As moms, it’s so important that we take care of ourselves. This is not only the case in early adulthood and pregnancy, but also after that as well. Postpartum bodies have gone through a lot in carrying and delivering a baby, or multiple babies, and they deserve some self-care.

exercising after c-section

Finding an exercise that works for you after pregnancy is key to giving yourself a little boost of energy, which you will find is non-existent for a while when you have kids, bringing some awareness back to the strength of your body, and allowing yourself to get a little bit of peace before starting (or ending) your day.

You can find more ways of easing into the day here in our “Three Small Wins” post.

Exercising After Baby

Yoga is such a wonderful practice for anyone, and there are so many different types that fit your individual needs and skill level. For postpartum, it’s perfect for slowly regaining muscle strength  back especially in your core.

Here is my current progress photo at three months postpartum. I wanted to share this to be completely real in the fact that I am just like all other moms out there who have had a baby. My stomach is not flat by any means, I have the “mommy belly” that doesn’t ever seem to go away, and it’s really hard to lose these extra pounds I but on. Our bodies are different and it can be quite a shock and difficult to get them back to a place that we are happy with again, no matter what that looks like individually.

three months postpartum belly

I had to wait quite a while after the twins’ delivery to begin working out again. When I did, it was tough! I felt like I should have been as strong as I used to be, but everything felt like jello and I could hardly hold myself up.

Tips For Easing Back Into Your Workouts

  • The key is to not be so hard on yourself. Breathe and remember that your body feels that way because your body made a human! THAT’S AMAZING!
  • Do small exercise until you can get back into doing your normal, full-blown workouts.
  • Take it slow when you do get into harder workouts. It isn’t going to all come back at once.
  • Get a partner that will hold you accountable. I just made YOU my partners by posting that picture for accountability. I will be updating it as I (slowly) progress:)
  • Find some mommy/baby workouts you can do together. Click the link to see a few that I loved doing after the birth of my second child.

Are you expecting? Here are some tips for exercising while pregnant as well as some benefits of fitness during pregnancy.

If you like this post and video, let me know and I will do more of them! Like I said, I am not a yoga teach or health professional, and everyone has different bodies. Make sure you get the “ok” from your doctor before trying any active exercise after delivery.

*Here’s to healthy babies and healthy bodies*

joanna at motherhood and merlot