Postpartum Exercise: When Should You Start Working Out?

Do you remember the joy you felt when your pregnancy belly first started to show? Now that your baby is here, you may be feeling more frumpy than fabulous. Are you anxious to shed those extra pounds? Before you don running shoes or head off to the gym, keep in mind that your body has just experienced a tremendous change.

Pregnancy and childbirth put an enormous strain on the body, and the road to recovery is not always as smooth as we'd like it to be. How long it takes to regain that pre-baby figure depends not on how quickly you can start an exercise routine, but on factors such as pre-pregnancy weight, the amount of weight gained during pregnancy, and your level of fitness after your baby is born. Here are some important considerations to look at before beginning your postnatal exercise program.