Gymnastics after childbirth for. Rehabilitation exercises after childbirth. Strengthening the abdominal and back muscles

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For anyone, even the strongest and healthy body bearing and giving birth to a child is a serious, very powerful load. Not only functions and condition change internal organs, but even their location. Their complete recovery requires time, patience and support, which can be provided by specially designed gymnastics after childbirth - exercises to strengthen various muscles of the body.

Do you want to regain your former slimness (tighten your breasts, trim your belly, get rid of varicose veins) and sexual attractiveness after the birth of your baby? Then start practicing right now!

First, decide why you need postpartum gymnastics, since different sets of exercises differ from each other in their functionality. Some are aimed at losing weight, others at strengthening intimate muscles, and others at relieving tension in the spine. Find out what you need first at this stage, but do not try to complete all the suggested options during the day. First, complete one thing, and then move on to another.

• To contract the uterus

The size of this organ increases several times during pregnancy. After his birth, the vagina needs to be restored to its previous parameters. Gymnastics, which are designed specifically for this, can help with this: you can start doing it on the first day after birth, if no stitches were placed. As a result, the organ will return to normal much faster, the lochia will go away painlessly and without complications. At the same time, such gymnastics will strengthen the pelvic muscles after childbirth, support the posterior (stretched during childbirth) wall of the uterus and improve sensitivity (for both partners) during sex.

• For weight loss

During pregnancy, it is quite natural for a woman to gain weight. With the birth of the baby overweight Not everyone leaves. A saggy belly appears, blurred sides, too steep hips. To restore your body to its former slimness, choose gymnastics designed for weight loss both in general and for individual parts of the body. You can start doing it about a week after giving birth.

• For the back

After the birth of a baby, a woman has to carry him in her arms a lot, as well as carry other weights (stroller, laundry). Breastfeeding also puts enormous strain on your back. To strengthen her muscles, reduce pain, relieve fatigue and tension from the spine, restorative gymnastics after childbirth is needed for this part of the body.

• For breast reconstruction

It's no secret that breastfeeding greatly affects your shape: it can sag and lose its elasticity. To tighten it up, start doing gymnastics to restore your breasts immediately after giving birth. There is no need to wait until lactation ends: these exercises must be done daily while you are feeding your baby.

• For legs

Exist special exercises, which prevent the expansion of veins after childbirth and relieve pain in the legs.

So gymnastics for recovery after childbirth is simply necessary for the female body. However, you need to find time for it and force yourself, despite being tired, to do the exercises regularly. To achieve certain results, you need to follow the recommendations of experts. Uncontrolled, inept exercises can even do harm rather than benefit.

About the size of the uterus. A healthy uterus in its normal state weighs no more than 50 grams, and its length is 8 cm. Immediately before birth, the parameters increase several times: 1,200 grams and 38 cm, respectively. Gymnastics quickly and effectively helps the organ return to its former size.

To ensure that gymnastics in the first days after childbirth does not harm, but brings maximum benefit to the body and is effective, be sure to consult with your doctor whether you can do it at all. If carried out C-section, were (both external and external), there were some other pathologies at the birth of the baby, the exercises cannot be performed immediately - only after a certain period.

1. The most common question that concerns most women is when to start doing gymnastics after childbirth: immediately or after some time. If there are no medical contraindications (cesarean section, stitches on the uterus, birth injuries), then 2-3 days after the significant event you can start training.
2. Before performing such exercises, consult the doctor who delivered you: he will tell you exactly whether you can do rehabilitation exercises, which ones and on what day you can start practicing. He will expertly answer all questions, taking into account your individual indicators.
3. There is no need to perform exercises, squeezing out the last of your strength. Gymnastics after childbirth should, on the contrary, give you a feeling of lightness and be a kind of rest from everyday, routine chores around the house.
4. The duration of any gymnastics course after childbirth is determined individually. Once the goal is achieved, you can stop doing the exercises.
5. The main rule is regularity, that is, you need to do the exercises constantly, you can even do several approaches a day.
6. Know that postpartum exercises for weight loss should not be accompanied by any diets. Yes, it is necessary to normalize and balance the diet, but hunger strikes are excluded during this period, especially in the case of lactation.
7. All movements must be performed smoothly, slowly, but in no case abruptly. Breathe evenly.
8. Wear loose clothing that will not impede movement.
9. Gymnastics should be done in a well-ventilated area.
10. Before gymnastics, feed your baby and go to the toilet.

If you follow these tips, there will be no problems with postpartum recovery of the body. And the breasts will not sag even during lactation, and the tummy will quickly tighten, and the extra pounds will go away, and the uterus will return to its normal size painlessly. The most important thing is to choose the very gymnastics that can solve your problem after childbirth.

Note. Regular exercise after childbirth prevents cardiovascular diseases and bladder problems.

Exercise sets

Among the many gymnastics after childbirth, choose the one that will eliminate your problem, suit your intensity and will not be too grueling and long. Let it take 5-10 minutes, but it will give you energy and a good mood. If you feel that exercises cause discomfort, it is better to abandon them and choose something else for yourself.

For intimate muscles (to strengthen)

1. Lying on the bed, rhythmically tense your vaginal muscles for 1-2 minutes.
2. After that, in the same position, do the same with the muscles of the anus.
3. Now, for a minute, try to alternately strain intimate muscles(vagina and anus).
4. Try to throw a "wave" of muscle from the pubic bone to the anus.
5. Now sit down and slowly, tensing your intimate muscles as much as possible, release the same “wave”, but from bottom to top, so that you feel its end at the very navel. To do this, slowly move your pelvis forward. Release the muscle “wave” back. Strengthening gymnastics will help avoid endometritis after childbirth.

