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Shed Post-Pregnancy Pounds

Tips to Regain Your Pre-Baby Shape

     If you’ve delivered your baby but haven’t been able to shed those excess pregnancy pounds, you’re not alone. Many new moms hope to return to their pre-pregnancy weight as soon as possible, but end up disappointed when their scale won’t budge.
     “It’s important to keep in mind that it can take anywhere from nine months to a year for your ‘mommy body’ to evolve back to your former self,” says Helene Byrne, an Oakland fitness instructor and author. She is also the creator of www.befitmom.com, an online resource covering prenatal and postpartum health, fitness and exercise.
     When Sandy Mourad’s first son was born seven years ago, the Concord mom decided to attend a local stroller fitness program, Baby Boot Camp, as a way to meet other new moms. She thought it would be a good way to lose her pregnancy pounds.
     “When I had my first baby, I didn’t know any other moms with kids,” Mourad says.  “I loved the idea of working out outside in a group setting around other moms that could relate to the demands of a new baby.”
     Mourad not only met some of her best friends through Baby Boot Camp, she also found that it helped her to establish a routine and schedule as a new mom. In addition, the regular workouts helped her lose the pregnancy pounds in a matter of months.
     “I loved the concept of Baby Boot Camp so much that I became certified to teach when my first son was 15 months old and ended up buying the Walnut Creek franchise a few years later in August of 2009,” Mourad says.
     Today, Mourad’s classes consist of pregnant moms, postpartum moms and moms with kids up to six years old.
      “We have a wide variety of moms with newborn babies to toddlers to preschool kids and even older kids on summer break,” Mourad says. “I modify all of my classes so that moms of different levels can participate, including pregnant moms. Most of my regular moms attend classes three to four times a week either during the day, in the evening or on weekends.”
      While many moms might feel it’s impossible to exercise with a new baby, Mourad says the Baby Boot Camp classes, started by Bay Area mom Kristen Horler in 2001, emphasize support and camaraderie.
     “Our instructors try to help with babies as much as possible,” Mourad says. “So if a baby gets fussy during class, it’s our job to push the baby in the stroller, so that Mom can exercise. Most of the babies do get used to class and seem to enjoy the fresh air and other kids around them.”
     Byrne notes that many yoga studios, hospitals and health clubs in the Bay Area offer prenatal and postpartum exercise classes, allowing new moms an opportunity to workout while also serving as something of a support group for families.
     If attending a formal class seems like a daunting prospect, Byrne suggests putting your little one in a sling or front pack and going for a walk around the neighborhood.
     “Baby carrying, especially in the first six months, is a great way to burn more calories, as well as helping your baby to establish a secure attachment,” Byrne says. “In addition to the physical benefits of exercise, working out has also been shown to reduce the chances of postpartum depression.”
      Working out at home to an exercise video can also help new moms get back in shape. Byrne’s DVD, Bounce Back Fast: Post Natal Core Conditioning, uses Byrne’s BeFit-Mom system showing new moms how to strengthen the abdominal wall “from the inside out,” close abdominal separation and develop core strength and stability.
      “A lot of moms think they can do a series of crunches and their abs will be flat,” Byrne says. “The problem is that crunches work the outside abdominal muscles, and if you re-work the outside muscles after pregnancy without first rehabbing the deepest muscle, your belly is never going to flatten. Moreover, crunches actually make common postpartum problems like abdominal separation and joint instability worse.”
     Bryne designed the exercise routine featured on her DVD, after her own son was born, after failing to see a similar reconditioning program for new moms on the market.
     “Too many programs for new moms just give a smattering of generic beginner level exercises — squats, leg lifts, bicep curls, etc.,” Byrne says. “Those workouts have little to do with what’s really going on in a woman’s body after pregnancy.”
     Byrne says that pregnancy leaves women with special physical challenges. In addition to a belly that has been stretched out, Byrne notes that postpartum mothers often have misaligned spines and joints that are too loose (due to the hormones of pregnancy) and can be vulnerable to injury.
     Both Byrne and Mourad stress that it’s important for all new moms to check with their doctor before beginning a postpartum exercise program.
      “After an uncomplicated vaginal delivery, doctors will usually give their OK for new moms to begin special postnatal abdominal isolations, gentle stretching and fitness walking,” Byrne says. “After a C-section, the recovery period will be longer. I recommend that all new moms begin with exercises that develop core strength and functional stability to prevent injury and speed recovery.”
     In addition to exercise, Bryne recommends three 80 percent nutrition rules for new moms who want to lose weight.
     “Make sure that 80 percent of the calories you consume come from super high-quality foods such as lean protein, fruits and vegetables,” she says. “In addition, eat 80 percenent of your typical serving size, and stop eating when you feel 80 percent full.”
     Finally, don’t be discouraged when the weight doesn’t immediately disappear or you see pictures of your favorite actress wearing skinny jeans a few weeks postpartum.
      “Many of those pictures have been photoshopped and give new moms false expectations,” Byrne says. “Every person is different, but for most new moms, it takes nine to 12 months to regain their pre-baby shape.”
 

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