Getting your figure back after a birth is normal. But gently, so as not to rush a body that has been badly treated by pregnancy. Gym, diet, well-being: our coaches act on all fronts.
The days and weeks following a birth are not easy for the young mother who has to recover from the birth, the disturbed nights, and accept that she will not be able to get back to her former body right away. Our progressive physical and mental fitness program.
Week 1 after giving birth: recharging your batteries
Baby is not sleeping through the night, and these first moments are a physical challenge!
In the plate, the full of energy foods
The nutritionist's explanation: "A woman who has just given birth is tired and often lacks iron. A blood test will make it possible to check this. The main food rich in iron is red meat. Also liver if you like it. One portion per day is enough, because this red meat can be fatty: beware then of cholesterol. "
To regain energy, all protein foods are recommended: white meat, fish, eggs (2 eggs = 100 g of meat). We often talk about proteins in vegetables but they do not have the same energy quality. The ideal menu? Meat and vegetables for lunch; fish with steamed potatoes or rice for dinner.
The exercise to relax the back
Rather than gymnastics, this is about postures. After childbirth, the upper back and trapezius are painful because the woman is in a bad position: she is sitting badly, hunched over, with her shoulders hunched forward.
A typical example of a bad position: is to be sunken in the sofa to breastfeed baby. Instead, the young mother should keep her back straight, sitting on a low seat or on a large cushion filled with microbeads, taking care to support her back.
Wearing a support belt
Wearing a support belt right after giving birth and for two months afterwards can be helpful. The ligaments that support the joints in the pelvis have softened due to the effects of hormones. This belt - which is attached to the hips - helps relieve pain and speeds up recovery. Ask for it at your pharmacy.
Week 2 after childbirth: taking care of your body, boosting your morale
Beware of the baby blues that lurk after giving birth and returning home. Feeling a little lost is normal. Don't hesitate to get help.
On the plate, foods that are good for circulation
The veins and blood circulation may have suffered during pregnancy, due to the pressure of the baby. To compensate, the main advice is to eliminate salt, as it promotes water retention.
It is also advisable to drink a lot of water, tea or herbal tea: "We must encourage all the movements of water in the body to help a good circulation", explains the nutritionist France Aubry.
And always: the diet must remain rich in proteins and slow and fast sugars.
Two exercises to strengthen the perineum
Exercise 1: sitting on a chair, imagine that you want to pee or have a bowel movement, try to hold back, then release. The sitting and contact points on the chair normally move. "It is necessary to continue to make this exercise, even if one does not feel anything!", insists Bernadette de Gasquet, doctor, professor of yoga and author of Retrouver la forme après bébé (éd. Marabout Pratique).
Exercise 2: hold the perineum and blow while going up, as if you put a hand on the perineum and the other on the bottom of the belly, and that you wanted to maintain everything. To do this better, imagine that it is like a scar on which you do not want to force.
Precision: when we talk about strengthening the perineum, do not think of "strengthening" in the sense of training or muscle building, but rather imagine that these are fragile fibers that must be preserved.
In case of water retention during pregnancy
Manual lymphatic drainage, which can be done at the physiotherapist's, is invaluable for those who suffered from water retention during their pregnancy.
Fitness tip: keep moving. You can choose to climb stairs, go for a walk with baby in the stroller...
Week 3 after giving birth: lose your belly gently
The belly needs your full attention after pregnancy. Simple exercises will help you work your abs, but above all without forcing you.
In the plate, the foods to find a flat stomach
Avoid raw vegetables that make you bloat. Favour cooked vegetables and proteins. Never combine raw vegetables and fruit in the same meal.
To keep your energy up and your belly down, a simple meal: a plate of pasta al dente with tomato sauce, mushrooms and a drizzle of olive oil.
The exercise to remusculate your belly after a baby
Lie down, arms by your side, knees bent, feet placed on a low piece of furniture (or a chair).
Raise the pelvis while exhaling, push on the arms, dig the upper back to the maximum and raise the buttocks.
Then, put the arms behind the head and go back down by pulling the buttocks towards the feet by taking support on a low piece of furniture (or a chair).
To be practiced as soon as possible after giving birth.
Practice the "false thoracic inspiration" conceived by Dr. de Gasquet: make the diaphragm rise by emptying the lungs. Then, pretend to breathe. One is in a state of respiratory apnea, and the tonic muscles of the perineum work, going up in a reflex way. This exercise relieves the organs of the small pelvis. To be done the first time with a physiotherapist.
Week 4 after childbirth: focus on skin firmness
Drink a lot, moisturize your skin every day... these are essential gestures. And be patient: on the stomach, after a pregnancy, the skin takes a year to recover completely.
On the plate... water and controlled snacking
The skin has been damaged during pregnancy, especially on the stomach. The nutritionist advises you to drink a lot of water.
To avoid gaining weight, eat a yogurt and a compote as a snack, or even a piece of bread with ham. Beware of weight marathons," says France Aubry. Of course, it is a question of losing the kilos taken during the pregnancy. But without a strict diet, because fatigue is not far away... "
The treatment to tone up your skin
"At the level of the abdomen, it is possible to recover quickly. In three months for those who are in good physical shape," says physiotherapist Sonia Petrau-Gay. But the skin will take longer to firm up. My advice: make scrubs to stimulate the skin, and moisturize daily. "
Back to the pool
If the episiotomy is healed, you can return to the pool. Sonia Petrau-Gay advises exercises to be practiced with a "frite" (foam buoy).
Climb on the fry and pedal: keeping your balance leads to a passive toning of the abdominal muscles.
Sitting on the fry, do not move your legs. Move forward with your arms as you would with breaststroke.
Standing with knees bent, with water up to your shoulders, hold the fry with arms outstretched in front of you, and bend it in the water to work your whole chest.
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