As your body goes through massive transformation during pregnancy, it will take commitment and effort to get back into shape again after you have given birth. Here are some important tips and suggestions from doctors on working out and losing weight safely after pregnancy.
Tips for Working Out After Labour: By Nurfatin Nabila Binti Dzulkifly, Physiotherapist at Columbia Asia Hospital – Seremban
Benefits of post-pregnancy workouts:
- Helps in losing weight and cholesterol
- Reduces the risk of backache, constipation and bloating
- Improves posture and lifts up mood
- Builds muscle tone, strength and endurance
- Improves well-being and promotes good sleep
Types of recommended
- Deep exercises breathing exercise helps in improving blood circulation. Breathe in deeply, hold for 5 seconds and breathe out slowly. Repeat this exercise 5 times. Practice every day.
- Ankle and foot exercise can improve blood circulation and reduces the risk of getting swollen ankles after labour. In sitting, rest your legs and relax your knees. Bend your ankle up and down vigorously for 30 seconds. Circle your feet 10 times in each direction.
Kegel’s exercise is esssential to strengthen pelvic floor muscles. These muscles are involved in preventing urine leakage during sneezing or coughing. Pelvic muscles strengthening may also prevent prolapsed womb. To perform this exercise, you may lie down on your back and bend your knees. Pull the area around the vagina up by contracting pelvic muscles and hold for 3 seconds. Repeat this exercise 10 times each day for 2-3 months.- Pelvic tilting exercise helps in strengthening abdominal muscles. Perform this exercise while lying down on a firm surface. Bend your knees up. Breathe in deeply. While breathing out, press the lower back flat and hold for 10 seconds. Repeat for 10 times each day.
Kegel’s exercise is esssential to strengthen pelvic floor muscles. These muscles are involved in preventing urine leakage during sneezing or coughing. Pelvic muscles strengthening may also prevent prolapsed womb. To perform this exercise, you may lie down on your back and bend your knees. Pull the area around the vagina up by contracting pelvic muscles and hold for 3 seconds. Repeat this exercise 10 times each day for 2-3 months.Brisk walk for 20-30 minutes at least 3 times per week. Enjoy your outdoor activities and meet up new friends or new mothers.
Nurfatin Nabila Binti Dzulkifly,
Physiotherapist,
Columbia Asia Hospital – Seremban
Tips for Losing Weight Safely and Quickly: By Hoormila Sagar, Dietitian at Columbia Asia Hospital – Seremban
- Eat a variety of foods and a balanced diet such as vegetable, fruits, grains, proteins and diary every day.
- Drink 6-10 glasses of fluids including water, milk and fruit juice each day
- Do not take diet pills that may contain harmful drugs as they can be passed to your baby through breast milk
- Limit junk foods such as chips, french fries and soda. Instead, replace them with healthy snacks
- Avoid alcohol and caffeine which may harm baby’s growth and body development
- Swordfish, shark, king mackerel and tilefish have a high level of toxins called mercury which is harmful for baby’s brain development
Best foods to eat after pregnancy
- Consume foods rich in protein, calcium and iron for body recovery, improving bone health and improving new blood cells production.
- Protein: beans, seafoods, lean meats, eggs and soy products.
- Calcium such as low-fat milk
- Iron: red meat, poultry, tofu and beans are high in iron.
- Other than that: vegetables, fruits, grains such as wheat breads and pasta, beans and nuts
Consume foods rich in protein, calcium and iron for body recovery, improving bone health and improving new blood cells production.
Hoormila Sagar,
Dietitian,
Columbia Asia Hospital – Seremban
