Health -- Get Your Pre-Baby Body Back

Summarizing a wonderful article from WebMD:

First, let's ease the pressure a little.

Laura Riley, MD, a high-risk-pregnancy expert from Massachusetts General Hospital and spokeswoman for the American Collage of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, says that "we don't have the kind of lifestyle that would allow for that kind of quick loss -- and the sooner women recognize that, the better they will feel about themselves." "[The celebrities] have resources that the rest of us don't have after baby is born." This, she reminds us, includes personal trainers, chefs, and nannies, all of whom allow the celebrity new mom to devote serious time to getting in shape, a luxury few other women have. Neither crash dieting or a stringent exercise program is the way to go -- particularly if you've had a difficult pregnancy, a C-section delivery, or if you're breastfeeding. Riley says she frequently advises patients to not even think about dieting until after their first six-week visit.

"You should be eating at least 1,800-2,000 calories a day while breastfeeding, and if you eat less you will not only be shortchanging yourself, you'll be shortchanging your baby. You can't produce quality milk if you are not eating enough," says nutritionist Elizabeth Somer, RD, author of Nutrition for a Healthy Pregnancy. "Pregnancy is not unlike running a marathon every day for nine months. You have really put your body through the ringer, so even if you ate well, several nutrients are still likely to be compromised. You need this postpartum time to restore your nutritional status and your energy."

American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists recommends that you check with your doctor before starting an exercise program, especially if you had a complicated pregnancy or delivery. That said, most experts agree you are free to begin a mild workout as soon as you feel up to it -- and you can keep up with the activity level.

American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists experts say one of the easiest ways to begin a postpartum exercise routine is by walking. "The idea is to use the stroller as a piece of fitness equipment and doing exercises that actually rely on the stroller, or workouts that can be done while your baby is in the stroller," says Lisa Druxman, founder of San Diego-based Stroller Strides, one of several nationwide programs devoted to helping new moms get back in shape.

"You can start with what you did in the third trimester, then gradually add what you did in the second trimester, then the first, until you are back to doing what you did before pregnancy," says Fleming, who says the process should take between four and six months.

The one area where you might want to start on sooner rather than later, however, involves strength-training exercises to build a strong core, an area that Riley says many women neglect during pregnancy as well as during the postpartum. "Even if you had strong core muscles before pregnancy, you really lose that strength during pregnancy because the muscles are all attenuated and stretched out – plus you've spent nine months carrying extra weight in that area," says Riley.

"You can start simple and slow with a pelvic tilt, a modified sit-up (if you didn't have a C-section), squeeze and tighten your butt then relax, put a pillow between your knees and squeeze and relax. This can start to build your core and strengthen your back," says Fleming.

Experts caution against any activities that put major stress on your joints -- such as jogging, jumping, or running -- for at least six to eight weeks. "During pregnancy you produce a hormone called relaxin, which actually makes joints loose and consequently more prone to injury, and you will still have significant amounts of this hormone in your blood for at least several weeks after childbirth," says Fleming. Get an ok from your doctor just to be sure.