Exercises for nursing mothers at home

Author: Mikhail Ziborov - author of the website makefitness.pro | more details >> I am a swimming coach at a youth sports school and a gym instructor.

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Maintaining physical fitness after childbirth is an opportunity not only to look beautiful, but healthy and energetic. In the material you will learn:

1. Can training negatively affect mother and child?
2. How to take a child and what else you can use.
3. Exercises with a baby at home.

Basic rules for losing weight

I would like to immediately note that there are no methods of “emergency weight loss”. And if there are, then they are absolutely not suitable for new mothers! Especially those who are breastfeeding their children.

Rule one - balanced diet

The first and, perhaps, the main rule in the fight for an impeccable figure is proper and balanced nutrition.

Fitness makes your body more beautiful, strong, resilient and athletic. Although without nutritional control, alas, sports are powerless: pumped-up abs will be hidden under folds of fat.

The nutrition of a nursing mother may differ only in cases where the baby has a food allergy. Otherwise, my advice: eat as you would during pregnancy, with the only difference being that after giving birth, meals should be frequent and portions should be small (200–250 grams).

Sample proper nutrition menu for a nursing mother

I would like to present my menu, which I followed during and after pregnancy. From personal experience, I was convinced that such a diet increases lactation and helps keep me in shape.

• Breakfast at 7:30 - oatmeal with nuts, currant juice, raw carrots or apple.
• Second breakfast at 9:00 - cottage cheese with sour cream, tea with cream.
• Lunch - 12:00 - chicken soup with sour cream, stewed zucchini with boiled potatoes.
• Light snack - 14:30 - tea with cream (no sugar), a slice of dark chocolate.
• Afternoon snack - 18:00 - cottage cheese with dried fruits, blackcurrant juice or milk noodles.
• Dinner - 20:00 - boiled fish, steamed vegetables, tea with milk.
• Light snack - warm milk, bread with butter and cheese.

Remember that limiting yourself in food for the first six months after childbirth is fraught with consequences such as: weight gain, early loss of milk, general deterioration of the skin, leaching of calcium from the body, deterioration of the condition of teeth, nails, hair, emotional discomfort, depression. But don't be too zealous. You need to eat in moderation.

The second rule is good sleep.

For the first three to four months, sleep whenever you have free time. The child has fallen asleep - leave the household chores and lie down to rest for an hour or two.

Believe me, a nap during the day will help you shed a few extra pounds.

Losing weight by changing your diet

Although a nursing mother's diet should be balanced, you should not indulge in fatty foods. It is advisable to limit portions of food, but at the same time have snacks at short intervals. In general, you should eat 5-6 times a day.

The only type of diet that can be followed while breastfeeding is a diet that excludes allergenic foods and dishes that cause intestinal colic in the baby.

To combat excess weight, you can use the following recommendations:

• Drink a glass of water before each meal to help you feel full more easily. However, there is an opposite opinion that this method worsens digestion, since gastric juice is diluted with water. Focus on your own feelings.
• Try to refrain from going to the refrigerator at night and do not eat immediately before bed.
• If hunger prevents you from sleeping, then you can drink a glass of kefir.
• Forget about fried and flour dishes, limit the amount of sweets you eat. Steamed or oven-baked dishes are healthier and lower in calories.
• During the period of introducing complementary foods, try not to finish feeding your baby every time he could not cope on his own.
• Include fresh vegetables and fruits in your breakfast or lunch. Remember that grapes and bananas are considered extremely high in calories, so their consumption should be limited.
• Although dairy products are necessary for proper digestion and the formation of lactation, it is better to choose those with an average percentage of fat. Contrary to popular belief, low-fat foods are much more harmful to your figure than foods with low natural fat content. It is better to temporarily avoid sour cream and cheeses with high fat content.
• Different types of meat contain protein, so you need to eat it. However, it is recommended to exclude meat products such as sausages, sausages and smoked sausages.
• Do not overindulge in nuts and seeds, which are very easy to consume but are high in calories. The vitamins and proteins they contain are very useful, but harmless to the figure when consumed in very moderate amounts.

Sports for young mothers

As for direct sports activities. It is advisable for women who are breastfeeding to refrain from exercising during the entire feeding period. Those who have stitches after a rupture or cesarean section are not recommended to exercise for the first six months after giving birth. Are you feeling great and can’t wait to take care of your figure? Experts advise first undergoing a routine ultrasound of the abdominal cavity, which is done in the second month after childbirth, and only then start playing sports. If the gynecologist does not reveal any problems with your health during the examination, you can safely run to the gym.

Sport should be moderate. Remember that a new mother should not lift more weight than her baby. Any load can affect lactation or the body's recovery process. The first signal to give up fitness may be:

• Decreased milk production at night.
• Spotting bloody discharge.
• Pain in the groin area.
• Pain in the area of ​​stitches after cesarean section.
• Increased sleepiness.

