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."