5 BEST, TIME SAVING EXERCISES FOR A NEW MOTHER

As a new mom, post pregnancy exercise is so important for you, your self-care is your responsibility. And that comes with small habits. Starting small every day, follow these exercises and slowly grow your strength and abilities.

A shout out to all the amazing new moms, how wonderful you are. In the midst of laughter, baby smell, sleepless nights and so many new experiences. You have to take out some time for yourself. And exercise is a great way to get some self-care.

Here are the best postpartum exercises, which I would recommend for all the new moms. As a new mom, you spend a lot of time holding the baby and sitting or lying down. We need to exercise to strengthen our muscles and make our body flexible so that we do not have any aches and pains. Weight loss and fat loss are also a concern for new moms so these exercises after delivery will help you kick start that process as well. These exercises give the biggest bang for your buck and hence are time savers.

SURYA NAMASKAR

At this stage, it is important to stretch your whole body, and nothing can beat the power of a Surya Namaskar. It's a full-body workout for new moms which stretches all the body parts. The Surya Namaskar for new moms has to be done very slowly in order to give a stretch to the whole body, every posture has its own benefits. The slower you do the Surya namaskar the more focus on strength. It helps in balancing the body, strengthening the chest muscles, strengthening the leg muscles, and making the spine flexible.

Squeeze these in the morning, when the baby is asleep and they take less than 5 to 10 minutes to do. Slow starts in the beginning. Start with 2 to 3 repetitions on each side of all the 12 asanas. If you find yourself free in the afternoon or evening do another 2 or 3 repetitions. You do not need to roll out your yoga mat or wear any yoga clothes, just get the body to move.

This will also help in weight loss and will help in remaining active throughout the day.

WALKING WITH BABY

Walking is such a good post-pregnancy exercise overall for new moms. You do not need to think about jogging or running or anything too intense in the beginning. As a new mother, you must be already running here and there if your baby is 7-8 Months old. We know how they already keep you on your toes. For moms whose babies are small, say 2-3 months old, this is such a boon. You can hold them like a teddy bear and walk them around the house till they are asleep. This is such an advantage for you to stay fit and maintain your health. The baby acts as a weight that you hold. Remember the lower you hold the baby and the closer to your body you hold the baby the less strain on the spine.

NEW MOTHER AND INFANT 

Invest in a fitness tracking band, there are a lot of good quality fitness bands, which you can buy and count your steps every day. For the beginners, start with a minimum number of steps and spread it out throughout the day. Don't stress yourself too much, go with the flow. What matters is one step at a time. So, improve day by day. One day at a time and make this your habit.

And if your baby is old enough, try to walk with the baby by holding his hands and taking slow steps. This will also help in increasing the bond with your child and can be counted as a walk/ playtime for your baby and you. What a fun workout it can be!

SQUATS BY HOLDINGS THE BABY

A house with a baby can be filled with positive energy, bouncing the baby around is a great way to fill the home with laughter and joy. You can also add an element of fitness into these precious moments.Add in squats with your baby, by holding the baby in your hands and slowly squat on a chair or bed. Then shoot up to a standing position and look at the giggles from the baby. So joyful isn't it?

By doing that you play with your baby and work on your exercising routine. Legs are an important part of our body, they have the largest muscles and hence help in increasing your metabolism when exercised.

Squats also help in strengthening the glutes, quadriceps, hamstrings, adductors, hip flexors, and calves. This will help in toning the muscles of your lower body.

Start with 10 squats every day. Do this as an exercise multiple times a day as well. 

Start small and be consistent.

DEAD BUG

Don't go with the name of the exercise. I know this is how you feel right now with so much work to do with the baby. But this postpartum exercise will help you in strengthening your core. This will help you in improving your posture and imbalances that would have come from the pregnancy This exercise for new moms is particularly important for moms that might suffer from diastasis recti, which is the separation of the abdominal muscles due to pregnancy. This separation leads to a weak core and doing planks or crunches does not help reverse this. Instead, try “Dead Bugs”.

Lie flat on your back, raise your arms straight up in the air. Next, put your legs in the tabletop position, which is bent knees, like you are sitting on a chair. Move your right leg out straight and bring it down to the floor. At the same time bring your left arm straight back, towards your ears. Return to the original position, then repeat this move using the opposite leg and arm. Slow controlled movements will help you the most. Engaging your core as you do this exercise.

DEAD BUG EXERCISE 

You can demonstrate this exercise in front of your baby and see your baby laugh or try it with you. It can be a nice fun play and workout time for you.Start with 5 to 10 repetitions every day. Start with a small number and keep increasing it every day at your pace.

SUPER(WO)MAN

The name of the exercise is Superman, but since it's about new moms we changed it to Superwoman :) This postpartum exercise helps you build your core and helps in strengthening your lower back and upper back. You can perform this exercise with your baby around and make this fun and playtime for both of you.

SUPERWOMAN EXERCISE 

Lie on your stomach and stretch your arms out in front of you. Now raise your arms and legs off the ground. Feel the squeeze in your glutes back and lower back. This post-pregnancy exercise will help strengthen your lower back which gets a lot of use as a new mom holding the baby all the time. Hold it for 10-15 seconds for about 3 repetitions in the beginning and slowly increasing at your place will help you in building a strong core.

In the end...

The above exercises will help you boost your energy levels and improve your well-being. These postpartum exercises can be performed anywhere, without a mat, and can be done at your pace. It will get you stronger, fitter, and healthier and help you stay active for a long time. This can be a part of your daily routine and are an excellent time-saver.

Happy exercising with your baby, build small habits every day and most importantly stay consistent!

Small habits build a great lifestyle :)