For weight loss (from the belly)

1. In order to remove the belly after childbirth, in gymnastics the emphasis should be on the abs and abdominal muscles. The exercises are quite simple, but effective. Place your hands in front of your chest. Make body turns in different directions.
2. Get on all fours. Rest your elbows on the floor. Pull your stomach all the way in for a count of eight.
3. Lie down (the surface should be flat but soft). Bend your knees. Place your hands behind your head. Do short rises, smoothly lifting your shoulder blades and head off the floor.
4. Lie down. Raise your legs, cross them. Arms are straight, scattered in different directions. Pull your legs towards your chest so that your buttocks lift off the surface. This exercise very good for the abdomen and buttocks: strengthens the muscles, prevents them from sagging.
5. Lie down. Raise and cross your legs, as in the previous exercise. Throw one hand behind your head, extend the other along the body and reach it towards the foot. After a minute, change hands.

For the back (for tension)

1. It is difficult to do gymnastics to restore back muscles after childbirth: the exercises are far from the easiest, but they are effective. If you have problems with your spine, consult your doctor first.
2. Lie on your back. bend left leg, grab her knee with your left hand. Parallel right hand pull the heel towards the groin. Press your shoulders to the floor, try to keep them motionless and even. The right leg should be straight. Pull the bent leg up towards the left shoulder. As soon as you feel discomfort, relax. Repeat the same with the other leg.
3. Lie on your back. Bend your knees, turn onto your side. Get on all fours. Rise to your full height from this position, trying to keep your back flat and straight.
4. Lie on your back. Bend your right leg, bring it behind your left so that the tips of your right fingers are located exactly under the left calf. After this, tilt your right knee to the left. At the same time, grab your right thigh with your left hand.

For the chest (from sagging)

1. Gymnastics against after childbirth involves exercises related to top part torso. Straighten your shoulders, take them back, lower them down. Tilt your head back and in different directions.
2. Bow your head to your shoulder, pull it towards the floor. At this time, bend your torso back.
3. Smoothly raise your shoulders and lower them just as slowly.
4. Tighten your arms, stretch them to the sides. Raise them up, lower them down.
5. Spread your arms in different directions. Rotate them in different directions.
6. Clasp your hands in front of your chest. Alternately tense and relax your hands.
7. Bend your hand and place it on your waist. Stretch your other arm up, bend right and left, changing hands.
8. Put your hands behind your head. Lean in different directions.

For legs (for varicose veins)

1. In gymnastics after childbirth, it is imperative to include the familiar “bicycle” exercise: as part of gymnastics after childbirth, it is recommended to do it 3 times a day.
2. Lifting onto your toes, slowly rolling from them to your heels.
3. Race walking.
4. Sit down. Stretch your legs. Try to touch the tips of your toes with your fingers without bending your knees.
5. Spread your legs in different directions. Again try to touch your toes with your hands.

Breathing exercises (general strengthening)

The simplest breathing exercises after childbirth, if performed correctly, can work real miracles. It restores strength, gives energy, helps the abdominal and chest muscles strengthen and become more elastic.

1. As you inhale, round your belly. As you exhale, draw in.
2. As you inhale, round your belly. Count to two. As you exhale, draw in. Count to two. Place your palm on your abs and tighten it.
3. As you inhale, round your belly. As you exhale, bend over, pull in your stomach, hold your breath. Straighten up, count to eight, tense and relax your abs on every second count.

Various gymnastics after childbirth help achieve the most beautiful results. If you do exercises after appropriate consultation with a doctor, follow his recommendations and do not overexert yourself, the body will recover very quickly. At the same time, the young mother will be able to get rid of complexes about her appearance that has changed after the birth of the baby and give all her attention to the little baby.

Even with good genetics, women who have recently become mothers are dissatisfied with the changes that have occurred in their figure after the birth of a child. This moment increases the risk of a dangerous condition -. Women are especially distressed by the condition of their abdomen. Exercises after childbirth for the abdomen are a tool available to every young mother that will allow her to regain her former shape.

What's happening to the stomach?

During the last trimester, a pregnant woman gets tired of a huge, uncomfortable belly. I want to give birth as soon as possible so I can pull on skinny jeans and go for a walk with my baby. However, in postpartum period It turns out that the stomach has not shrunk enough.

It remains approximately the same as at 4-6 months of pregnancy, and at the same time looks flabby and saggy. Often stretch marks appear on it and a dark longitudinal pigment line remains, dividing the body in half. Why is this happening?

The uterus is stretched

The fetus grows and develops in the uterus for 9 months, the weight of which at the time of birth averages 3.5 kg, and its height is 51-54 cm. It is not surprising that the organ, under the pressure of an enlarging child, stretches significantly.

Contraction of the uterus occurs after childbirth for several months. Even thin girls with abdominal muscles pumped up before pregnancy have to deal with this.

A tummy immediately after childbirth is an inevitable and completely natural phenomenon.

Abdominal muscles soften

The muscles of the anterior abdominal wall, under the influence of the hormone relaxin produced during pregnancy, soften and become elastic. This is necessary so that they stretch and diverge under the pressure of the growing uterus.

After the baby is born, everything usually falls into place - but not immediately (and, unfortunately, not always: a complication such as diastasis often arises).

The fat layer increases

During pregnancy, hormonal changes occur in a woman's body and the percentage of body fat increases. Its function is to protect the developing fetus from negative external influences.

For obvious reasons, most of the fat accumulates in the abdomen. And after childbirth, it takes effort to rejoice again beautiful abs and a slender figure.

Skin sags

Adds extra centimeters the already damaged waist has saggy skin. The epidermis had to stretch unusually as the abdomen grew, and the skin cannot instantly return to its previous state.

Every woman is dissatisfied with the condition of her stomach after the birth of her baby. But the severity of the problem depends on a number of factors:

• Body type. In thin girls, due to the absence of excess fat, the stomach stretches less and, therefore, goes away faster.
• Child's turns. With each subsequent baby, the anterior abdominal wall becomes more deformed and more difficult to return to its original form.
• Conditions of the muscular frame of a woman in labor before conception.
• Lifestyle during pregnancy. Whether there was adequate physical activity or whether the woman moved little.
• Size of the fetus and number of children. Everything is logical here: a large child and multiple pregnancy cause greater stretching of the uterus, muscles and skin.
• Type of feeding. helps burn fat and increase the speed of uterine contractions.
• Heredity. Some lucky women manage to get into perfect shape in a matter of months without any extra effort.

