6 Easy Exercises For You With Your Newborn That Will Help You With Postpartum Better
New moms have to cope with a huge amount of pressure and all the developments that come with having a baby. Not only for their lifestyle but for their body as well. A woman’s body is truly miraculous. It can stretch out and expand wide enough to house a life for nine months, give birth to a baby, feed the baby and deal with all of life’s new demands. And as important as it is to rest and recover, one way to make new mamas feel better is getting a bit of exercise in with the baby. Not only can this be a small portion of time you can take for yourself but working out can also be an amazing way of bonding with your baby. The key is not to overdo it and take things at your own pace. Here are some fun and easy exercises to do with your baby.
1. Airplane
Your baby will love playing the flying airplane, so this is a clear win-win situation for the mom and the baby. This exercise is a great addition to your routine. It’s fun, it’s simple and it isn’t too taxing. Just lie down on your back and then place your baby below the knees. Make sure you are able to balance them properly before you start raising them up and down. You can even hold onto them as you fly the airplane. This exercise will work your arms, thighs and abdominal muscles.
2. Rocket Ship
A great way to get your muscles moving while still doing daily chores is to find ways to incorporate a little bit of movement into your everyday routine. For example, when you are spending time with your little baby, you could raise them up as if they are on a rocket ship and gently lower them back down. This is great for your arms. If you want to make things more interesting, do a lung while lifting your baby up. This will help work out your leg muscles and glutes as well. Repeating the action a couple of times will get your blood pumping and your baby giggling.
3. Downward Facing Dog
Place your baby on the yoga mat and stretch out your arms along with your legs, doing the downward facing dog yoga pose. Make sure that you are kneeling on your knees and hands. Then, lift up your hips, and stretch the back of your legs. Your head should be hanging heavy and looking at your belly’s direction. You will have to keep your feet parallel or make sure that you are on tiptoes. Another way you can make the whole process more easily doable is by making your knees bend. As you do this you can give your baby a kiss or talk to them.
4. Wide Squat
Turn your feet outward and suck your belly button in. sick a little lower until you find your balance or feel your pelvic floor. And then push through your heels and lift back up. Keep your knees wide but ensure that they don’t go over your toes. These are all the things to keep in mind while doing a wide squat. You can either carry your baby while you do this exercise if you’d like to add some weight or simply place them on the floor right before you so they can high five you every time you lower yourself into a squat. You can also explain what you are doing and help them exercise their verbal skills while you work out your hips and legs.
5. The Bridge
For this one, you should be lying on your back and bending your knees. Then, you need to put your newborn on your hips, and hold them with both your arms. Now lift up your bottom and be still for more than a couple of seconds. Your little baby will love the up and down motion, and this will give you a great chance to take care of your belly, thigh muscles and bottoms.
6. Peek-a-boo Crunches
You may want to consult your doctor before you start doing sit ups as they usually recommend you wait until your baby has turned at least 1. However, when you are ready for this kind of core workout, simply place your baby on your hips and play peek-a-boo with them. While lying on the floor, cover your face and lift your shoulders off the floor. Then reveal your face and say “peek-a-boo.” Every baby loves playing this game so this exercise will be a fan-favorite.
Feeling like yourself again and getting a sense of your own body can take time after giving birth. It is important to give yourself the time to rest and patiently push yourself to be more active with your new workout buddy. You’ve got this mama!
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