How to get your body back after baby [continued]

Working out comfortably
The most important thing is to get back into fitness gradually. Start by investing in a good sports bra. While it's safe to exercise when nursing, you should avoid exercises that make your breasts feel sore–it also helps to work out after feeding your baby when your breasts are less full.

You also need to adapt your fitness regimen to the changes your body went through during pregnancy, says Grace. If you're experiencing incontinence or pain following an episiotomy, pelvic floor exercises will help and you can begin doing them right away. But you should ease back into abdominal exercises, especially if your doctor has told you that you have diastasis recti (a separation between the left and right side of the rectus abdominis muscle, which covers the front surface of the belly area). Head lifts are a gentle ab exercise to start with:

• Lie on you back, knees bent and feet flat on the ground.
• Cross your arms across your belly button, using your hands to pull your side ribs in toward the centre of your body.
• Press your lower back into the floor and inhale.
• As you exhale, lift your chin slowly toward your chest while pulling your abs in toward your spine, keeping your shoulders on the ground.
• Inhale and release slowly.
  

Staying motivated
If you can't find an organized post-natal class near you, start your own stroller fit group or rent a post-natal DVD and do it with a friend. "It really helps keep you motivated if you can get out and meet other mums," says Grace. "You'll also feel more comfortable about your post-partum weight because everyone's in the same boat."

And if you can exercise with your baby, all the better. "Incorporate fitness into your daily routine and make it part of the time spent with your baby," she says. Whether it's baby yoga, aqua fitness, or just dancing around the house with your infant in a carrier, try doing something different every week to help you stay on track. "Variety is the key to sticking with it," Grace says. "After that, just be patient and give your body a chance."

How to get your body back after baby

There's no reason you can't look better than ever after giving birth. Here's how to get your pre-baby body back - and then some.

There were probably days during your pregnancy when you thought your body couldn't possibly expand any further. But, incredibly, it did. And then you discovered that everything doesn't just miraculously deflate once your baby is born. Fortunately, getting back into shape post-baby is possible. Here's how:

Getting started
Depending on your fitness level before and during pregnancy, you may find that walking is all the exercise you need until your six-week post-partum checkup. "Start by walking as fast as you comfortably can for a minimum of 20 minutes," says certified trainer Andrea Grace.

Once your doctor gives you the all-clear, you can begin more strenuous exercise. "Just remember to go at your own pace and modify the intensity of the exercise, working up to three times a week of active movement for at least 20 minutes at a time," says Grace.

Try checking out your local gym or community centre for post-natal fitness classes. "Specialized post-natal classes take into account the changes your body went through during pregnancy," says Grace. "They're not necessarily less intense, they're just paced more slowly. They're also lower impact and incorporate a fuller range of motion, which is safer for your joints."

to be continued.