What to do?

To quickly return to a slender, chiseled figure, there are 2 tools: dietary adjustments and exercises for the abdomen after childbirth. But sweet, fatty and smoked foods will have to be excluded from the diet, which is useful not only for the figure, but also for the well-being of the baby, who receives with breast milk everything that his mother eats.

You should also avoid so-called “empty” calories:

• snacks;
• carbonated drinks;
• fast food.

A nursing mother cannot strictly limit herself in nutrition: this will affect both her health and the quality of her milk.

Adequate physical activity, which involves performing exercises aimed at strengthening the muscles of the anterior abdominal wall, is just what you need.

Visiting the gym is an ideal option, but often a young mother cannot afford to leave her baby for a long time. But home workouts are available to everyone.

And the child will not be a hindrance here, because allocating 15-20 minutes during the day to perform the complex is not a problem.

When can you start training?

There's no need to rush. Exercises that will help remove belly fat after childbirth should be performed after the body has been restored, weakened by powerful changes - when the child is at least 7-9 weeks old.

If the baby was born through, or the woman had stitches, you will have to wait until 2.5-3 months. Otherwise, consequences cannot be excluded: suture divergence, prolapse of the vaginal walls, increased intra-abdominal pressure.

In order to lose weight during this delicate period, it is better to pay attention to nutrition: give up sweets, fried foods, and fatty foods.

Home workouts: general principles

Following simple principles will allow you to achieve good results without harm to health in the shortest possible time:

• one hour before training and about the same time after training, you cannot eat;
• Exercises with weights should not be practiced;
• during the execution of the complex, the press must be in a tense state;
• you need to pay attention to the execution technique: the work is carried out to achieve a result, so it is better to do 25 correct exercises, than 55 handicapped;
• classes should be regular: the abs are formed by performing the complex at least three times a week;
• the number of approaches and the number of exercises should increase gradually - this is especially true for women who have not previously been involved in sports (however, it is better for those who visited a sports club before pregnancy after a forced break to be more careful).

Before starting the exercises, it is recommended to do some stretching:

• 1st option: while inhaling, the anterior abdominal wall is rounded as much as possible, while exhaling, it is retracted and fixed in this position for several seconds (perform 10 approaches);
• 2nd option: lying on your stomach, you need to bend back as much as possible and freeze for 5-7 seconds (you also need to do it 10 times).

Effective exercises

Exercises that help strengthen the muscular frame of the anterior abdominal wall and burn excess fat will help to remove the belly after childbirth:

1. Abs pumping. The exercise, familiar to most from school days, is performed lying on the floor with your hands behind your head and your legs bent at the knees. Rhythmic lifts of the body are performed at a pace, but without haste or fuss.
2. Working out the lower abs. Lying on the floor, we raise our legs, trying to maximize the distance from the heels to the floor.
3. Side bends. With our feet shoulder-width apart, we try to reach the floor alternately with our right and left hands.
4. Pelvic lifts. Lying on the floor, we raise the pelvis up, while tensing the abdominal muscles, and stay in this position for 10-12 seconds. A minimum of 10 repetitions is required.
5. Plank. Difficult, but effective exercise aimed at strengthening deep muscles belly. To perform it, we lie on our stomach, lean on our forearms (a right angle is formed between the shoulder and forearm) and gradually lift our chest, stomach and knees from the surface. As a result, 2 fulcrum points are formed - toes and forearms. The body is fixed in this position for 20-30 seconds (to begin with, then the time gradually increases). In this case, the pelvis should not move up and down.
6. Wall squats. We stand against the wall, pressing our back close to it, then put our feet shoulder-width apart and take a step forward. After this, we begin a smooth slide down until the thighs are parallel to the floor. The next stage is lifting without using your hands. A couple of sets of 14-15 repetitions is enough.
7. Leg raises. Exercise helps shape your waist. To perform it, lie on your side and raise your leg until it forms with the floor. right angle. Ideally, a couple of sets of 20 repetitions (alternating the work of the right and left legs).
8. Cross twists. Lying on the floor with our hands behind our heads, we raise our shoulder blades and bend our knees, pulling them up in our chest. Then we straighten our left leg, simultaneously reaching with our left elbow to our right knee, after which we do everything exactly the opposite: we straighten our right leg and touch our left knee with our right elbow. The number of approaches and repetitions is determined by the woman’s capabilities: the more, the better. The exercise trains the oblique abdominal muscles, which form a beautiful waist.

If a woman is diagnosed with postpartum diastasis, some of the above exercises are contraindicated.

Diastasis is a complication after pregnancy and childbirth, manifested by excessive separation of the abdominal muscles. Under the pressure of the growing uterus, a woman’s muscles, softened by the hormone relaxin, diverge.

Normally, after the baby is born, everything falls into place within 2-3 months. But if a girl had problems with weight before pregnancy, or carried a large baby (or 2 or more children), the muscles never connect.

As a result, diet and exercise do not help: a sagging, protruding belly cannot be removed by any means. In addition to a cosmetic defect, the unpleasant condition can manifest itself as pain.

Moreover, with a high degree of diastasis (muscle discrepancy of 10 cm or more), traditional complexes for shaping the abs are dangerous: there is a high risk of prolapse of internal organs or the formation of a hernia with subsequent pinching of organs.

For women facing diastasis, gentle exercises are suitable:

• cat – performed 10-15 times from the “on all fours” position: exhale – round the back and draw in the stomach, inhale – return to the starting position;
• leg bending - performed in a lying position by alternately bending and straightening the legs (the feet slide along the floor);
• compression - starting position lying down (knees bent, feet on the floor, a towel is stretched under the lower back, the ends of which are in the hands of the trainee): as you exhale, raise your head and shoulders, tightening your waist tightly with the towel, inhale - return to the floor.

Home workouts

Regularly performing exercises to lose belly fat after childbirth is a necessary condition for a slim body. beautiful figure. But maximum effect and maintaining the result is achieved by combining the complex with so-called household workouts - exercises that are easy to perform without interrupting your daily routine.

