POSTNATAL EXERCISE

Exercises Is a physical activity that is planned, structured and repetitive for the purpose of conditioning any part of the body.

 Importance of Post-Natal Exercises

·         Improve circulation

·         Strengthen pelvic floor muscle

·         Prevent backache

·         Strengthen the tummy muscles

Benefits of Exercises

·         Reduces the risk of developing heart disease, diabetes, and cancer

·         Reduces high blood pressure, high cholesterol

·         Reduces body weight, depression, anxiety and improves psychological wellbeing

·         Builds and maintains healthy muscles, bones and joints

DEEP BREATHING EXERCISE

·         Lie on bed with knees bent, with a pillow behind

·         Breathe in deeply through nose. Sigh out.

·         Repeat 5 times

Breathing exercises help to improve the circulation

FOOT AND ANKLE EXERCISE

·         Keep knees relaxed for both exercises.

·         Bend and stretch ankles vigorously up and down for 30 seconds.

·         Circle both feet 10 times in each direction.

·         Repeat these exercises frequently.

PELVIC FLOOR EXERCISE-KEGAL

·         Pelvic floor muscles are stretched during pregnancy and childbirth.

·         Strong pelvic floor muscles are essential to prevent leakage of urine when sneeze or cough, for enjoyable sexual intercourse and to give complete control of bowels.

·         Strong muscles will also help prevent developing a prolapsed womb

·         Can do this exercise standing, sitting or lying.

·         Pull the area around vagina up and down

·         The contraction should be held for 10 seconds(to a count of 6) and repeated upto10 times

·         The exercise should be continued for 2-3 months.

·         This exercise is especially important if mother have stitches.

·         It helps to improve the circulation and will help to heal quickly

PELVIC TILTING EXERCISE

·         Lie on a firm surface with knees bent and a comfortable pillow beneath the head

·         Pull in your tummy (inhale, while exhale flatten the back)

·         Press the lower part of back down flat

·         Hold for several seconds and repeat.

ABDOMINAL BREATHING

·         This is to strengthen the diaphragm

·         Take a deep breath, raising her abdominal wall and exhale slowly.

·         To ensure correct method ask to keep one hand on chest and one on abdomen.

·         While inhaling the hand on the abdomen should be raised and hand on the chest should remain stationary.

·         Repeat the exercise five times

HEAD AND SHOULDER RAISING

·         On the 2ndpost partum day-Lie flat and raise head until the chin is touching the chest.

·         On the 3 rd post partum day-raise both head and shoulder off the bed and lower them slowly , increase gradually

LEG RAISING

·         Begun on the 7^th post partum day

·         Lying down on the floor with no pillows under the head

·         Point toe and slowly raise one leg keeping the knee straight

·         Lower the leg slowly.

KNEE ROLLING

·         This is to strengthen the oblique abdominal muscles.

·         In back lying with knees bent, pull in the abdomen and roll both knees to one side as far is comfortable, keeping shoulders flat.

·         Return knees to upright position and relax the abdomen.

·         Pull in again and roll both knees to other side.

·         Perform 10 times

 HIP HITCHING OR LEG SHORTENING

·         In back lying with one knee bent and the other knee straight.

·         Slide the heel of the straight leg down word thus lengthening the leg.

·         Shorten the same leg by drawing the hip up towards the ribs on the same side.

·         Repeat up to 10 times

·         Change to the opposite side and repeat.