By Mary Beth Schweigert
Health
Nicole Kidman stepped out to Starbucks, looking unbelievably toned and taut, just two weeks after having a baby.
Heidi Klum strutted her miraculously stretch mark-free stuff on the runway – wearing only underwear, no less – a mere two months after giving birth.
Glossy mags and gossip sites gush about celebrity moms who have “gotten back” their amazing bodies before the paint dries on the nursery walls.
It’s enough to give your average less-than-svelte, more-than- exhausted new mom a complex.
Instantly dropping pounds post-pregnancy is unrealistic and often unhealthy, Lancaster General Women & Babies Hospital physical therapist Erika Maust-Niederer says.
“Your body doesn’t just ‘go back’ like Heidi Klum’s,” she says.
“That’s not the norm.”
Here in the real world – minus the personal trainers and private chefs – new moms looking to lose weight face challenges from sleep deprivation to worn, even torn, muscles.
Lise Karpel, a registered dietitian at Ephrata Community Hospital, says pervasive media images of perfect pregnant and postpartum celebrities (airbrushed, of course) can bruise a new mom’s often-fragile self-image.
Sometimes, she says, it’s almost like a competition to see who can squeeze back into her skinny jeans first.
“These (new moms) are standing in front of a mirror, trashing themselves,” Karpel says. “It’s sad. You just did the most amazing thing in the world.”
Instead of crash diets or hard-core exercise, Karpel and Maust- Niederer say new moms should drop pounds slowly and set reasonable goals.
“It takes some people six weeks,” Maust-Niederer says.
“It takes some people five years.”
Laying The Foundation
Exactly how long it takes to get back in shape depends largely on how much weight Mom gained during pregnancy – and how much she weighed before.
Jenn Reed, who teaches a mommy and me exercise class at Universal Athletic Club, 2323 Oregon Pike, urges women to start pregnancy at a healthy weight.
Sweating it out at the gym can fight excessive weight gain during those nine long months.
“People get pregnant and quit their (gym) membership,” says Reed, also a registered dietitian and new mom. “If you’re healthy, you should be exercising during pregnancy.”
Besides, Reed points out, pregnant women have a lot more time to work out than brand-new moms.
Doctors generally recommend that women gain between 15 and 40 pounds during pregnancy, depending on their starting weight.
Moms who stay within those limits will leave the hospital with fewer pounds to drop.
But some women view pregnancy as a free-for-all, eating with abandon.
“Whatever goes on has to come off, or they’re stuck with it,” Reed says.
Getting Back
to the Gym
New moms ready to start exercising again should set realistic goals.
So if you didn’t have Heidi’s rockin’ bod before you got pregnant, don’t expect to slip into her skivvies now.
According to the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, new moms can start gentle exercise, like walking, as soon as they feel up to it.
More vigorous workouts are usually OK by four to six weeks postpartum (longer for Caesarean or complicated births), but women should check with their doctor first.
Postpartum moms can generally stick to the same exercise guidelines they followed during pregnancy.
But women should stop exercising if they notice pain, or increased vaginal bleeding or discharge.
Maust-Niederer, who will co-teach an upcoming postpartum nutrition and exercise class, says pregnancy-related body changes present special challenges when it comes to exercise.
Abdominal muscles may separate, stretch or tear during pregnancy or birth. Ligaments and joints loosen, making injury more likely.
Good breast support during exercise is also critical, especially for nursing moms.
Lack of time – and sleep – can conspire against new moms looking to work out, Maust-Niederer says.
“Everybody doesn’t have time to go to the gym for three hours anymore,” she says.
“(And) I don’t know a new mother who’s sleeping eight hours a day.”
Eating Right
Good nutrition is especially important after the rigors of pregnancy, says Karpel, who urges new moms to focus on gradual weight loss, not fad diets.
“They want the weight to come off really, really fast,” she says. “Really rapid weight loss is never healthy for anybody.”
New moms should focus on whole grains, and fresh fruits and vegetables. They should also be realistic about new demands on their time.
“Maybe you can’t cook an elaborate meal, but you can eat … a piece of fruit for a snack,” Karpel says.
Dieting while nursing isn’t recommended. Women who go too low- cal can jeopardize their milk supply – and their baby’s health.
Nursing moms should consume roughly the same amount of calories as moms-to-be (at least 2,000) and drink plenty of fluids, Karpel says.
On the plus side, nursing’s high calorie demands allow many moms to shed pounds fairly quickly.
“(Nursing) is like a natural calorie-burner, if you will,” Reed says.
Regular exercise can help those women whose excess pounds stubbornly stick around until weaning.
Above all, new moms shouldn’t obsess over things they can’t change.
No exercise will tighten saggy, stretched-out skin. Sadly, like stretch marks, it’s largely genetic.
For Details
Lancaster General will hold Saturday morning postpartum exercise and nutrition classes, at Women & Babies Hospital, 690 Good Drive, beginning in September.
A registered dietitian and physical therapist will teach the classes.
The first session meets 8 a.m. to noon Sept. 20 and 8 to 10 a.m. Oct. 18. The second session meets 8 a.m. to noon Oct. 11 and 8 to 10 a.m. Nov. 8.
Cost is $25. Call the LG Wellness Center, 544-3811.
Universal Athletic Club, 2323 Oregon Pike, holds Exer-Strides mommy and me exercise classes, 12:30 to 1:30 p.m. Tuesdays and Thursdays.
The class is free for members, who may join anytime. Nonmembers may join the next eight-week session, which begins Tuesday, Oct. 14. Cost is $99. For details, call 569-5396.
Photos At Mommy And Me Exercise Classes, Like Universal Athletic Club’s Exer-Strides,New Moms Can Socialize While They Sweat.
Ian Fitzgerald (Above) And Kayla Atteberry (Left) Play While Their Moms Work Off Post-Pregnancy Pounds. “Whatever Goes On Has To Come Off, Or They’re Stuck With It,” The Instructor Says.
(c) 2008 Intelligencer Journal. Provided by ProQuest LLC. All rights Reserved.
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