post partum exercise?

[gnutter]

I loved exercising prebaby-walking, yoga, some pilates and jus stretching. I have early bursitis in one hip and staying very limber helps stave off the pain. It has been killing me since wyatts birth-all that hospital style pushing LOL!
I did a lot of sqatting during labor too though. anyway-who here is going to be trying to get into an exercise routine soon? I thought maybe I oculd get a little extra inspiration and maybe some new things to try. I am starting with an exercise ball-I only know the excerises that came with the ball.

what routines,tapes, yoga etc do any of you intend to do or keep doing? I know some of you were still doing things while pg. I just lost my drive at about 6 months

[Peppamint]

I checked out Lose Your Tummy Mummy from the library and plan to get started on those exercises as soon as I can find the time. I worked out at Curves until the end of April, but I don't think I'm going back because of financial constraints. So I plan to do the exercises in the book and get in regular walking for now... I'll join the local gym later down the road...

[mamacatsbaby]

I was wondering the same thing gnutter. I will also be checking into the Mummy Tummy book and we walk everywhere anyway. Also, I will be getting back into strength training with free weights. I have yoga and pilates DVDs here, I also really enjoy The Firm DVDs that I have. I find them quite challenging. I'm going to see how it goes. I'm not sure what kind of routine I'll have just yet though.

[L'lee]

I also recommend the "Mummy Tummy" book- her "Maternal Fitness" book was great for pregnancy, and a lot of the exercises are the same. I had no energy for exercise since week 6 of my pregnancy, and I have been feeling an urge to exercise for the last week - I am so excited to have this back!! I was doing SO well at working out before I got pregnant, it was so disappointing to feel sluggish and sore. I also like strength training, I plan to get back into that - I like Joyce Vedral's "Weight Training Made Easy". I also like a video called the "Fat Burning Workout for Dummies" - it is aerobics, which I've never been a huge fan of, but I like it because it's convenient to do it at home, the instructor is pretty low key while still maintaining energy, the music is appropriate, and it really explains what to look for and how to do the workout with good form. Also, there is an intro which is a good workout if you're not so fit yet, and the way the video is formatted into sections made it easy to make the workout progressively more difficult until I could do the whole thing. I tried a lot of aerobics videos from the library, and that was my favorite by far. I'm also looking forward to the pool opening in our apartment complex next week!

[~*max*~]

I have been thinking about this a lot recently too. I have pretty bad PSD, so I need to wait a bit for that to heal before I can do much. Any one know how long that takes? W/the beautiful spring weather here, I can't wait to start walking. A Curves just opened right up the street from me. It would be a very convenient way for me to work out. I am going to look into that. Any opinions on Curves? I have never been, but have heard good things.

[Peppamint]

Max- I was a member of Curves from Feb 2000 until April 2006... I really liked it for the most part but there was a change in ownership/management awhile back and I didn't like it as well after that so I imagine how well you'd like that part of it would vary from location to location.

With the PSD... I would recommend avoiding the one machine, darnit I forget the name of it but you sit in it and open and close your legs repeatedly. It's a great exercise but not when your pelvis is separating/ed. I quit doing that machine quite awhile ago and if I was going back to work out I'd avoid it for awhile longer.

[waterbaby9503]

Once my baby turns 6 wks, I look fw to going back to pilates classes at the YMCA. Their childcare rm takes kids six wks and up.
Though for now, I am challenged aplenty just doing the more basic pilates moves in my living room. I need to get the basic muscles back first, before toning anything else with a class!