While performing daily household chores you can:

• draw in the anterior abdominal wall as you exhale and relax as you inhale;
• in the shower, regularly rub your stomach with cold water;
• while swimming in a pond (or working out in a pool), massage your stomach by clasping your palms horizontally and moving them at a distance of 4 cm from the anterior abdominal wall;
• be in the “back straight, stomach pulled in” position as often as possible - gradually this will become a habit;
• walk more with a stroller: walking at an average pace fresh air with weights in the form of transport with a baby - effective cardio training.

When can I expect results?

This question is especially of concern to young mothers. It all depends on a number of factors:

• intensity and regularity of training;
• adherence to the principles of healthy eating;
• heredity and the condition of a woman’s figure before pregnancy;
• type of feeding - breast or artificial.

On average, subject to regular training, after 2 months the formation of muscular frame, holding the abdominal wall and providing the chiseled contours of the body.

A beautiful figure or a child? The ultimatum today is not unique. There is no need to explain the birth of a baby as an imperfection in your figure. Self-organization and a little effort are what is required to achieve the coveted flat stomach.

Useful video about abdominal exercises after childbirth

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Anna Mironova

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The female body is designed in such a way that it is simply impossible not to gain weight. Weight is the same indicator of the health of mother and baby as, for example, tests, so doctors monitor weight gain and nutrition of a pregnant woman. Women may have different attitudes to doctor's recommendations, even completely non-compliance with the diet while expecting a baby.

However, the postulate: “I give birth and I’ll immediately lose weight, I’ll be like before” may not work, that’s why it’s needed gymnastics after childbirth.

Rules of gymnastics after childbirth for a woman - how and when can you do exercises for your figure after childbirth?

• Stretched abdominal muscles, fat accumulations necessary for a woman who is breastfeeding - all this constitutes the main problem of appearance. But the most unpleasant thing is The longer you delay her decision, the more difficult it will be to regain your previous slimness and attractiveness.
• Elementary sets of exercises after childbirth, with which doctors recommend starting exercises, take very little time and They can be combined with a walk or performed when the baby is next to you. Do not neglect them - despite their apparent ease, their regular implementation over several months will give quite tangible results.
• It is important to select exercises for women after childbirth in such a way that physical activity had a beneficial effect on the entire body, and not only increased muscle tone and contributed to the removal of fat deposits. Improving blood circulation will entail increased metabolic processes, normalization of metabolism, and therefore a faster return to normal weight and excellent health, and most importantly - without harm to the general health of the woman.
• Exercises after childbirth are performed in several stages - according to the time when you can start making them. And remember: if the birth was complicated, you stitches were put in , if carried out C-section – the first four weeks any sports load strictly contraindicated for you!
• Even basic exercises should be started only after a doctor’s permission!
• If childbirth was painless and without complications for you, start exercising with your doctor’s permission possible in the maternity hospital .

So, what exercises can and should women do after childbirth, and when?

Effective exercises after childbirth - video: what exercises can women do immediately after childbirth?

The first stage of classes is exercises, which are recommended to start doing within one or two days after the birth of the baby.

Video: A set of exercises after childbirth to restore your figure

• The Kegel exercise is considered the most effective during this period.
  It is performed very simply: you should tense the muscles of the perineum and anus for ten seconds - it should feel like you are pulling them into yourself. Then relax. This exercise must be repeated at least twenty times for each approach. It is advisable to do two to three approaches throughout the day.
• Breathing exercises for a figure after childbirth are very effective.
  The first three are performed lying on your back, the fourth - on your side:
  1. The right hand is on the stomach, the left hand is on the chest. Slowly, inhale through your nose, exhale through your mouth, through slightly parted lips. Gradually make the exhalation longer.
  2. Bend your elbows, resting your elbows on the bed, lift your chest, while inhaling. Sit down on the bed, relax all your muscles and exhale.
  3. Holding the head of the bed with your hands, straighten your legs and press them tightly together. Turn on your right side, then on your left side, return to the starting position - on your back. This exercise must be performed with calm, even and rhythmic breathing.
  4. Bend one leg at the knee, press it with your hand to your stomach, inhale. Lower and extend your leg, exhaling during this movement. Turn over to the other side and repeat the exercise.

  Physical exercises on days 4-5 after childbirth: the second stage of exercises after childbirth

  The second stage of gymnastics after childbirth can be started on the fourth or fifth day. When starting more difficult exercises, check if you have dysstasis – divergence of the rectus abdominis muscles. Classes can be made more difficult and continued only if you do not have disstasis, and only with the doctor's permission!

  • A set of exercises for the abdomen and perineum for 4-5 days after childbirth
    The first exercise is performed lying on your back, the second - lying on your stomach, the third and fourth - on all fours on a hard surface.
    1. Bend your knees alternately, rest your feet on the bed and raise your pelvis, pulling your stomach and perineum into yourself, and also squeezing your buttocks. Lie on the bed and straighten your knees one by one, taking the starting position, and then be sure to relax.
    2. Holding the edge of the bed with your hands, raise your right leg up, be sure to ensure that the leg is straight, then return to the starting position. Repeat the same with your left leg, then raise and lower both legs.
    3. Having pulled in your stomach and perineum, arch your back and freeze in this position, tensing your muscles for a few seconds. Relax, returning to the starting position.
    4. Raise your leg (be sure to make sure that your leg is not bent at the knee), take it back and up and bend it, pulling it towards your stomach. Return to the starting position, repeat with the other leg.
  • At the same stage, it is necessary to include exercises for the chest and back.
    1. For the chest: Turning your face to the wall, place your feet shoulder-width apart. Push up from the wall - slowly and making sure that your elbows are strictly parallel to your body.
    2. For the back: Lie on your right side, stretch your right leg forward. Place your left hand on your right knee, then move your right arm back to the maximum possible position, turn your head and shoulder there. Repeat five times in each direction.

  What exercises should postpartum women perform in the later postpartum period?

