Easy Ways to Get Active Post-Baby

It may seem like celebrity moms get their figures back in a flash, but in the real world, hitting the gym can be intimidating and feel downright impossible for new moms. Jennie Brooks, a women's health expert who runs a new moms' bootcamp, offers up some easy ways to reduce the post-pregnancy pooch at home while preparing you for hitting the gym again.

“If you didn’t have a Caesarian or complications, with your doctor’s permission you can start doing very small abdominal exercises the day after giving birth,” says Brooks, the director of personal training at the Medical University of South Carolina Wellness Center. “Lie on your back in bed and simply squeeze your abdominals toward your spine for a few seconds, then release."

Start off doing as many as you can and then gradually building up to 30 repetitions per set. Strengthen your pelvic floor by squeezing the muscles that control the flow of urine, which will help reduce the pooch, says Brooks.

Transition from your abs into another good core exercise. “When I had my son, Oliver, I started out doing exercises with him at home. Lie with your baby on a mat and do push-ups, give them a kiss and then push back up!” Do a couple of test runs before including your baby, and if you aren't ready for a full push-up, start out on your knees, working toward a full push-up and more reps.

For a controlled full-body exercise with lots of baby giggles, try Brooks's deadlift swings, which she says her son loved. “I’d stand up holding him, then bring him between my legs and slowly swing him up over my head and make faces at him. He loved it!" For safety and maintaining good form, move slowly and cradle your baby’s head, holding him so his feet touch your forearms, says Brooks.

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If your baby hasn't tired of moonlighting as your kettle bell, try plie squats to get your core and thighs working hard. “Hold your baby in front of you, with their head cradled, and place your feet hip-width apart with your feet turned out,” Brooks says. “Now, keeping your back straight, gently lower your butt down and then back up. Your pelvic floor muscles are very stretched after giving birth, and this will help to strengthen them.”

“When your baby’s sleeping, have a set of hand weights and an exercise ball on hand,” Brooks says. “Keep it simple, because you have so many things on your mind. … It’s easier to start small." Incorporate a few exercises into your rotation and gradually work your way up from 20 reps per exercise to 30 reps over time. Brooks says you don't need to spend more than five minutes at a time. Aim to complete three sets of each exercise, and you can space them out over the course of the day if need be.

A regular ab workout isn't always easy to squeeze in with a newborn, but find a toy-free zone that is just for Operation Flat Belly. "Lie on the floor with your knees bent, with your ankles crossed,” Brooks says. “Squeeze your stomach toward your spine and try to roll your hips off the floor, just using your abdominals. It’s a little lift and lower of your butt with a small range of movement. Work up to 20. Take as much rest as you need, but keep going until you reach 20.”

Strong arms help when you have a baby to carry around all the time. If you want to target your shoulders specifically, try these arm raises. “Take a 3-pound set of dumbbells and—keeping your arms straight out in front of you—hold the weights and gently lift and lower them,” Brooks says. “Then repeat the motion with your arms straight out at your sides."

Got something simmering on the stove? Pull out a chair and get a quick triceps workout in before the timer goes off. “Sit on a chair with your hands flat on the seat behind you, arms by your sides, fingers facing forward,” Brooks said. “Now lower your butt a few inches below the edge of the chair and use your arms to push yourself back up. Keep your elbows pressed by your sides—don’t allow them to point out sideways."

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When your baby is old enough for longer trips outside, gear up the stroller and do some intervals to get your cardio workouts started again. Brooks suggests starting off by alternating a slow jog for 10 minutes with walking for 10, and then building up to jogging for 20 minutes, walking for 10 and so on. "You can also try shorter intervals, such as running for five minutes, walking for two,” she says.