Postpartum Articles

Article / Updated 09-03-2021

During pregnancy, your biggest stumbling blocks to regular workouts may have involved getting motivated to work out, finding the energy to exercise, and finding time to work out on long days that included visits to your healthcare provider. After the baby is born, however, your biggest challenges may be what in the world to do with your new baby during your workout and how to find time between all those feedings, changings, and your baby’s other needs — in addition to still being short on sleep and time. Here are some suggestions that can help you continue the work you began during pregnancy, from carving out time for your workouts to finding a safe place for your little one while you get your body back to your pre-pregnancy shape: Exercise during your baby’s nap time. When your child is very young, you can plan to exercise during one of his normal nap times, using a baby monitor or setting up a crib or playpen right near your workout equipment. If you’re planning to leave your baby in his crib and to use his baby monitor to warn you if he awakes or needs you for other reasons, you may want to select a baby monitor that lights up when your baby cries. This way, you don’t have to worry about not hearing the monitor over your workout video or treadmill. Opt for a quieter workout. If you’re using a loud machine, such as a treadmill, rowing machine, or indoor bicycle, he may not sleep very long amidst all that ruckus. Likewise, the music and instructions on an aerobics video may wake a sleeping baby. But quieter workouts do exist — from weightlifting to some elliptical trainers to yoga — and working out with your baby couldn’t be much simpler. Take your baby along. If she’s properly dressed for the weather and not exposed to extreme temperatures, you may be able to take your baby with you on your workout. When she’s very young and still lightweight enough to carry, you can keep her in a hands-free, front-mounted baby sack (also called a baby pouch or baby sling) or in a hands-free, back-mounted baby backpack while you walk or hike. Just be sure that she isn’t getting jostled around, isn’t too hot or cold, and isn’t exposed to a draft. When your baby can hold her head up and wear a helmet, you can bring her along in a bike trailer or an easy-to-maneuver running stroller. Join a gym or pool that offers childcare. Make sure that you check the credentials of the sitter(s) the gym or pool has hired and that you understand the childcare’s policies. Start a mothers’ exercise club. Do you know other newish mothers at work or in your neighborhood who want to work out? Consider starting a mothers’ exercise club in your area. Before starting your own club, check to see whether one exists in your area. Get your partner involved. If your partner has been involved in your pregnancy fitness routine and enjoys it, chances are he wants to continue this routine after your baby is born. If you work out together in early morning, after work, or on weekends, you may want to take the baby with you, using the ideas described here. Another way to involve your partner is to alternate workout times.

Article / Updated 09-03-2021

Pull yourself out of the deep pit of postpartum depression (PPD) and get back to normal with these essential tips, including some ideas to help you take care of yourself. Sometimes new moms think that they should be plopped at the bottom of the list as if their own needs don’t matter, and when PPD is added to the mix, a mom often feels unworthy and unimportant. Use these ideas to help you simplify your day and ease the overwhelming feelings you're probably experiencing: Make a short list of three tasks to accomplish each day. For instance, set out to feed the baby, take a shower, and eat lunch. Lower your expectations to a realistic level. For example, use paper plates, order dinner out, and forget about sending baby announcements. Ask for help. Odds are that people around you are politely waiting for you to call on them for help and who would be delighted to, for example, pick something up at the store, babysit, make lunch, or fold your laundry for you. Accept help that's offered. When your neighbor, friend, relative, or other kind soul asks if he or she can do anything for you, practice saying, "yes!" and give them a specific task that would help you. Gather the clutter (toys, baby blankets, and so on) into laundry baskets instead of putting it all away, since it will all be on the floor again tomorrow. Take breaks from tasks (including taking care of your baby) when someone else is in charge. Take your baby for a 15-minute walk outside during the day (more than once if you're up to it) to help clear your head. Be sure to focus on breathing in lots of fresh air. Set your alarm to go off with your favorite music 15 minutes before your baby usually wakes up (it's worth it) so you can stretch your muscles, shower, and start your day in a peaceful way. Drink lots of water and nibble high-quality protein such as turkey, chicken, fish, or eggs throughout the day.

Cheat Sheet / Updated 09-02-2021

When suffering from postpartum depression, the only thing you want to do is feel better — and you want it to be quick. Recovery does take time, but you can still be proactive about making your way through the day — one thought at a time. Repeating truths to yourself is quite powerful and can advance your postpartum depression recovery in a huge way (and likewise, repeating falsehoods can greatly slow it down).

Article / Updated 09-02-2021

Being pregnant obviously comes with specific nutrition requirements, but so does giving birth to your child and recovering from that birth. No matter how you end up delivering, your body will require energy and specific nutrients to heal itself. Eat protein foods (think meats, eggs, dairy, and beans) because they're essential for repairing your body. Include carbohydrates (especially whole grains that are high in fiber) because they're necessary for energy. Also incorporate some healthy fats (such as olive oil, nuts, and seeds) to provide important nutrients and additional energy for your body. If you decide to breastfeed your baby, plan on eating pretty much the same foods you ate while pregnant throughout the length of time you choose to nurse. Of course, you may find that you need more calories while you're nursing than you did while you were pregnant; whether you do depends on how much milk you produce. Nursing moms may lose some of their lingering pregnancy pounds fairly quickly due to their bodies' increased calorie needs and ability to use stored fat as energy to produce milk. If you're breastfeeding, drink plenty of fluids, get rest, and continue to take your prenatal vitamin because you can use the extra vitamins and minerals while nursing.

Article / Updated 09-02-2021

The key to post-pregnancy weight loss is to take it slow and steady, just as you did when gaining weight while you were pregnant. After all, you didn't gain all those pounds overnight, and they certainly won't come off that fast! As you get started, focus on eating smaller portions and leaving a few bites behind on your plate. Listen to your stomach when it tells your brain that it's satisfied and stop eating before you get overfull. Don't give in to the temptation of starving yourself after pregnancy. You'll very likely be tired of carrying those extra pounds, but eating too little isn't good for you or your baby. Remember that your body is still recovering. If you're nursing, keep in mind that you need a good deal of calories to fuel milk production. You may be surprised to find out that your pregnancy belly stays for a little while after delivery. The truth is much of your expanded stomach is actually your uterus, and it takes several weeks to shrink back to its normal size. Ignore anyone who tells you she wore her pre-pregnancy clothes home from the hospital, and make sure you hang on to your elastic-banded pregnancy pants for a little while longer (or live in comfy dresses). As soon as you receive clearance from your doctor, which may take eight weeks or more if you have a cesarean (C-section) delivery, start adding exercise to your routine. Put your baby in the stroller and go for a walk, take a swim, pop in a yoga DVD, or attend a postnatal exercise class. Doing so will not only help you burn calories but also provide you with some much-needed stress relief and give you a nice boost of mood-elevating hormones.

Article / Updated 09-02-2021

Studies show that women who exercise during pregnancy have a much easier time returning to their pre-pregnancy weight and size than women who don't exercise while pregnant. In addition, having a fit pregnancy also gets you up and around faster after you deliver and helps you not crumple while carrying your ever-growing baby in your arms. Recovering quickly Babies don't give you much time to recover from your pregnancy. They have needs, and they want those needs met now! In order to do a bang-up job as a new mother, you need to be up and out of bed as quickly as possible, and exercising through your pregnancy is just the way to do that. Not only do women who exercise throughout pregnancy have shorter labors and deliveries, but they also get back to their lives faster than women who haven't exercised. Getting back to your pre-pregnancy weight Exercising during pregnancy helps you keep the amount of weight you gain at a healthy level. Research also shows that women who become or stay fit during pregnancy have less weight to lose after they deliver, and those women find that the weight they do gain comes off more easily and quickly than it does for their nonexercising counterparts. And given that an inability to lose weight is one of the top two complaints of new mothers (the other is lack of sleep), this is welcome news. Carrying your baby Have you ever lifted a 10-pound sack of potatoes off the display at the supermarket and barely been able to carry it over to your cart? Your baby's going to weigh almost as much as that sack of potatoes at birth and will quickly exceed that weight as he grows. Exercising now gives you time to strengthen your arms, back, hips, and legs so you can lug Junior around with ease.

Article / Updated 03-26-2016

Postpartum depression constantly fills your head with negative thoughts that bring you down. One of the tricks to recovering as quickly as possible is to catch the negatives as fast as you can and turn them around into positives. Thoughts that Weaken Thoughts that Strengthen I'm a bad mother. I'm a good mother who needs help. I'll never get well. This feels bad, but it's temporary — I will be well. I'm a weak person. A symptom of depression is feeling weak. This isn't weakness — it's illness. I'm all alone. I have support. There are people who care about me. This depression is my fault. I didn't cause this depression, and I'm trying to get better.

Article / Updated 03-26-2016

Repeating truths to yourself is quite powerful and can advance your postpartum depression (PPD) recovery in a huge way (and likewise, repeating falsehoods can greatly slow it down). Here are 11 positive thoughts to focus on. You may have a difficult time feeling the truth of these statements at first because the PPD makes you doubt your worth. But, this difficult and doubtful time is when you need to focus on these statements the most. Carry this list around until these statements come naturally to you (then you know you don't need the list anymore!). Feel free to replace the underlined part of each statement with your own words. If you have difficulty truly believing any of these statements, review them and add your own spin on them with the help of a therapist. I'm a good mom because I'm trying to get well and I care about my family. I'm a good mom because I'm getting help for myself and my child(ren) will benefit. It's important to be kind to myself because it will speed up my recovery. I will take care of myself because I need my strength to take care of my family. I'm taking care of myself by seeing a therapist, and asking for help from others. I have support people who care about me and who are cheering me on. I will ask for help and accept it because that's what healthy people do. This is only temporary — I'm looking forward to enjoying my life. I will follow the plan for recovery because I look forward to enjoying my life. I know I'll get well because I'm following an excellent recovery plan. I know I'm not alone since almost one in five mothers around the world have postpartum depression, too.