  A variety of gymnastics after childbirth are not difficult to find on video: for example, the famous Cindy Crawford discs, as well as many other complexes physical exercise, which are designed for a later period, when the state of the woman’s body no longer affects the choice of exercises.

  Basic exercises that the third stage includes and that can be performed after the start of the first menstruation (if you don't feed) either after stopping breastfeeding , include abdominal exercises, and on different muscle groups, which are responsible for a fit and slender figure.

  Video: Exercises after childbirth to restore your figure

  Video: Gymnastics after childbirth

  A set of exercises after childbirth for several months will help you transform yourself, feel beautiful and slim, improve your well-being , will allow you to get a charge every day Have a good mood and vigor.

  The website warns: all information presented is for informational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice. Before performing a set of exercises after childbirth, be sure to consult your doctor!

During the period when a woman carries her unborn baby for nine months, a significant restructuring occurs in almost all systems of her body. Due to the increased overall load and hormonal changes The woman’s weight increases, and as a result, after the birth of the baby, the young mother remains extra kilos.

Without a doubt, every young mother wants to return to her previous shape as quickly as possible. But in the postpartum period, the body is weakened, a reverse restructuring of all systems occurs, and very often, in order to return to the previous weight, you have to not only limit yourself in nutrition, but also ensure sufficient physical activity.

In general, the postpartum period lasts about eight weeks: during this time, the restructuring of the body occurs most actively. Due to such high tension, doctors do not advise practicing too much physical tension at this time. But still postpartum gymnastics can gradually be introduced into the lifestyle of a young mother from the first weeks. The main condition is that exercises in the first days after childbirth should be as gentle as possible, and the load can be increased gradually, from day to day.

Basic rules of postpartum gymnastics

It is optimal to start playing sports after the birth of a child only after consulting with your doctor: he will be able to determine whether the recovery process is proceeding normally and will tell you which exercises can be practiced now, and which loads are best avoided for now.

The main task facing a woman who intends to gradually introduce postpartum gymnastics into her daily routine is to restore posture, gait, and return the normal tone of all muscles that have lost elasticity during the period (in particular, we are talking about muscles pelvic floor And abdominals).

Also, gymnastics after childbirth helps to return the pelvic organs to their normal position and abdominal cavity, activates blood circulation, breathing, helps normalize the nervous system.

To bring postpartum gymnastics maximum benefit for a young mother and contributed to both physical and emotional recovery, there are several important points to consider.

When starting to do exercises every day, you need to go from simple to complex, gradually increasing the load. It is advisable to perform a set of exercises every day that is at least slightly different from the previous one. Boring gymnastics, monotonously repeated day after day, can negatively affect the general condition of the body and have no effect in terms of weight loss. In addition, there is a high risk that such activities may simply bore the young mother.

In the first weeks of classes, gymnastics should be performed every day. When intensity physical activity and the total duration of the session will increase significantly, the number of such workouts can be reduced to 3 times a week.

A woman who has recently given birth to a child should perform all movements smoothly and slowly; if necessary, immediately make a short stop and restore breathing.

For training, you need to choose suitable clothes - comfortable, not restrictive to the body. Recumbent exercises should be performed while lying on a flat floor surface. Before training, it is important to thoroughly ventilate the room so that during the exercises the woman deeply inhales clean and fresh air.

Before starting gymnastics, a young mother must empty her bladder and bowels. It is advisable to take a thoughtful approach to the time of training: it is optimal to do a set of exercises about one hour before meals and after the baby has finished feeding. The fact is that in the process of intense loads, production occurs lactic acid , which can change the taste of milk. If you exercise too much, milk production may decrease slightly. Therefore, it is recommended in the process physical training, and after doing the exercises, drink as much fluid as possible - preferably plain clean water.

During the postpartum period, the preferred types of physical activity are walking with a stroller and swimming. In winter you can go skiing and ice skating. But with strength exercises, cycling, running, as well as extreme exercises and sports, it is advisable to wait at least a few months.

Exercises from the postpartum gymnastics complex in the first days after childbirth

Whatever set of exercises a young mother chooses, before starting the main part, you should do a short five-minute warm-up. If a woman exercises for at least an hour, then warming up can take up to ten minutes.

The beginning of the warm-up can be deep breathing - several very deep inhalations and exhalations. Next comes the stretching: you need to stretch up, then bend down and touch the floor with your fingers. The warm-up can include wide arm swings in different directions, up and down, and steps in place.

Almost the next day after the birth of the baby, provided there are no complications and good health, the new mother can perform simple exercises.

While lying down, you can twirl your hands at face level for several minutes, imitating washing in a unique way. In the same position, you need to tuck your legs one by one, sliding them along the surface of the floor.

While lying down, you should lift your pelvis up. In this case, the legs are bent at the knees, and the hands are behind the head. You can sit down several times from a lying position, while waving your arms, trying to reach your toes. It is also recommended to perform light movements, making a “bicycle”. Then you can roll over onto your stomach and, clasping your hands under your chin, lift your legs one by one, holding them a little in a suspended position. You can also lift your legs up one at a time while standing on all fours. All exercises are performed ten times. After this, clench and unclench your toes ten to fifteen times. These are not difficult exercises useful both for preventing the development and for training weakened abdominal muscles.

There are other complexes postpartum gymnastics, which can be practiced the very next day after a grandiose event in the mother’s life. Exercises that involve deep breathing are very useful. It is important that during the process of inhalation and exhalation the Bottom part belly.

For the first exercise, you need to lie on your back and bend both legs at the knees. Hands are on the stomach. Inhale through the nose, slowly, exhale through the mouth. When exhaling deeply, the stomach should be stroked from below to the navel. It is important that no pressure is applied to the abdomen: movements should be light. This exercise is repeated 15-20 times. After this, the woman should roll over onto her stomach. To make lying more comfortable, place a small pillow under your stomach. Breathing is done from the lower abdomen, it should be as deep as possible. When you exhale, the pelvis moves upward. Such exercises help improve the functioning of a woman’s cardiovascular system, activate blood flow, stimulate metabolism . Moreover, when performing breathing exercises Over the course of several weeks, you can perfectly prepare your muscles for further more intense exercise. The total duration of gymnastics in the first days after childbirth should not exceed 10-15 minutes. But you can perform such simple workouts several times a day. But it is extremely important that a woman under no circumstances exercise too intensely in the first days after giving birth: she absolutely must not overexert herself.

