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Get your groove back

Get back into the groove of daily life

It's a whole new world with a baby in the house, and your formerly spontaneous life has been replaced with one based on your baby's schedule. Here are some answers to common questions that will help get your life back to normal.

How do I get my body back?

• Exercise helps get you back in shape and can improve your emotional well-being
• Walking is a great start, and you can take your baby with you in a stroller
• Your body needs about six to eight weeks to heal before you can begin exercising
• Talk to your doctor about what exercises besides walking will work well for you
• Don't try to lose more than a pound a week, especially if you're breast-feeding

How and when can I strengthen my stomach muscles?

• During pregnancy and labor, about one-third of women develop diastasis recti, a condition in which the left and right sides of the main abdominal muscle separate, leaving a gap
• Simple abdominal crunches can help treat separated muscles
• It takes six to eight weeks after delivery for this gap to close
• Talk to your doctor about when you can begin working on your abdominal muscles. If you begin too soon, you could cause further injury and delay your recovery and ability to exercise

Will I ever catch up on my sleep?

• Getting enough sleep with a newborn is challenging, but eventually your baby will sleep through the night
• Until then, rest while the baby is napping
• Ask family and friends to watch the baby while you sleep, or to help with chores so you can rest

Will I have time to kick back and relax?

• It's important to relax to recharge your energy
• Invite friends over
• Join a playgroup to meet other new mothers
• Ask family or friends to babysit so you can have a date night with your partner