remember that pregnancy is not a time to get fit – it’s a time to maintain a fitness level you’ve already achieved.
• If you have high blood pressure, gestational diabetes or any other conditions that may cause concern, talk to your doctor or midwife before exercising.
• Watch your heart rate. Ideally wear a monitor and don’t go over 100-140 beats per minute. Alternatively, do the talk test – you shouldn’t be so out of breath you can’t have a conversation.
• Don’t overheat. Wear light, loose clothing and, if you feel too hot, slow down.
• Drink plenty of fluids.
• Don’t over-stretch.
• When you’re pregnant, your body produces a hormone that softens ligaments, making you much more flexible. If your body doesn’t usually do something, don’t push it.
• Remember that your growing baby will affect your balance, breathing and bladder.
• If you are weight training, use light weights with medium-to-high repetitions.
• Your blood pressure drops in the second trimester, so avoid activities that involve fast changes of position.
• Give interval training a miss and stick to gradual endurance workouts.
• Don’t do crunches or sit-ups after the first trimester.

If you experience any of the following during or after exercise, stop immediately and see your doctor for advice; headaches, dizziness, chest pains, palpitations, swelling, bleeding, deep back or pubic pain, cramping in the lower abdomen, walking difficulties, an unusual change in your baby’s movements, amniotic fluid leakage.