Women who have suffered , should wait a while physical activity until light gymnastics The attending physician will not allow you to do this.

Already in the maternity hospital, the young mother should remember the so-called Kegel exercises . To perform this exercise correctly, the pelvic floor muscles need to be pulled in as you inhale and relaxed as you exhale. Gymnastics afterward must necessarily include such an exercise, since it is extremely important for restoring the elasticity of the vaginal muscles. In order for muscle tone to be restored as quickly as possible, this exercise should be repeated every day at least a hundred times, performing it in several approaches throughout the day.

All the described exercises can be varied at your own discretion. There is no need to perform those that cause a persistent feeling of discomfort. The main thing is that the activity brings pleasure, and after it there is a feeling of vigor, not fatigue.

Exercises from the postpartum gymnastics complex during the recovery period

Around the third week, more complex exercises can be introduced into the postpartum gymnastics complex, which help strengthen the tone of the body muscles. It is advisable to diversify the set of exercises in a lying position. So, you can perform alternate leg lifts: straightening your leg at the top, a woman can hold her leg in this position and work with her toe, alternately pulling it towards her and pulling it back. On the following leg lifts, you should make rotational movements. Repeat lifting each leg 15-20 times.

In a lying position, the arms are extended along the body. As you exhale, your legs should be pulled toward your chest one at a time. The exercise on each leg is repeated 6 times. After completing the approach, you should straighten up, stretching out in a string: your toes are pulled in one direction, your fingers in the other.

Lying on your stomach, your hands should be folded under your forehead with the back of your head. Exhaling air, lift up top part bodies. Hands remain pressed to the floor surface. You cannot throw your head back: it is in line with the spine. The lift is repeated 6-7 times.

It is useful to enter into general complex postpartum gymnastics, the well-known “cat” exercise: to perform it, you need to get on all fours and bend your back as much as possible, rounding it. While performing this exercise, you should also retract the muscles of the perineum.

An exercise is also performed on all fours, which helps strengthen the tone of the muscles of the perineum and abdomen at the same time. To do this, you need to lower yourself onto your elbows, exhale air and bring your shoulder blades together. As you inhale, the shoulder blades spread, and the back rounds as much as possible, as in the case of performing the “cat”. Remaining in this position, you should retract the perineum and abdomen as much as possible. As you exhale, maximum relaxation follows.

Another exercise should be performed while sitting on a chair. In this case, you need to straighten your back as much as possible and pull in your stomach. The legs are located approximately shoulder width apart. In this position, bends to the sides are performed. In this case, you need to reach the floor with your palm. You need to bend over 6-7 times in each direction. However, for women who had sutures placed on the perineum during childbirth, it is better not to perform sitting exercises for several more weeks. You can also bend to the sides alternately from a standing position: this exercise helps shape the waistline.

You can do anything while standing simple exercises aimed at training the abdominal muscles, arms, and legs. Exercises that include movements of the pelvis are useful: for example, standing on your knees slightly bent (with your legs together), you should swing your pelvis back and forth, draw a circle in one direction and the other. When performing rotational movements, you should try to strongly retract your stomach. As you inhale, you need to stop, as you exhale, continue moving forward.

After completing a set of exercises, you should rest a little, lying on the floor on your stomach or back. In this case, breathing should be very deep.

At home, it is useful to include several exercises with dumbbells in the general complex of postpartum gymnastics. So-called resistance exercises to strengthen muscles are performed with light dumbbells (their weight should not exceed 1 kg).

In addition, after the postpartum 6-8 weeks, you can perform full abdominal exercises (sit down from a lying position), do push-ups from the floor.

Another option for quite fun postpartum gymnastics is doing exercises together with the baby and dad. While the child is small, he can act as a kind of “projectile”: the baby can be lifted on bent legs, squatted with a kangaroo backpack in which the baby is sitting. And later, the baby will gradually get used to the fact that daily gymnastics is the norm. In addition, activities with the mother always bring joy to a rapidly growing child.

Carrying a child and its very birth, although they are natural physiological processes, do not pass without leaving a trace on the body. After childbirth, the body definitely needs restoration, because increased stress weakens the tone of the abdominal muscles and perineum, and problems with the veins that began during pregnancy can progress. Gymnastics after childbirth is necessary for complete and effective recovery of the body. The sooner it is started, the faster and better the restorative effect will be.

If there were no perineal ruptures or incisions during childbirth, you can start classes very soon, practically the next day the baby is born, if your health allows it. If stitches were placed, then of course you need to wait until they heal, this takes about 2 months.

Five minutes a day to restore your belly

Rehabilitation exercises after childbirth involve different sets of exercises. Perhaps, The most problematic place is the stomach. Stretched abdominal muscles entail a number of inconveniences that you want to eliminate as quickly as possible. Mainly this is the absence of the urge to urinate and defecate, which is fraught with various problems and even embarrassment.

Gymnastics for the abdomen also helps in restoring your figure. Moreover, it is very important to do the exercises without limiting yourself to wearing a bandage. The bandage only fixes the muscles, but does not force them to contract, and therefore does not lead to recovery.

To restore the abdominal muscles, it is enough to regularly perform a couple of very simple exercises. Such gymnastics will not take longer than 5 minutes, but if performed conscientiously and constantly, it will give a noticeable effect.

Exercise 1. Pull in your stomach

suck in your stomach

We lie on our backs, bend our legs at the knees, press our feet firmly to the floor, palms on our stomachs.

As you exhale, strongly draw in your stomach and hold this position for 4-5 seconds. Then we take a deep, slow breath and repeat the exercise. You can do 8-10 repetitions in one approach.

