Baby Weight, Now What?
If I had a dollar for every time I’ve heard the words “I just want to lose my baby weight” I’d have more money than Oprah. Well maybe not Oprah, maybe Gayle…but you get the point.
Baby weight is a hot topic here at Massage~A~Mom. Usually followed by “but I’m so tired” or “I can’t find the time to pee sometimes how am I working out?”
Let’s all calm down about the baby weight and see if we can look at this a little differently.
One of my favorite quotes from Wayne Dyer is:
“When you change the way you look at things, the things you look at change.”
If you are stressed about how or when you’ll lose your baby weight, well that will just make the process of losing your baby weight even harder and longer to achieve. Stress about anything will raise your Cortisol levels.
Resisting what is might cause one to start beating up on her self or feeling defeated because things aren’t happening fast enough or at all, causing more stress and anxiety. So what’s a girl to do?
You change the way you look at it…it’s very simple. In this New Normal you find yourself in, you have no time to dwell on baby weight and taking the time to beat yourself up a good part of your day because of it. Raising your Cortisol (stress hormone) as you go. So you are NOT going to make this about baby weight. What you are going to do is to change the way you see your so-called baby weight dilemma. This is NOT about losing weight, this is about STRENGTHENING THE MOM-BOD. Period!
It takes a lot of strength to be someone’s mother.
I’m sure you’ll find out that mothering is like running a non-stop marathon. And that takes training and practicing some new self-care habits to keep up with the demands. #dontforgetaboutmommy
After having your baby there are only five things that you have to focus on, just five.
1) Rehab the Pelvic Floor
2) Strengthen the Abdominals (your Core), which in turn strengthens the back
3) Practicing Where Are My Shoulders
4) Paying Attention to your Posture
5) Practicing Conscious Breathing
Taking your focus off of the baby weight you feel you need to lose and putting the focus on the your physical self instead, like the pelvic floor, strengthening the abs, where are your shoulders and being mindful of your breath are easier goals to achieve…I believe.
And the kicker is that everything you do to rehab your pelvic floor, your core, back, and upper body will help you shed the so-called baby weight, and at the same time strengthen your body. Win-Win! #MomBod
It’s important to note that pelvic floor rehab is essential to the process, please read my article on pelvic floor rehab.
Mothering demands a strong back, carting everybody and all their crap around takes a lot of strength.
You can’t have a strong back without core strength and good posture, it’s just not possible!
So if your pregnancy was like training for the Olympics, I’m sure you’ll find out that mothering is like running a non-stop marathon. So why not see yourself as a World Class Athlete!
First things first, scheduling your pelvic floor rehab postpartum.
Call your OB/GYN office and see what they are offering for pelvic floor rehab in the way of Bio-feedback. If they don’t offer it ask them why not and find an office that does. In most cases this will be paid for by insurance. If we lived in France this would be part of the postpartum follow-up. Viva La France.
Can you lose weight by breathing more?
Keeping your shoulders down and relaxed and remembering to take deep cleansing breathes throughout the day. Deep breathing during the day can help you shed some weight by keeping your metabolism going strong and helping with digestion. Keeping a focus on your Mind, Body Connection. Asking your self a zillion times “where are my shoulders?” “Are they down and relaxed?”
Effects
Deep breathing provides your body's cells with oxygen, which helps you absorb nutrients. It also stimulates your lymphatic system to get rid of toxins. If your breath is shallow, also known as chest breathing, your cells are receiving less nutrients and your lymph system may be more sluggish, both of which may lead to weight gain, according to the study.
Benefits
Breathing deeply helps support your central nervous system. Physician, yoga instructor and acupuncturist Baxter Bell suggests that the deep breathing techniques done in gentle or restorative yoga may help you lose weight by activating the parasympathetic nervous system. This part of the nervous system counteracts stress by calming your mind and balancing your body. By slowing your metabolism, it aids in digestion, which can help you lose weight. On the other hand, too much stress may cause more rapid, shallow breathing, a quicker heartbeat and tight muscles, which may cause anxiety and less ability to quell cravings.
Source: https://www.livestrong.com/article/272070-how-does-deep-breathing-help-you-lose-weight/
Necessary Items You’ll Need For The Around The House Workout.
1. The kitchen counter.
2. Any doorway.
3. Resistance bands.
4. A chair for Tri-cep dips, leg strength and stability.
5. The exercise ball you used during pregnancy.
6. A foam roller…a total must have.
7. The lunge…no equipment necessary.
Any free time you have during the day might just be a few minutes here and there in-between doing everything for everyone else. So as your multi-tasking skills advance take a few minutes for just your self, turn this precious one-minute into a mini-meditation or just a moment for mommy to relax and breathe, pat yourself on the back tell yourself you’re doing a great job (I really don’t think we do that enough).
A minute here and a minute there adds up and by the end of the day you could rack up maybe 20-30 mins of stretching breathing, and strengthening your core. Time that you don’t have in one chunk. It doesn’t sound like much but you can get in quite a few good stretches and breaths in one minute. Try it. And how good would it feel as you look back on your day with everything you did for everyone else you still got some work out time in there…pretty impressive.
Start seeing different parts of your home as designated workout stations…especially the kitchen where we find ourselves a good part of the day. Incorporating the “Around The House Workout” as you move through your day. Make it fun!
Resistance Bands
Walking around using your resistance bands as you move from room to room feels amazing and helps to get the blood flowing in your upper body. An area that needs all the help it can get. The bands are great for building the upper body strength you’ll need for all the carting around of baby and baby equipment for years to come. With regular use of the bands you will help to loosen and strengthen tight forearms and wrists.
