mum2be.ie - Pregnancy and Baby Forums

[soexcited]

Any mammies out there got any good 'get back into shape' tips?
At the mo Im just breast feeding, drinking lots of water.... trying not to eat too many sweets after crimbo... I love walking but finding it hard with a 3 week old in this cold weather (I know that sounds like an excuse but its sooooo cold for the little fella)...

[babymakes3]

Would you consider buying a post natal yoga work out dvd hun? Or something of that nature! Could do it in the comfort of yer own home until the weather perks up a bit...

[exciteddotcom]

3 weeks baby and breast feeding aswell. you seem to have your hands full. Still so soon since given birth. you have lots of time to get back in shape.

[soexcited]

yeh true, maybe im rushing into it.. yeh i like the idea of doing something from home!

[pebbles]

how are you finding the breastfeeding pet? i know im ages away from that yet but im interested in trying!

[soexcited]

Ok Im not gonna lie, its bloody hard!!! I dont know why, it just is... i know that doesnt make any sense.... I think if you fully commit to it its manageable and Im dead set on it at the mo but I can totally understand why people give up because the first few days are hard! if the baby has any kind of issues latching (which my lad did) its tough going and so many times I just felt like putting a bottle in his mouth but I just kept ringing the nurse and going to classes... I shed many tears.... but its all come right now and its really not that bad at all.. Expressing is fairly easy now (wasnt at the start). Its something that I needed support in and asked for help, I think if I hadnt have been willing to ask for help I would have given up.

[pebbles]

yeah ive heard a lot of people saying how hard it is.my mother is dead set against it and i know she'll b o to me to just go on to bottle feeds out of handiness. so im gonna have to stick firm on this one. i found a cuidiu support service near me so hopefully there'll be plenty of people to ask!

[babymakes3]

I'm hoping to BF but will see how things go. My friend had her daughter and was BF-ing and she'd had a very difficult pregnancy and fairly traumatic birth and her OH was working abroad at the time so she said she felt really overwhelmed but felt like a failure if she didn't continue to BF. She suffered severe PND and she's convinced it was mostly a mix of the difficult pregnancy and the pressure she put on herself afterwards to BF and do the "right" thing. So if I've learned anything from her experience its to try to go with the flow where possible. My SIL said she bottle fed her first cause she wasn't used to being around babies and felt she had enough to learn without adding the pressure of BF-ing. She did BF her second cause she said she had more time with her second. She said that both options were fine for her at the time and its great to get feedback from someone who has done both. Hopefully the BF-ing will work out with my own baby but I'm gonna really TRY to not put myself under pressure - although I'm my own worst critic

[soexcited]

Yeh i think thats the best thing to do, give it a go but dont be upset if it doesnt work out. Your friends case though is a bit different, so many upsetting elements to her PND so best to go with your own gut. I think some people find it quite easy, Im not one of those people

[Torrach]

Ok, so I see the conversation has gone onto breastfeeding, and I'm sorry, I have nothing to add there I'm afraid except for well done for asking for help soexcited. Often pride or self criticism gets in the way of us ladies and we end up putting unecessary pressure on ourselves, so fair play to you.

Anyway, talking about fitness, whenever you are ready to start exercising again, I think 3 weeks is very very early, Yogalates is very good. It's a mixture of pilates and yoga...but you might not be able to any ab work for a while. Don't you have to have a break of 3 months or something before starting to do them again?? I think my friend who had a baby said that before?! Anyway, when the time is right yoga, pilates or yogalates dvds would probably be your best option. You get quick results in a short amount of time and the stretching and everything has the added benefit of relaxation

[babymakes3]

Yeh i think thats the best thing to do, give it a go but dont be upset if it doesnt work out. Your friends case though is a bit different, so many upsetting elements to her PND so best to go with your own gut. I think some people find it quite easy, Im not one of those people

Well done for sticking with it hun!! I am really hoping to be able to (but trying not to hope too much just in case!) Yeah my friends case was extreme alright but we both had fairly similar pregnancies so far so I'm just worried after seeing what she went thru that I might do that to myself iykwim.

[soexcited]

Ok so Im back to this again because I have to vent something here, hopefully Ill feel better once I say it, but my body at the moment totally depresses and disgusts me!!! with clothes on it looks fine, a good bra etc keeps things in place but OMG I cant believe how much a baby has changed my body. Ok I knew this would happen but its still not easy. Booooo one of those days......

[babymakes3]

Aww hun Try not to get so down about your body, you've literally JUST had a baby! Its going to take a while to get comfortable with your body again. Hopefully you feel even a smidge better after writing it down here but do try to give yourself a break hun and what you're feeling about your body is (I presume) completely natural! xxx

[Ruby]

Breast feeding should be great at helping you get back into shape as it makes the uterus contract quicker I have never bf any of mine so no advice.
You have to wait at least 6 wks before starting to work out again but it takes a full year for everything(inside) to go back to how it was pre pregnancy. White bread & pasta is terrible for bloating change to wholemeal. walking is great wrap baby up warm in the pram and head out. Did the hospital give you a sheet with post natal exercises on it ? I was given one but god only knows where it is lol!!
I need to start working out again want to tone up. I used exercise tv.com I think it was before getting married to tone up they have free workout videos ranging from 10-30mins.

[soexcited]

Exercise isnt a problem or anything, Im a fairly motivated person and love getting out of the house, I just cant even look at myself now, everything is way out of proportion... Yeh Im hoping the breastfeeding will help, I can already see a difference I think Im just feeling a bit yuk!