Exercise 2. Making a “bridge”

We take the same position as when performing the first exercise. After exhaling, raise the pelvis, straining the buttocks and drawing in the stomach. At the same time, raise your head and press your chin to your chest.

This exercise is not an easy one, so it may be difficult to perform at first. There is nothing wrong with this; over time, the muscles will gain tone and strength, and the number of repetitions can be increased.

A complex approach

There are very few women whose only problem area after childbirth is the belly. In most cases, the entire body needs to be restored and toned. This means that postpartum problems need to be dealt with comprehensively, that is, to perform various exercises and use all parts of the body.

If you are breastfeeding, it is better to exercise after feeding. For classes you will need comfortable clothes, a small pillow and a cheerful mood. All movements during gymnastics must be performed smoothly and carefully.

Exercises to prevent the consequences of varicose veins

Exercise 3

We take a lying position, face up. Legs should be bent at the knees, feet should be brought together and pressed firmly to the floor. We stretch our arms along the body, palms turned down. We straighten our legs without separating our knees, and squeeze our toes 10 times with force (as if we were retracting our claws). Then we return the legs to their previous position.

Exercise 4

Without changing the position, we lift one leg up, completely straightening it at the knee, and pull the toe towards us and away from us. Foot movements must be performed 10 times and with a large amplitude. Then we perform the same actions with the other leg.

Abdominal muscle training exercises

Exercise 5

We lie on our backs, bend our knees, spread our feet slightly, and place our hands, palms down, on our stomachs. We take a slow breath, then exhale just as calmly, as if pronouncing the sound “haaaaaa”. As you exhale, draw your stomach in, helping a little with your hands. There is no need to press with your hands, it should be stroking in the direction from the pubis to the navel. The exercise must be repeated 10 times. (Picture from exercise 1)

Exercise 6

Now we lie down on our side. In order not to waste your attention on discomfort and inconvenience, you can place a small pillow under your neck. Apart from the starting position, this exercise is no different from the previous one: we also draw in the stomach as we exhale with the sound “haaaaa” and help with our hands. We do the exercise on each side, performing 10 repetitions.

Exercise 7

We roll over onto our stomach, place a small pillow under our lower abdomen, and support our body on our elbows. We inhale, and as we exhale we move our pelvis forward. As you inhale, return to the original position. The exercise is performed 10-12 times. During the exercise, it is important not to put pressure on the chest so that the chest itself does not become full.

Video on how to restore your belly after childbirth

Exercises to strengthen the muscles of the perineum

Exercise 8

Starting position – sitting or lying down. We try to tense the muscles of the vagina and anus in turn. This exercise requires practice, because every time it seems that the same muscles are contracting. When the separation is clear, you can try to carry out a “wave” of contractions from the anus to the pubis. Relaxing your lips and mouth muscles and controlling your breathing will help you perform this exercise correctly.

This exercise reminds everyone very much famous exercises Kegels, which consist precisely in contracting the muscles of the perineum at different rates. Such gymnastics will be useful both before and after childbirth.

Video of Kegel exercises to strengthen the pelvic muscles

Exercise 9

We lie on our sides. The head, shoulders and pelvis form a straight line, legs are bent at the knees. The lower arm should be placed under the head, the upper arm bent and resting on the surface with a fist or palm in the navel area. While in this position, as you exhale, raise your pelvis (support on your upper arm), and as you inhale, lower it. Repeat 8-10 times on both sides.

Exercise 10

We occupy supine position face up, bend your knees, feet rest on the floor, arms lie along your body. As you exhale, pull your socks towards you and try to reach your left foot with your left hand, inhale - we return to the starting position, exhale - repeat the exercise, but now reach with your right hand to your right foot. We do 5-6 repetitions on the right and left sides.

Exercise 11

We get on all fours. The head, shoulders and pelvis are at the same height, knees are spaced approximately shoulder width apart. We exhale, draw in our stomach and lift our left palm and right leg from the surface, inhale – we return to the starting position, exhale – we repeat the exercise, changing the “diagonal”. We perform 10-12 times.

Exercise 12

We continue to practice standing on all fours. This time, rest on your palms and lift your feet. As you exhale, raise your pelvis, straightening your knees and distributing the weight on your palms and insteps. As you inhale, return to the original position. We perform 10-12 repetitions.

Exercise 13

We lie down on our side again. Bottom hand straightened and located at right angles to the body, emphasis on the palm. Top hand extended along the body. As you exhale, lift your pelvis off the surface and rise slightly. As you inhale, take the initial pose. We perform 8-10 repetitions on each side.

Exercise for the back and abdominal muscles

Exercise 14

We stand facing the wall. We rest our palms and forearms against the wall, legs slightly bent and shoulder-width apart. We contract the abdominal muscles, as if we are trying to bring the right elbow closer to the opposite knee, and then, on the contrary, the left elbow to the right knee. In fact, this movement is not performed; only the abdominal muscles are tensed.

Saying goodbye to extra pounds

Alas, the weight of a pregnant woman increases not only due to the growth of the fetus, placenta, amniotic fluid and the increased volume of circulating blood. The extra pounds that have appeared during pregnancy “stick” to the new mother and remain with her after childbirth. Since you cannot severely limit yourself in nutrition after childbirth, the best option is gymnastics for weight loss.

Reading on the topic:

• How to quickly lose weight after childbirth?
• Stretch marks on the abdomen after childbirth: how to remove them at home and using hardware cosmetology
• Losing weight after childbirth - fundamental tips
• Weight loss technique - online course “Mom + baby”

Cindy Crawford Method

Cindy Crawford's exercises after childbirth are very popular for this purpose. This set of exercises is developed based on personal experience and includes three groups of exercises: A - basic exercises, which can be performed anywhere and at any time, B - exercises aimed specifically at strengthening muscles, C - intense exercises for burning fat. Video training can be found in the public domain, they are also known as the “New Dimension” set of exercises. Working out with a virtual trainer is very convenient. At regular classes results are visible within 2 weeks.

