Yoga for post-delivery weight loss!

I have a small frame and my petite structure does not hide even10 grams of weight that I put on! So when after delivery, I had to deal with weight loss issues as well as sagging muscles around the tummy, I made a quick turn towards yoga for regaining my pre-pregnancy shape. But before I share the benefits of practicing yoga post delivery I would like to throw light on some of the basic questions that are asked related to yoga and post pregnancy weight loss.

When Can I Start Yoga After Delivery?

You can start yoga after childbirth but there are few things to be taken in consideration before you start practicing yoga asanas.

1. You need to gain start before you start practicing yoga after delivery
2. You may start the post natal yoga after 6 weeks if you have had a normal delivery
3. In case you have had a caesarian delivery then it is better to first consult your doctor and also to wait for at least 8 weeks before you take up either yoga or any other strenuous exercise as well

Remember, it is always better to consult your doctor and also give enough time to your body to heal properly before you start weight losing yoga or exercises.

How Can Yoga After Delivery Help Me Reduce My Tummy?

Yoga helps in losing post pregnancy tummy in quite a systematic way especially when you are practicing yoga to strengthen your pelvic muscles. When you are practicing yoga to strengthen your pelvic muscles you are tucking in your stomach as well, which puts a strain on your post pregnancy belly thus exercising it as well and helps in ultimately reducing it.

If you have had a C-section and want to reduce your tummy post delivery then yoga asanas are your best bet, as yoga is not just an exercise it is a way of life and some of the asanas not only help strengthen the sagging muscles but also tone them and reduce them.

How To Do Yoga After Delivery?

Yoga or for that matter any exercise post delivery need to be done under the expert guidance of your doctor and a trained physiotherapist who will be able to guide you through the right postures. So if you are planning to do yoga after a C-sec delivery remember to have yourself thoroughly checked and a get an all-ok certificate from your doctor before you proceed to do yoga.

If you have had vaginal birth, then your doctor will probably advice you to weight for 6 weeks before you start yoga or any other exercise. You may start with easy warm-up yoga poses and gradually go on to stretches again depending on your comfort levels. If you have been practicing pre-natal yoga then you would know when to hear your body and stop. So while practicing yoga post delivery as well, do ensure that you are listening to your body and not overstretching yourself.

In a nutshell it all depends on your comfort levels and while practicing yoga do ensure that you are doing it under a trained teacher for few days and then practice those at the comfort of your home.

What Are The Benefits Of Doing Yoga After Child Birth?

There are numerous benefits of yoga generally and especially post child birth. Yoga after childbirth not only helps in strengthening your pelvic muscles it also helps in tightening all those loose and sagging muscles you get post delivery. And hence here's why I too chose yoga to lose weight after baby and to reduce my tummy after delivery.

1. Improving posture and stamina: Nine months of carrying the baby had imbalanced my spine, back and legs. I felt I was walking with my legs apart and was no longer taking graceful strides. Yoga asanas helped me re-align myself
2. Building the core muscles: Especially after my second pregnancy, I felt I had lost more elasticity in the tummy muscles. I not only had lost shape but also had a very flabby stomach. Using my own body weight through Yoga, I was able to get a waistline and reduce the fat and flab
3. Reducing fatigue: Delivery, baby issues and body issues left me fatigued and cranky most of the times. I would often complain of aches and pains I never knew of. My muscles were tired and I felt like taking a nap most of the times. Yoga helped re-energise my muscles. It also helped me carry my kids around town in one arm with grocery bags in the other. Stretching my body refreshed my system and over a period of time I felt like my old self again - full of energy and life!
4. Gentle but effective: Yoga was gentle on my body. I could stretch as much as I was comfortable. While practicing yoga I knew I was not stressing my knees or my back. I was sure that I was exercising parts of my body without causing harm to those parts that had borne the brunt of carrying excessive weight

I started yoga just to lose post pregnancy weight but got addicted to it in the years that followed. It is one addiction I am proud to have and I tell all my friends that yoga is the best gift they could give themselves, at any point of life, not only post delivery

So yoga was my secret to reclaiming life and body after children! How did you get back your body after delivery? Is your exercise routine working for you? Do share in the comments section below - I would love to hear from you.