The intensity of training for weight loss is chosen by the woman herself, focusing on her own well-being. Although there are recommendations - no more than one hour once a day. Breathing exercises are suitable for breastfeeding women and women who have had a caesarean section. I will give examples of such exercises at the end of the article. The best time to practice while breastfeeding is between nine and eleven in the morning. This is the baby's time to rest from morning feeding, and before lunch there is still time to take a shower and eat. It is important to consider that milk is formed within thirty minutes after eating. As I already said, overwork is fraught with consequences. You need to start small. For the first time, five minutes of light exercise will be enough, which can include: squats ten times, abdominal exercises fifteen times. Increase the load by one and a half times. If you feel that you are getting sick, do not stop suddenly! Calmly reduce the load, moving on to swinging your arms and restoring your breathing. If reducing the load does not help and you feel acute pain in the abdominal cavity after training, consult a doctor.

Ten popular exercises for losing weight after childbirth

This article will discuss the most popular exercises for losing weight after childbirth. I would like to note that not all of the above exercises are allowed for women who are breastfeeding or have had a cesarean section. To avoid getting lost in the text, pay attention to the pictures that show how to perform each of the exercises...

Walking

Race walking
Many athletes say that walking for half an hour is much more effective than jogging for two hours. However, not everyone knows that only by following the correct walking technique can you achieve the desired effect. The essence of race walking is foot placement. The foot should fully touch the ground. The steps are small and fast. While walking, tense your gluteal and abdominal muscles.

Half bridge

Half-bridge exercise
This is a simple but very effective exercise. When doing it, you strengthen the back of your legs and buttock muscles. You can start by lying on your back. Bend your knees and place your hands behind your head. Raise the pelvis. As you lift your lower back off the floor, pay attention to your shoulders and back. It is important to form a straight line between your legs and chest. Returning to the starting position, strain your buttocks and abs as much as possible. This exercise can be performed with a child, as shown in the figure.

I consider this exercise to be one of the most effective for giving our buttocks some piquancy.

When I started studying, I set myself a small load. I started with ten approaches. Every three days I increased the number of approaches by five. So, gradually, I began to perform sixty approaches at a time. Try to fix your body while lifting and hold for one minute.

Triceps swing

Exercise for triceps
For breastfeeding women, exercises that place stress on the chest and arms are prohibited. Such exercises can have a significant impact on milk production. Therefore, triceps swings are suitable only for those mothers whose babies are bottle-fed.

When starting your workout, take your pulse. It is necessary to monitor the condition of your body. Overvoltage must not be allowed. Therefore, watch your breathing (as you exhale, lower your hand, while exhaling, push the dumbbell up).

Sit on a chair, rest your shoulder blades on its back. Hold the dumbbells with your palm facing your face. Raise your arm from the dumbbells, holding your elbow with your free hand. The elbow should not fall forward. Do ten flexions and extensions. Change hands and repeat the exercise.

To begin with, you can do three approaches. Over time, increase the load until you reach thirty sets.

Jumping rope

Jumping rope
Jumping rope is very beneficial for human health. Thanks to them, the respiratory system is trained and blood pressure is normalized. They help strengthen the heart muscles and blood vessel walls. In addition, in terms of calorie consumption, jumping rope is not inferior to swimming or running. You need to start jumping rope with a light load - five minutes a day. After a week of such exercises, you can increase the training time until you reach thirty minutes. If you feel unwell, gradually reduce the rhythm. And then reduce the load level.

Press swing

Abdominal rocking
To tighten the abdomen, systematically repeated abdominal rocking is suitable. Lie down on the mat, put your hands behind your head, bend your knees. It is important that your elbows are directed to the side and not pressed against your head. Hands cannot be clasped. As you exhale, bend your body forward, straining your lower abdomen. We repeat the exercise twenty-five times. The average time for this exercise is one and a half to two minutes.

Squats

Exercises - squat
The squat is the basic exercise of any workout. With the help of squats, you can perfectly work out the muscles of the legs and buttocks. In any weight loss program, women are advised to perform squats at least thirty times. Only proper execution of squats will provide a significant load. Squat down as deeply as possible. Jump up without lifting your feet off the ground. Repeat this exercise ten times, three sets each.

Mahi

Exercise - swing
The effectiveness of this exercise is that you can easily work the front and back of the thigh, large and medium muscles of the buttocks.

Starting position: rest on your elbows and knees. The back is straight, the lower back does not sag. We look forward, there is no need to lift our necks. We start with the right foot. Straighten your leg back and place your foot on your toes. Raise your straight leg, trying to reach up with your heel. Make sure your back is fixed in one position. Lower your leg and repeat the desired movement ten times.

Dumbbell press

Dumbbell Press
Stand up straight and hold dumbbells. The arms are bent at the elbows (see picture). As you exhale, raise the dumbbell, and as you inhale, lower it. Do this five times. Doubling the load every week. While performing the exercise, watch your posture. The hand should not fall back.

This exercise should absolutely not be performed by breastfeeding women.

As I mentioned above, during lactation the load on the chest should be minimal. To avoid sagging breasts, wear special bras for nursing women. It's even better to sleep in it. After childbirth, it is important to monitor your breasts. Milk stagnation should not be allowed. To avoid “expanding” of the breast, you can attach the baby more often or hold it back a little. You need to stop feeding gradually - cancel feedings one after another until there is only one left. In the end, slowly give it up too.

