Physical therapist Ashley M. Witson works with a client during a therapy session.
Fitness, post-baby
Are you a new mom looking to get back into a fitness routine? Although
your doctor may clear you for exercise at six weeks, it’ll take time to return
to your pre-birth levels of fitness. In general, here are guidelines to get you
started:
- 0-2 weeks’ post-partum: walk and do gentle
pelvic floor and abdominal contractions, plus breathing strategies
- 2-4 weeks: increase time/distance of
walking and begin exercises based upon functional needs of motherhood,
such as gentle squats, lunges, bridges, and rolling
- 4-6 weeks: introduce stationary cycling or
elliptical trainer exercise and continue functional strength exercises
based upon needs of motherhood
- 6-8 weeks: begin scar mobilization (if
appropriate) and power walking; increase the duration of low impact activities,
do gentle deadlifting and gentle resistance training with bands, and/or
light weights.
- 8-12-plus weeks: Move into swimming,
spinning, and a graded return to a running program if there are no pelvic
health concerns; build on training volume (distance/time) before
intensity.
Ashley M. Witson, physical therapist, Feldman Physical Therapy and
Performance, Fishkill and Poughkeepsie, feldmanphysicaltherapy.com
Kristine Devine leads a chair-based exercise class at the Gardiner Library. The fitness program incorporates moves that can be done while participants remain seated.
Exercise
while sitting in a chair
Designed for women and others of all ages
and abilities, chair-based exercise offers an effective way to work muscles and
joints; increase stamina, muscle and bone strength; and boost flexibility.
The exercise program incorporates techniques
that build on different areas of fitness, including moves that use a person's
body weight to target muscle strength and promote eye-hand coordination. Some
exercises involve resistance bands and balls, including one move where
participants squeeze a ball placed between their knees. Moreover, doing the
exercises at a slow tempo allows people to feel their muscles work.
"All
of sudden people feel accomplished," says certified personal trainer,
Kristin Devine, leads an hour-long weekly chair-based exercise class at the
Gardiner Library in Gardiner. "They feel better and have more stamina.
It's a personal accomplishment and the reduction of stress automatically goes
with that."
Gardiner
Library, chair-based exercise class, gardinerlibrary.org/eventsongoing.asp
Keep skin soft and silky
Dry skin may not be a serious issue for most women, but it can be
irritating, especially in winter when the dry air can worsen its redness, tightness
and itchiness. Keep your skin supple with by following these tips:
- Moisturize to seal skin and keep
water from escaping.
- Limit water exposure by keeping bath
and shower time to 10 minutes or less. Use warm water instead of hot and
avoid bathing more than once a day.
- Skip soap, which can be drying. Choose cleansing
creams, gentle skin cleansers and shower gels with added moisturizers.
- Cover up when it’s cold or windy outside
since winter can be especially drying to skin. Be sure to wear a
scarf, hat and gloves when you go out.
- Invest in a pair of rubber gloves and
use them when immersing your hands in water or are using harsh
cleansers to help protect your skin.
Source: mayoclinic.org
Natural hair care
If you’re looking for natural ways to care for your hair, skip the
bathroom and head to your kitchen, instead. Shea butter, chamomile, sunflower
oil, avocado oil, witch hazel, olive oil, honey and Aloe vera contain
properties that enhance hair. For instance, use this avocado blend for shiny
hair:
- Mix 1 small jar of real mayonnaise with an
avocado in a bowl
- Mash the mixture until it turns minty
green in color
- Apply the blend directly onto your hair,
from scalp to tip
- Cover your hair with a shower cap and leave
it on for 30 minutes
- Rinse thoroughly
Source: Techniques to Achieve
Naturally Healthy Hair, nepis.epa.gov