Think about all you do all day long using your forearms it’s basically everything. And now your workload just doubled you’re even wiping two asses now, three if you’ve had twins. Paying attention to your posture as you move around using your bands will also help you to engage the core adding to your core strengthening focus.
After two weeks of using my resistance bands everyday for just a few minutes at a time, I thought I saw a difference is my muscle tone even my daughter noticed it…I was like wow so I didn’t just make that up in my head I do look more toned. I was very impressed with myself.
I spend a good part of my day just walking around looking for things so I keep my resistance bands handy so I can just grab them as I’m going room to room looking for my phone or coffee cup, and I love using them they feel great.
The Kitchen Counter
So much good stretching can be done at the kitchen counters. Providing you have the room the stretch, if not you’ll find a table, dresser something stable with the right height to do these back openers and leg lifts. You don’t need much room for the push-ups, side stretch or the Cat/Cow stretch. All these stretches engage the core and you really feel the stretch even after just one or two minutes.
My kitchen is galley style, small but I have one section where I can carefully extend my leg all the way back. Pushing into the counter while pulling and extending my leg back to the wall, taking a breath or two then stretch the other leg, what a great stretch you can feel your whole side open up! The leg stretch with the bent knee is a good butt lifter and who doesn’t need that, it doesn’t stay perky forever so you better start now keeping it strong, lifted and tight so you can better run around after a toddler.
Stretch breath then move on…easy!
The Foam Roller
One of my favorite pieces of equipment is the foam roller. I really try to use the roller everyday I love it! The foam roller is also a great tool for building core strength.
At the end of your day if you would just drag yourself over to the roller and roll out upper back, butt muscles and the quads on the front of the leg, which is like doing a plank you would be helping to loosen any tension you’ve built up during your day. It’s like giving yourself a mini-compression massage a thank you so to speak for all you do for everyone else. A reward. You deserve it. Don’t forget about Mommy! There are a million videos on YouTube on how to roll correctly. Using your foam roller gives new meaning to stop, drop and roll.
The Stability Ball
So many good things can be done on the stability ball. I have an exercise video on my website that gives you an easy workout. So many of us put pressure on ourselves to “bounce back” after just giving birth, the only bouncing back you need to be doing is on your ball!
Sitting on your ball and bouncing with the baby has a very calming effect on the baby, it mimics what the baby felt while in your belly. The up and down motion is calming, some say it helps put the baby to sleep, some say it helps with colic. I’m not making any claims, I’m just reporting back.
The backward bend on the stability ball with your palms facing up, opening up the tired and shortened Pec muscles (see illustration) feels great also as you engage the core and tighten the glutes (butt muscles). Give yourself a Mantra…slowly but surely I feel myself getting stronger, that’s what you tell your-self everyday.
Bouncing on the ball is also a good way for Dad or your Partner to bond with the baby, especially doing skin to skin. So adorable!
The Doorway Stretch
Who doesn’t love the doorway stretch? How many times a day are you walking through a doorway? Probably many. The doorway stretches illustrated are a wonderful way to stop, breathe and open up the chest and the ribs, and get some blood flowing. All my preggos learn how to do the much needed doorway stretches on their first visit. They love it and it’s too easy not to do. Remembering to do it after leaving my office might be the hardest part.
Every time you put the baby down after a feeding go immediately to one of your stations doing a doorway stretch or opening the pecs muscles on the stability ball after sitting for however long feeding the baby is a great way to open up the pec muscle area and undo all of that medial rotation you find yourself in the first two years of mothering.
A Stable Chair
Practicing how to properly get up from a seated position by using your legs, without the use of your hands to lift you off the seat as opposed to putting pressure on using your already tired low back muscles to get you up. Scooting to the edge of the chair one foot in front of the other leaning a little forward and using the legs to lift up and off the chair. This practice puts less stress, strain, and wear tear on the low back and uses less of your precious energy.
The tri-cep dip this is also a good one and easy to do. You need upper body strength if you want to survive Motherhood. You can’t be happy is your back hurts.
These moves will also engage your core and helps with keeping you stable at least in the physical sense.
The Lunge
A good way to incorporate the lunge into your daily routine is, anytime you go to get the baby instead of dashing off even if the baby is crying, you lunge your way there instead. Keeping your back straight, engaging your core. Taking your time talking to the baby while on your way. Telling the baby mommy’s coming I’ll be right there just 20 more lunges to go. Hang in their baby I’m trying to put things back together just 5 more to go.
You may not have a lot of time during your day but you certainly have a minute here and there to stretch and breathe, at least give yourself that much. Unless you smell smoke and have to run nothing should stop you from taking this time for yourself even if you hear your baby crying, it’s okay it’s just a minute.
The more you give to yourself the more you have to give to others.
This is self-care in its easiest form you don’t even have to leave the house, you can even stay in your pajamas if you like.
Utilizing the Around The House Workout everyday and paying attention to your posture and how you're breathing is a jumpstart to healing and feeling a better sense of well-being. Keeping in mind that you should be allowing yourself at least one full year postpartum to recover physically and emotionally. The first year with a new baby is hard and can be overwhelming. It’s important to have some self-care tools to help adjust.
Everything has changed so you need to change some of the things that you do by incorporating some new things into the mix. Creating and practicing new habits that will enhance your well being, like being mindful, not resisting what is and not reaching out if you need help.
Motherhood is suppose to expand you not limit you in this new experience. You are always doing the best you can do in any moment with what you know and what you have to work with.
So, to recap, the importance of changing how you look at things like you “Ugh, this baby weight” to “there's no weight to lose just strength to be had” by adopting some simple self care routines and putting your focus on what really matters strengthening your MomBod.
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