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Physical Activity Guide

Mothers of New Babies and Toddlers

Physical Activity

Guidelines

Decide on Your Goals for Physical Activity

Decide what you want to achieve. You should be able to measure what you will do and how you will get to your goal. These are called measurable goals, and they might be something like this:

“I will have an hour to myself every day to be physically active.”

OR

“I will walk 25 minutes every day during the next 3 weeks.”

Your plan needs to be short- and long-term

Set both short-term and long-term goals. Think of short-term goals as rungs of a ladder. A long-term goal would be the final rung at the top of the ladder.

Here is an example: “I will be able to walk for 20 minutes continuously by end of two weeks (short-term), and 40 minutes by the end of the month (long term).”

Try Teamwork

Let the baby’s father or other family members take care of the baby while you do some form of physical activity. Having time away from the baby (and house) can reduce the chance that you will feel overwhelmed. Those feelings of being overwhelmed can often be the first signs of postpartum depression. So, work as a team with the people around you. You will be setting yourself up for success and avoiding postpartum depression!

 

Support your breasts and stomach

Some women wear a bathing suit or dance-style leotard on top of their bra. Others use 2 bras with an ace bandage criss-crossed over the chest and shoulders. An ace bandage is a strip or roll of woven elastic material that you can use to create even, stable pressure in a certain part of the body.

You need to support your stomach muscles, too. Wear either dance tights or special underwear, such as a post-natal support girdle.

 

Be Safe


If you are going to do physical activities with your baby during the first 6 weeks after childbirth, make sure that you are using the correct carrier (a front pack or baby carriage). It’s important to put your baby into a carrier or carriage where they are held securely with  proper head and neck support.

 

Support and Protect Your Back at all Times!


The increased weight of your larger breasts may cause your shoulders to slump forward and may also increase the arch of your lower back. Here are some tips to help you protect your back:

  • Strengthen your stomach muscles by doing pelvic tilts daily.

  • Keep your knees bent when you are standing; they will act as "shock absorbers" that protect your back.

  • When you are in the kitchen or at work, either standing or sitting, keep one foot about 4 inches off the floor. To do this, set up a kitchen step to raise your foot when you are standing, or put a pile of phone books under your desk when you are sitting. This will remove a lot of stress and strain from your lower back.

 

Use the Mothers in Motion Healthy Habits Log to track your progress with breastfeeding, physical activity, and nutrition

KNOW WHEN TO STOP THE PHYSICAL ACTIVITY


Keep your level of physical activity at a LIGHT level until vaginal bleeding has stopped.

 

  • If any physical activity causes any pain STOP THE PHYSICAL ACTIVITY. Be aware of any pain in your chest, back, abdomen, pelvis, or joints that does not go away. Let your caregiver or doctor know if you are having cramps that feel like menstrual cramps, shortness of breath, bleeding, or if you are feeling faint.

  • If you are having heavy bleeding STOP THE PHYSICAL ACTIVITY.
    Talk to your caregiver or doctor and wait until they say it is okay to resume your physical activity program.

  • If you develop a breast infection or abscess STOP THE PHYSICAL ACTIVITY. Talk to your caregiver or doctor so you can get the proper treatment. Moving your body can spread the infection, so keep your breast still until the abscess has drained or the infection has gone away.

 

USE YOUR COMMON SENSE AT ALL TIMES!

 

NOTE: The main goals of physical activities, exercise, and sport after giving birth are to improve your physical status and set an example so your children can choose to lead an active, vibrant, healthy lifestyle. Your personal goals and plans for physical activities, exercise and sport will depend upon your level of physical activity before you became pregnant and how physically active you were during your pregnancy.

 

Click here to find out more about your goals and physical activity.