Be fit after Pregnancy, its hard but its worth it!

In the midst of joy of having a baby mothers mostly ignore their fitness. Have you ever look into the mirror and saw your figure after pregnancy which you have maintained always by lots of hard efforts and exercises. Fortunately, there are some simple exercises that you can do to quickly reduce and eliminate this abdominal fat and keep your stomach looking good.

When should you start?

If you had a vaginal birth, you can start most regular activities again as soon as you feel comfortable. After a cesarean birth, exercise can be started when you're comfortable and have discussed your exercise plans with a physiotherapist, doctor or other health practitioner. Start slowly, and then gradually build up the length of exercise. If you have heavier and brighter bleeding after exercise, you need to slow down. If you feel pain while exercising, stop and rest.

Check out this great video on post pregnancy work out, you may also get some ideas that you can do.

Best tips to lose baby fat:

Walking: Most new moms are too sleep-deprived and overwhelmed to even think about exercise. Start slowly and then gradually increase the pace and distance. If you wish you can even take your baby with you. If you jog or walk quickly, wear a supportive bra.
Swimming: You can begin swimming after vaginal bleeding and discharge have stopped.
Postnatal fitness classes: Look for classes designed for new mothers.
Stomach Exercises: Your tummy is probably the area of your body that you are most worried about getting back to its pre-pregnancy shape. Sit-ups are the best exercise for your abdominals to get them into shape quickly. When you are doing sit-ups, make sure you have a mat underneath you. Also, keep the small of your back (the part that arches) in contact with the floor at all times.
Yoga: Start slowly or join a class that's specially designed for new mothers. There are many yoga classes that are designed for new moms that you can do with your baby. Many moms enjoy doing a yoga workout from home with their babies - when you stay home, there is no need to worry about your baby's feeding and sleeping times or going out in bad weather.
Breastfeeding: When you're breastfeeding, you need an extra 500 calories a day, or about 2,700 total. But since breastfeeding burns 600 to 800 calories a day, even if all you do is sit comfortably and feed your baby, you could still be losing weight.
Take a nap: Getting plenty of sleep has been shown to help with weight loss because you're not compelled to binge on high-calorie, high-sugar foods for energy.

Lift Weights: Weight training helps great in speeding up your metabolism. However, instead of going to the gym or investing in a set of dumbbells, incorporating your baby into your routine is a big fun. Hold the baby to your chest and do lunges, say, or do lunges behind the stroller as you walk. Or lie on your back, holding the baby above your chest, and slowly press her up toward the ceiling several times. Check out some exercises that you and your baby an do together!

Baby Hip Bridges: Lie down on the floor or a mat with knees bent, feet flat on the floor. Sit baby on your hips, resting against her back against your thighs. Gently hold her in position. Keep a space between your chin and chest (looking diagonal towards the ceiling). Engage your abs by pulling your belly button towards your spine. Press your weight down through your heels.

Lunges with Baby Carrier: This exercise uses a front pack carrier. Stand tall with your abs engaged to support your body. Step your right leg forward and left leg back so that you have a wide distance between your feet.

Squats with Baby Carrier: This exercise uses a front pack carrier. Stand with your feet wider than your shoulders, toes and knees pointing forward. Engage your abdominals and stand tall. Keep your knees soft (do not lock them).

Make sure that baby is totally secure in all movements. Remember, whenever you work out, always drink plenty of water, warm-up and cool-down properly - and never exercise to the point of exhaustion.

Best Diet: To maximize the benefits of your exercise, try to stick to a well-balanced, healthy diet.

Continue eating a good-quality diet just as you did during pregnancy.
Include fresh fruit, raw vegetables, melted cheese on toast, cottage cheese, and yogurt with raisins, sunflower seeds, nugget-type cereal, or low-fat granola.
Make sure you have adequate dietary fiber. Bran muffins, high-fiber cereals, and lots of fruits and vegetables are good fiber choices.
Drink four ounces of prune juice on an empty stomach followed by several cups of hot water, decaffeinated tea, or other hot beverage.
If you have a blood loss during child birth and you are anemic you should take good amount of iron and vitamins in your diet. Excellent sources of vitamin C include citrus fruits, tomatoes, baked potatoes, and steamed broccoli. It also helps to include a food that contains iron. Food sources of iron include lean red meats, organ meats, spinach, egg yolks (limit to three to four a week), and cream of wheat.
Undergoing a cesarean section temporarily upsets the passage of food through the digestive tract, resulting in gas production and constipation. So try to eat with some gap of time. This will help you to cure acidity problem.

Precautions: Some tips that you must follow while exercising after pregnancy.

Ensure your bra gives you enough support.
The exercises shouldn't hurt anywhere, that cause pain in breasts, stomach or pelvic region should be avoided immediately.
Don't aim to exercise every day - time with your new baby is precious and not to be wasted when they grow so fast. 3-4 days a week is more then enough.
If you are breastfeeding - try doing your exercise after a feed, as your breasts will be lighter.
Always go for easy and gentle exercises.
If you experience breathlessness or become light-headed or dizzy, stop and seek medical advice.
Avoid any exercise or activity that puts strain on your pelvic floor or hip joints until joint strength and stability has returned.
Don't overstretch, and avoid high impact activities or activities that involve a sudden change in direction.
Be realistic - Give yourself and your body time, and set achievable goals with your personal trainer.

It took 9 months to become the size and shape you are. So, it will take a few months to return to your pre-pregnancy weight. But remember enjoy motherhood, it's a gift from God.

(Sources: pregnancy-info.net, actnowbc.ca, babyfit.sparkpeople.com, fitpregnancy.com, k-home-information.co.uk, ealth.howstuffworks.com)