If there’s one thing many new mothers fear after childbirth (aside from the stress of being a new mother), it is losing their figure. Whether it’s from the extra skin around the belly area or weight gain issues from stress hormones, you can quickly get out of shape right after childbirth.
And to make things worse, the transition to motherhood is also associated with a significant decline in physical activities. Of course, most health experts advise new mothers against engaging in rigorous activities in the first 6 to 8 weeks after childbirth. However, exercising becomes an important part of motherhood and is recommended by most health experts after this period.
If you’re a new mom, finding enough time to exercise is a major challenge at this point. You’re probably already too tied up juggling your parental duties with other responsibilities that you can’t seem to find enough time to exercise. But exercising holds immense benefits at this stage, including assisting with weight loss and mental wellbeing.
So, are you an extra-busy new mom? Here’s how to make time to exercise.
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Make time for regular walks
New mothers need to stretch their legs for a few minutes every day. If your baby is old enough, clear a few minutes off your schedule to go out for a walk around your neighborhood, yard, or home if you have enough space.
There’s no need to go too far, as you’ll need to keep your eyes on your little one. You can ask a trusted friend, family member, or neighbor to babysit you while you get some strides into your legs. You’ll be surprised by how much a mere 5-minute walk can boost your mood and improve your health.
However, leaving your child may not be a viable option in some cases. You may not find a trusted helping hand, or perhaps the anxiety of being away from your child makes it difficult to do so.
Fortunately, you can invest in a bassinet stroller. Your little bundle of joy can come along and enjoy the great outdoors with you. However, it would help if you took the time to learn how to choose a bassinet stroller, as there are several options available and factors to consider.
A jogging stroller is also ideal to go running with your little one. However, experts recommend that you wait until your baby is at least 4 to 6 months old before opting for a jogging stroller. This way, your child will have enough time to develop their spine to endure the rigors of a jogging stroller.
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Take advantage of nap times
Exercising when your baby is napping can be very tricky, as babies typically sleep whenever they feel like it. So, it’s going to be a little difficult to strategize your workouts, but it’s still doable.
You can’t predict when your baby will fall asleep. You might also want to get some much-needed shut-eye when your child naps off in most cases. But, whenever possible, try to squeeze in a few minutes of walk time, yoga, and other simple exercises while your baby naps.
You can also choose to work out at night or at bedtime, right after tucking your little one to sleep. Before you jump into the shower at night, you can spend a few minutes doing simple exercises in your bedroom. And this leads to the next point.
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Find simple postpartum exercises you can do at home
You don’t always have to hit the gym or go for a run outside— not when you can find simple postpartum exercises to do at home even when your baby is awake.
Thankfully, you can find several workout routines online which have been put together specifically for new mothers looking to exercise at home. The great thing is that most of these workouts do not require any specialized equipment.
You can either sign up for online classes or download your preferred workout videos from various online platforms.
Alternatively, you can also find creative ways to incorporate simple exercises into your daily activities at home. Whether you’re doing laundry, washing the dishes, cooking, or cleaning, you can mix these activities with simple exercises.
There are also several ways you can use your home to exercise and improve your fitness. For example, something as simple as going up and down the stairs a few times can be all the exercise your body will need for the day.
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Exercise with your baby
Aside from hitting the outdoors with your baby in a stroller, you can also find different ways to work out with them. You can join a local fitness club for new mothers and learn easy exercises you can do with your baby. There are also local gyms you can join that offer special workout routines for new mothers with their babies.
Alternatively, you can find a gym that offers special child care services for new mothers. Your little one should be in good hands at the gym while you exercise.
However, to make this work for you, you need to create a schedule you can stick to. Set aside specific times in your day you can devote to exercises. This way, you will know how to organize your responsibilities in a way that does not eat into your workout time. When planning your workout time, be realistic with how much you can accomplish.
Your child care responsibilities coupled with work and other demands mean you’ll likely not be able to exercise as much as you prefer. So, be realistic, and adjust your schedule. For example, if it’s impossible to run four times a week, as a new mother, try planning for two times a week instead. Also, keep your workout routines short, intensify your efforts, and aim for quality routines instead of quantity.
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Give yourself a head-start
For many new mothers waking up early in the morning is a massive challenge, considering how easily your body tires out during the day. But whenever possible, try to go to bed early so you can wake up earlier than usual.
Another thing you can try is sleeping whenever your child sleeps during the day— that is, if you prefer not to work out during the day. Your body will be able to catch up on the much-needed sleep and make it less difficult to wake up early in the morning.
You can also use an alarm clock to help you wake up early in the morning. Try setting your wake-up time about 20 minutes earlier (or more) than usual. This way, you’ll have enough time to exercise at home or even go for a quick run before your little one wakes up.
One great thing about waking up a few minutes earlier than usual is that your body can quickly acclimatize to the day, making you more alert. Since you haven’t burned your energy yet, it should be easier to do an effective workout when you wake up early in the morning.
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Always be prepared
As a new mother, it’s difficult to have a solid daily schedule to stick to. So, be prepared to take advantage of almost any free time you can get to exercise, planned or not. There are a few things you can do to ensure that you’re always ready to exercise.
One, keep a packed workout bag in your car at all times. Your bag may include a tank top or t-shirt, a pair of shorts or pants, workout sneakers, socks, hair ties, face wipes, and dry shampoo. You can quickly grab this bag whenever a window of opportunity opens to visit a gym without needing to go home first. You can freshen up the items in your bag if you don’t use them for more than five days.
Two, always wear comfortable clothes at home. Pick clothes you can easily exercise in when at home. That shouldn’t be too difficult to do, as you can easily find several yoga pants designs and tees that are comfy enough to exercise and walk around in when at home.
Three, you can build a simple workout space at home equipped with the basic things you need – some dumbbells, water, exercise mats, etc. That can save you the time of driving to a gym.
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Get a support system
They say it takes a village to raise a child. And creating a support system is all the “village” you need to make enough time to exercise. As mentioned previously, you can always ask a family member, close friend, or trusted neighbor to lend you extra pairs of hands.
But you can also hire an experienced, caring, and professional babysitter to fill in, so you can make time to exercise. Be sure to screen potential candidates first to ensure that you hire someone you can trust with your little one. You can also join a local support group dedicated to helping new mothers. Getting a support system around you helps you free up time for yourself beyond just making time to exercise.