HOW TO GET BACK IN SHAPE AFTER GIVING BIRTH

At About 5 Months Gestation 😅

How To get back in shape after pregnancy
After successfully getting to the end of this difficult and epic journey that is pregnancy, you may wonder why you still look like you have a tot in your womb even though you're holding one in your arms. This is because as much as the stomach is elastic, it does not expand and contract instantly, and there are organs inside you that need some time to get back to their old shape and size after you have given birth. For this reason, understand that while it is completely possible to get back your pre pregnancy body, it is not instant so there is no need to stress yourself over such issues right now. Your priority should be the nourishment of tot, his or her well-being and all things baby; this is after all not really about you for the time being 🤗

I have therefore compiled a list of things to do and those not to do in order to get back to your shape and I do hope that these will help you get on well. One thing to note though, never push yourself beyond the point that your doctors have recommended,or where your body is straining; you should always pay attention to your body and know that you will have years to get back to your former shape, after all, what's the rush? 😉

Do's;

1-Keep Active

This works especially well if you keep active from before you are pregnant, during your pregnancy (if you have a straightforward and uncomplicated pregnancy) and a while after you have delivered. You will have set a good metabolic pace for your body so it will be easier to get back to the point you were in the start. Now I know we are all guilty of slacking down every now and then, and modern lifestyles do not exactly help with anything either, but whichever point you are at, do not despair, it is never too late to start with exercise, even something as simple as brisk walking for a few minutes, just remember to get your doctors' ok, and to pace yourself because slow and steady wins the race, start slow to last long, not hard and fast as you will burn out.

2-Diet

I do not mean fad diets or starving yourself in any way, no. What I mean by diet is to watch what you consume, and in the period of nursing your baby not even the quantities should be watched, because I believe that your body will let you know what it needs so listen to it. Make sure you eat nutritious food and do not fill up on empty calories, trains fats from processed foodstuffs, and excess sugars. Do not restrict your quantities too much because then your body will go into starvation mode which will work against you, but do not go into the extreme of eating too much either as quality beats quantity. Work out the best diet for your body type and metabolism preferably with your doctor or nutritionist and do your best to stick to it, and as we are always told, more green in your plate is better, so lots of fruits and vegetables!

3-Hydrate

I will never not stress on the importance of water, because it just has so much to help with that it's impossible to understate. Since milk is liquid, it forms primarily from water so as long as you are breastfeeding you should take in enough water to avoid constipation. Water will also help with digesting whatever you eat, and will provide a good soluble base for the minerals and vitamins in your diet, hence making digestion more efficient. Taking in water often will ensure that you do not think you're hungry when you are actually just thirsty, so it could also help with food quantities. Enough water will also ensure your skin is elastic so it can get back to its former size and shape (because it stretches) more easily and you will not have to battle early-age wrinkles, and also stretch marks and other issues of the skin brought on by pregnancy will be easier to deal with.

4-Breastfeed

This works very well for any new mother, and you will notice that as you breastfeed the baby fat will melt away faster because it is exactly what it's called and the purpose it serves is to be the body's back up plan for tot's nutrition. It basically gets turned into breastmilk so the more vigorously you breastfeed your baby, the better off this fat will leave you, and the more thankful toto will be for all the life-giving milk you supply to them, a win for everyone involved!

Don'ts;

1-Stress

Stress is never good for anything anyway, so this comes as no surprise. It will lock your mind in a negative frame and you will not be able to do much for yourself anyway. It will also cause issues with milk supply and the bad vibes you give off will make your baby miserable, so whatever you do, first settle your mind and from the order that comes from within, plan a way to get things to work and you will reap the benefits.

2-Beat Yourself Up

In the event that you do things like exercise but they don't work, don't let that get you down, because what works for a certain person or people may not necessarily work for everyone. Know that as long as you have put in the effort and done your level best, no amount of worry will step in to help in any way, so maintain a positive attitude and as long as you keep living healthy, your efforts will eventually pay off.

3-Set Unattainable Goals

So some soccer mom on Instagram sailed through her pregnancy on a cloud of blissful swag and admiration, and gave birth with no complications, then topped that all off with a body weight restoration in a record one and a half month. That was her, and you are not her, so do not expect to snap back as fast. Also, there's this nifty little thing with photographs known as editing, so unless you personally know the person in question, always take these posts with a pinch of salt because almost all of them have some tweaks done in their favor. If you do know the person in question personally, then kindly ask them for their regiment, or better yet tag along as often as possible to get a first hand account of what they do so you can try it as well. Otherwise, do not believe the hype that you should shed all the baby kilos in 25 days; if you do, well and good, but otherwise, welcome to the majority, and practice patience 😉

4-Follow Random Advice

No matter the region or place in time, there will always be a quick fix promise of unbelievable weight loss, and some sketchy before and after pictures of 'losers' who may not even look like the same person. There will always be a dealer trying to sell you this diet or that, those miracle pills, the ultimate slimming tea, etc etc, and my two cents are the old but true saying that if the deal is too good, you better think twice. A lot of people may approach you with the news that a friend of theirs tried something and it worked and you should ask yourself (or them, if you have the guts) why they haven't tried it themselves since often they look like they could use it as well ha! But anyway steer clear of people promising results that to you may sound like water in the desert, and before you commit to anything make sure that you have done your due diligence and have your doctor's nod.

I do wish you all the best in this journey of bubbly happy kids and suave fit mom and as much as sometimes it may seem all doom and gloom, always know that whatever else you are, you are a mother first, and this, at least according to all rational beings I know, is the highest calling you could attain while on earth 😏. So rock your momma boots and take all in stride, be the best momma you can be and all else will fall into place, til next week, chao! 💕