Having a baby is one of life’s greatest wonders. It is a time of overwhelming love and joy, coupled with overwhelming exhaustion. I am a mom of 3 so I totally understand what it feels like and have huge empathy for new moms.

In today’s society, there is an enormous amount of pressure to “bounce back” from pregnancy to the point that women are starting to believe that it is completely normal to leave the hospital with a flat stomach. An almost desperate need to want to look like you haven’t just spent the past 9 months growing a perfect little human. This just seems crazy to me! 

The reality is that pregnancy is hard. Childbirth is even harder, regardless of whether you have a natural birth or a caesarean section. And once all of that is over, you are suddenly responsible for a tiny, helpless human who demands all of your time and attention.

My approach is one of celebrating everything your body has done for you and embracing the post-partum period rather than trying to “bounce back” or look for quick fixes. A more apt phrase would be to focus on “bouncing forward!”

Here are my top 5 tips for postpartum mums looking to reconnect with their bodies:

1. Recovery

• The early postpartum weeks are about recovery. Recovery from the mental switch from growing a baby to raising one, and recovery from what your body has just gone through.

2. The 3 S’s

• Slow, steady, and self-love.
• Take your time to build up your strength. Your body has been through a lot. Be gentle and have compassion. With patience and consistency, you will steadily make progress.

3. Pelvic floor awareness

• Your pelvic floor takes a beating during pregnancy. Be aware of this when performing core strengthening exercises and if in doubt, seek the guidance of a professional.
• If you think you may have diastasis recti (separation of the abdominal muscles), then it is essential to recover and reduce this gap with the help of an expert.

4. Nutrition

• Eat mindfully. Don’t worry about diets or trying to restrict yourself. Depriving your body almost always leads to binge-eating.
• If you are breastfeeding, you don’t want to jeopardize your milk supply so you need to focus on healthy, well-balanced meals.
• Lots of green, leafy vegetables, lean protein sources, and water.

5. Set realistic goals

• Returning to exercise after having a baby is all about finding your feet and adopting a routine which works for you and your baby.
• There are no hard and fast rules so take your time and go easy on yourself.

It's no exaggeration to call the recovery period after childbirth the “4th trimester”. With this in mind, don't be so hard on yourself. Consistency and time will have you back to your old self before you know it.

*Before embarking on a postnatal exercise programme please make sure your doctor has given you the all-clear to start training again.