Video by Cindy Crawford. New dimension. Complex C

Cindy Crawford - perfect body in 10 minutes

The postpartum period (6-8 weeks after the birth of the baby) is a period of physical and emotional adjustment. The reproductive organs return to their prenatal state. The family adapts to the arrival of a child in the house. The responsibilities of each parent change to cope with the needs of the baby.

Exercising in the early postpartum period really helps the recovery process. It is only important to observe the pace of increasing the load and the variety of exercises. The same exercises and tedious, tedious workouts, on the contrary, can cause a reaction opposite to the expected one.

It is best to start exercising on the first day after giving birth. Exercises should be performed regularly, several times a day, lying on a flat surface (take a small pillow for convenience). Perform movements slowly, without concentrating, smoothly. By no means harsh. The room where you practice should be well ventilated. The optimal temperature is 18-20 degrees. It is necessary to exercise in comfortable clothing that does not restrict movement. Don't forget to visit the toilet before training.

It is better to exercise after feeding. Always rise from a lying position by turning to the side. It is better to lie on your stomach most of the time, thereby supporting the involution of the uterus and reducing postpartum discharge. Getting up early after childbirth and walking supports recovery processes. Pay attention to good foot placement and especially to the “rolling” from heel to toe.

If the delivery process took place without complications, postpartum gymnastics can begin as early as the first week. It is clear that we are talking about the simplest, most basic exercises for women after childbirth, more intense loads should be connected later. After a caesarean section, due to the complexity of the operation, restorative gymnastics has its own characteristics.

What could be more beautiful than a woman with a baby? Young mothers glow with happiness. But there is no limit to perfection. This set of exercises after childbirth will help women quickly recover physical fitness and put on your favorite outfits again.

A set of exercises to remove belly fat after childbirth

What exercises can you do after childbirth to strengthen your abdominal muscles? Exercises 1 and 2 can be started from the 4th day after birth, and all the rest - from the 12th day after birth.

Exercise No. 1:

1. Stand straight, feet shoulder-width apart, arms along the body.

2. Inhale deeply and then slowly release the air through your mouth, strongly tensing your abdominal muscles.

3. After exhaling, maintain tension for a few seconds, then relax.

Exercise No. 2:

1. To perform this exercise from the gymnastics complex for recovery after childbirth, you need to lie on your stomach, legs straight, arms along the body.

2. Without helping yourself with your hands, simultaneously raise your head and chest - inhale.

3. Return to the starting position - exhale.

4. Repeat the exercise 4-5 times.

Exercise No. 3:

1. Lie on your back, legs straight, arms along your body.

2. Raise your legs vertically up and then lower them as slowly as possible.

3. This exercise for muscles after childbirth should be repeated 3-4 times.

Exercise No. 4:

1. Sit on a chair, on the very edge of the seat; back straight.

2. Pull in your stomach, bend your knees.

3. Raise bent legs up, trying not to arch in the lower back.

4. Stay at the point of highest tension and take 10 deep breaths.

5. Repeat the exercise 5 times.

Exercise No. 5:

1. Get on your knees, back straight.

2. Sit on the floor.

3. Rise to your knees without relaxing your abdominal and buttock muscles.

4. Do the same to the left side.

Exercise No. 6:

1. This exercise to remove belly fat after childbirth is performed while lying down. You need to lie on your back, put your hands behind your head and straighten your legs.

2. Squeeze your legs along their entire length, pull in your stomach, bend your knees.

3. Pull your knees as close to your chest as possible - inhale.

4. Lower your knees bent to the right until your right thigh touches the floor - exhale.

5. Do the same to the left side.

6. Repeat the exercise 10 times.

Exercise No. 7:

1. Lie on your right side, support your head with your hand.

3. Raise your closed legs up and hold them in this position for 3 seconds, then slowly lower them.

4. Turn over on your left side and do the same.

5. Repeat the exercise 10 times.

You need to start doing special exercises while still in the maternity hospital. They will help reduce pain in the perineum, back, and abdomen, restore posture and avoid many of the misfortunes that beset women who have given birth.

Exercises for chest muscles after childbirth

What exercises after childbirth will help strengthen your chest muscles? If you are not breastfeeding, you can start doing these exercises as early as 2 weeks after birth, and if you are, then only after you stop breastfeeding.

Starting position - stand straight, feet shoulder-width apart, arms along the body.

Exercise No. 1:

1. Bring your hands together in front of your chest: elbows raised to shoulder level, fingers spread, palms touching.

2. For 5-7 seconds, press firmly with one palm on the other, and then return to the starting position.

3. Repeat the exercise 10 times.

Exercise No. 2:

1. Describe large circles with your arms raised to the sides.

Exercise No. 3:

1. Spread your arms to the sides, slowly throw them back, then sharply lower them.

2. Repeat the exercise 10 times.

Exercise No. 4:

1. Straighten your arms behind your back and clasp your hands.

2. Raise your arms as high as possible without releasing your fingers.

Exercise No. 5:

1. Raise your arms straight above your head, cupping your palms and spreading your elbows to the sides.

2. Without separating your palms, alternately move your elbows as far back as possible.

3. Repeat the exercise 5 times.

Rehabilitation exercises after childbirth for women who have had a caesarean section

All postpartum rehabilitation exercises for women who have had a caesarean section are performed in a supine position on the bed.

1. Vigorously pull your toes toward you, then away from you. Repeat the exercise 8 times.

2. Rotate your feet around the ankle, first in one direction, then in the other. Repeat the exercise 10 times.

3. Bend your foot toward your shin, then slowly extend it forward. Repeat the exercise 8 times.

4. Tighten your knees and press them to the bed for 4-5 seconds, then relax. Repeat the exercise 10 times.

5. Squeeze your buttocks and relax. Repeat the exercise 10 times.

6. Alternately bend and extend your legs. Repeat the exercise 8 times for each leg.

7. Bend your knees, pull in your stomach, tighten your buttocks, and press your back to the bed - exhale. Count to four and relax - inhale. Repeat the exercise 4-5 times.

Here you can watch the video “Gymnastics after childbirth”, which shows exercises for the abdominal and chest muscles: