GETTING BACK YOUR FIGURE AFTER BABY IS BORN

There are some lucky women who just sail through the nine months of pregnancy feeling marvellous and literally glowing with all the traditional radiance associated with it. Their skin clears up, eyes glow, hair shines and becomes thicker and glossier than usual.

 

The not-so-fortunate ones have a hard time, especially in the first three months when hormonal changes in the body are at their greatest. They feel sick most of the time, their skin erupts into spots and their hair gets lank and difficult.

MAKE THE BEST OF IT

A lot depends on a woman’s attitude towards pregnancy in general.

 

Develop a positive attitude, relax, look after yourself well, and you will automatically start feeling much better.

In normal cases, a woman should consult her doctor in about the eight week of pregnancy. A straight-forward and easy birth is more likely if the mother has regular medical check-ups throughout pregnancy, for a doctor can avert any complications if warning signs are detected in time.

During pregnancy, a woman’s nutritional needs are at their highest. However, she should guard against over-eating and putting too much weight. It is better for mother-to-be to eat protein foods such as meat and fish, instead of starchy carbohydrates.

Forget the old saying about “eating for two”—if you overeat, it is you, and not the baby, who will get fat. And you just do not need extra fat when you’re carrying your baby.

To keep a check on who’s putting on weight—your baby or you, keep a measurement of your upper thigh. Throughout your pregnancy, this measurement should remain more or less constant. At the same time, remember that this is certainly not the time to go on crash diets or diet fads. If you find that you’re putting on too much weight consult your doctor—he will be able to give you the necessary advice.

It is essential to take extra iron and calcium during pregnancy. Step up your intake of foods such as eggs, fruits, green vegetables, cheese, milk and curd.

 

REST AND EXERCISE

 

Make sure you get enough sleep (you need a little more sleep now than usual). Never allow yourself to feel exhausted.

 

Avoid any strenuous exercising, especially in the first three months. Do, however, get your daily quota of fresh air by going for a short walk.

 

Feet    Avoid wearing high heels—they’ll only give you back trouble. Wear comfortable, well-fitting shoes with a medium heel.

 

Legs    Get into the habit of propping your legs up on a stool or cushion when you sit. Sit rather than stand whenever you can. Stand when you must with your feet slightly apart, balancing your weight evenly on both your legs.

 

Skin    If during the first three months you suddenly develop spots on your face and chest, don’t worry too much—this is just a temporary phase and it has to do with the usual hormonal changes that take place when you become pregnant.

Just don’t ignore your skin. Follow your regular skin-care programme.

If, however, you find that your skin becomes drier than usual, make sure that you use a cleanser instead of soap for cleansing your skin.

 

Teeth   It is of the greatest importance to consult a dentist in the earlier stages of pregnancy. For at this time the growing baby draws on your reserves of calcium to some extent, and this may cause some dental problems.

 

Hair   Usually hair grows thick, abundant and glossy during the nine months. If, however, you find that yours becomes lank and difficult, treat it to a good conditioner.

After your baby is born, you may be alarmed at the number of hair you lose. But, this is actually quite normal. What you’re losing is, in fact, the hair you would have lost during the nine months in usual course of events if you hadn’t been pregnant.

 

Morning sickness   Morning sickness can sometimes be avoided by eating a small piece of dry toast or a digestive biscuit just as you awake in the morning.

After the first four months, nausea stops being a serious problem. Hair and skin conditions also improve.

 

Make-up Keep your make-up to a minimum, you probably won’t need much of it anyway.

BEFORE AND AFTER BABY IS BORN

 

Usually, a woman puts on about twenty-four pounds of weight during pregnancy.

After the baby is born, about thirteen pounds are lost immediately. A few more pounds are lost during the following week.

But it can take up to six months more for a mother to regain her normal figure and weight.

Most pregnant women tend to develop poor posture during pregnancy. This is because they lean back to counteract the weight in front.

Here are some simple exercises to be done after your baby is born, which will help you regain your posture, normal weight and figure.

A FEW WORDS OF WARNING

 

Exercise to be Done the First Day Lie in bed on your back. Breathe in deeply, expending tummy muscles. Then breathe out, drawing tummy muscles in lightly.

Repeat with knees drawn up and flat on the bed. Stimulate blood circulation in the legs by moving feet, ankles and legs occasionally.

 

On the Second Day, Add this Exercise Lie in bed on your back. Cross your ankles and point your toes downwards. Press thighs and backside together. Tighten tummy muscles and other muscles in the lower torso area.

Then cross the ankles the other way and do the exercise twice.

This helps to tone-up the muscles stretched during child birth.

 

On the Third Day, Add this Lie in bed with legs stretched out. Don’t bend your knees. Tighten up the right thigh and hip-joint to make your right leg shorter than the left.

 

On the Fifth Day, Add these Exercises

(1) Kneel on your bed or on the floor on all fours. Keep your arms straight (don’t bend your elbows) and slightly in front of your shoulders.

       This exercise is good for strengthening muscles in the     abdomen and the back.

 

(2) Lie in bed and raise your head up while simultaneously drawing up one leg bent at the knees

Repeat first with the other leg, and then with both legs drawn up at the same time.

This exercise helps to flatten the stomach and helps it to regain its normal shape. It also helps to tone-up the muscles at the front of the abdomen.

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