Others should also avoid this exercise for the first seven months after giving birth.

Plank

Plank
Plank is an effective exercise for maintaining all the muscles of the body in good shape.

The point of doing this exercise is to “freeze” above the floor in the correct position for one minute. Support should only be on your hands and toes. While performing the exercise, try to tense your abdominal and buttock muscles as much as possible. Avoid bending; your back should be straight for the entire minute.

Lunges

Lunges
Stand up straight. Hands on the belt. Feet shoulder width apart. We start with the right foot. As you exhale, we take a step forward with an extension. As you inhale, we return to the starting position. After completing 10 lunges, we change legs. Now do the same starting with the left leg. Watch your posture. Do not slouch or hunch while performing the exercise.

Physical exercise

After the birth of a baby, a woman’s physical activity increases greatly. For example, carrying a child in your arms or in a kangaroo. Do not underestimate such activity, because such natural exercises quickly burn calories.

If you decide to thoroughly engage in physical exercise, then approach the choice of load carefully and rationally:

1. Swimming in the pool is beneficial both during pregnancy and while breastfeeding;
2. In the gym, avoid heavy weight exercises as they increase lactic acid levels. They change the taste of breast milk, which may cause the baby to refuse to eat;
3. You should not engage in classical aerobics and running. Such activities lead to loss of milk;
4. For classes, it is better to use standard exercises or simple gymnastics exercises;
5. Fitness or yoga will be a harmless and effective method;
6. Avoid sports that can injure your chest. For example, wrestling.

Moderate physical activity is an effective way to lose weight quickly. But at the same time, exercise interferes with the normal healing of the uterus. Therefore, you should start exercising only 2-3 months after giving birth. Add massage and water treatments to your physical activity.

To quickly lose weight, proper nutrition and exercise are often not enough.
First of all, it is necessary to normalize sleep. You need to sleep 7-8 hours a day, otherwise your metabolism will be disrupted. Lack of sleep will make you tired quickly. This will add irritability and increase stress. Normal sleep will add vitality, lift your mood and promote rapid recovery of the body after childbirth. Subscribe to our VKontakte group

Subtleties you need to know

1. Use the “light shock” method - reduce the time between rest and exercise. This way you will achieve results faster.
2. Swap the exercises from time to time. This way, you will change the priority in working different muscles.
3. At the end of the workout, use the “incomplete repetitions” technique. This will give your body a little relief, but not rest.
4. Vary the number of repetitions. For example: the first week - ten to fifteen repetitions, the second week - twenty to twenty-five repetitions, the third week - ten to fifteen repetitions. The training program does not change, but the returns are greater.
5. Rest-pause is an excellent method that involves a series of sets with a very short rest period (ten or thirty seconds).
6. Performing usual exercises for a while. For example, squats for 2 minutes at the end of a leg workout.

Breathing exercises

Breathing exercises are suitable for everyone. It is useful at any time and at any age. If you want to always keep yourself in good shape, put your emotional and physical health in order without putting a significant burden on the body, breathing exercises are suitable for you.

Each exercise has a specific name - “palms”, “pump”, “shoulder straps”, etc. When performing the exercise, you need to concentrate only on inhaling. The inhalation should be deep, sharp and noisy. It's like a loud "sniffing" sound. Inhale through the nose, and exhale after each inhalation voluntarily and imperceptibly through the mouth. As you inhale sharply, perform the exercise so that your chest contracts. The most interesting thing is that this gymnastics does not require a large room. It’s enough to retire, turn on calm music and create a pleasant atmosphere for yourself.

You can familiarize yourself with the technique by watching the video tutorial.

Breathing exercises by Strelnikova

Tips for increasing the effectiveness of exercise for weight loss

In order for sports to deliver not only the desired result, but also pleasure, I wanted to add a few tips:

Tip 1 - treat yourself to chocolate

Allow yourself to eat a couple of chocolates a day.

It sounds strange, but dark chocolate is good for a “sweet figure.” Sweet soda and bagel and sweet tea will not do you any good, but two slices of dark chocolate a day will cheer you up without harming your figure.

Tip 2 - moisturize the skin

Don't skimp on moisturizing and nourishing masks, lotions and creams. During pregnancy and for a year after giving birth, your skin will actively renew itself. If you are not a fan of stretch marks on your stomach, chest, white cellulite stripes in the buttocks area and rough crust on your face, the cosmetic industry will help you.

Where to start recovery after childbirth

A nursing mother of a newborn should not go on a sudden diet or reduce her diet to lose weight. The main task when returning to your shape is proper nutrition, and not cutting calories. The system is called a postpartum diet for young mothers, but this is incorrect. It's important to eat something that won't harm your baby's milk supply, so you should choose the right foods for weight loss and avoid those that could harm your baby and your curves. After giving birth, you should give yourself light physical activity and perform simple exercises for nursing young mothers.