Postpartum 360
Welcome Postpartum Moms!
An evidence-based site
*The information contained within this website is intended for informational purposes only & should not be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnoses, or treatment from your healthcare provider.*
Nutrition & Meals
Exercise & Physical Activity
Why exercise?
Exercise, as we know, is beneficial for pretty much everyone. But why is it specifically beneficial if you just had a baby? It can help strengthen and tone abdominal muscles, increase your energy, help prevent postpartum depression, help you sleep better, and can be an incredible stress reliever. Exercising after giving birth has been proven to help with weight loss and therefore reduce the risk of becoming obese (Bane, 2015). This, in turn, helps to reduce the risk of chronic disease. Somewhere between 6%-13% of women report postpartum depression; exercise can be an incredible adjunct therapy (Bane, 2015). If you had an uncomplicated pregnancy and a vaginal delivery, you should be able to start exercising within a few days after welcoming your new bundle of joy! The level of intensity can depend on several factors, such as how active you were before and during your pregnancy. If you are unsure where to start, please speak with your healthcare provider.
What Type of Exercise Should I do?
Were you active before and/or during your pregnancy? This will make a difference on how you will feel after having the baby. You may want to start out walking. You can push your baby in the stroller too! Sometimes it helps to go to a class where you can participate in a group training, like yoga and/or pilates. Other options are swimming, jogging (may need to work up to this slowly), cycling, and also adding in some resistance training. Again, these options may vary with each woman and can depend on many factors including what kind of delivery you had (vaginal or c-section), any complications, and what your level of activity has been both during your pregnancy and prior to your pregnancy.
Group exercise! This does not mean that you absolutely must join a gym, if that's not your thing. There are often postpartum exercise groups that meetup regularly. Having regular interaction with other postpartum moms can provide tremendous support. You can look for a meetup group here, or even create your own!
It's not easy to know what to eat and what not to eat. Here are a few tips to get you started on the right track. The World's Healthiest Foods is a great book and also website that contains a lot of information on food, nutrition, and health with a constant review of studies to back it up. Some of these tips were taken from the book.
How Much Should I Exercise?
Aiming for 20-30 minutes of physical activity (different than exercise, in that it involves any movement - even standing to wash dishes!), exercise, or a combination of both each day is a great start (ACOG, 2015). The intensity will depend on what your level of activity was prior to and during pregnancy. Walking is an excellent way to begin a light exercise routine. Even 10 minutes per day is better than zero minutes per day! Most importantly, listen to your body and gradually increase activity.
Will Exercise Change My Milk?
This is a common question and women wonder if exercising will change their milk supply. Regular exercise will not change the quantity or quality of your milk (Bane, 2015).
Planning ahead is a key to reducing your stress and increasing your health. If you already know what you will eat, you will be less likely to turn to junk food. See some recipes here.
Plan Your Meals
Do I Need To Eat More?
If you are exculsively breastfeeding, the current recommendation is to take in 300-500 calories above what you need to maintain your pre-pregnancy weight. This is different for every woman and you also need to take into account your level of activity and ideal weight.
NO! It's all about bioindividuality and what you put in your body. If you focus on taking in whole, fresh food, you won't have to worry about calories. Listen to your body. It is very smart!
Is it All About Calories?
Pantry Makeover
Clean out your pantry. THROW out the junk food so you are not tempted. Have fresh fruit and veggies, nuts, seeds, etc. ready for a quick snack.
Staying hydrated will help ensure your milk production is efficient (Bane, 2015). It is possible to drink too much water, but this is quite rare. Watch your urine and if it is dark, you need more water! It's a good idea to always have a water bottle with you. Make it part of the diaper bag!
Drink Water!
Healthy Snacks
Nuts & seeds, fruit, raw veggies, plain greek yogurt with fresh or frozen fruit, apple with nutbutter. These are just a few ideas to get you started on the right track with healthy snacks.
