Whether you are already pregnant, or are still at that stage that you are contemplating pregnancy, now is a good time to think about your health and strength recovery program. Such a training program should take place not long after you give birth.

The Importance of a Postnatal Training Program

Living in Singapore has a lot of perks, especially for those who are about to become new moms. This is because Singapore is well-known globally for having an excellent hospital system, thoroughly modern and patient-friendly. However, while maternal and neonatal care are amply provided for in this city-state’s hospital system, there are postnatal concerns that need to be addressed through a complementary service, one that has to do with personal training.

A postnatal training program is important because of the tremendous physiological changes that happen to a woman during pregnancy. There are many medical concerns and issues that get attached to pregnancy, most of which are due to the additional weight that a pregnant woman puts on.  The weight gain is caused in general by the uterus that is becoming enlarged, the foetus that grows, the woman’s placenta, the pregnancy or baby water, the excess fat that a pregnant woman acquires (particularly in the abdominal section), and natural fluid retention.

While most of the things that contribute to the added weight that a pregnant woman carries are removed from her after delivery, the excess fat in the abdominal area, as well in other parts of her body, do not naturally just melt off. That is the reason why a personal trainer will exert the best of professional efforts to see to it that new moms are:

• Encouraged to embark on a supervised weight loss program
• Motivated to sustain her post pregnancy efforts to lose weight in order to regain her strength and stay healthy
• Helped to understand that her physical condition post pregnancy can be improved through a cooperative effort between herself and her fitness trainer
• Made to feel comfortable and accepting about the idea of the necessity to lose weight the earliest that she is able to do so, in order to avoid possible medical conditions and their resultant complications from arising, such as obesity, diabetes, and hypertension (that, if poorly managed, could lead to a stroke)

To be able to achieve all of those goals, the personal trainer assumes roles beyond that of simply managing and guiding a new mom through her fitness routine. The fitness trainer can also assume roles such as a motivational coach, an active member of the new mom’s team of health care professionals who all provide support and encouragement, and a friendly but professional source of stimulus to give the new mom and her weight loss efforts the much-needed traction.

To understand better, here are some tips about what goes into the personal training of a postnatal woman.

Assurance of Support

A woman who has recently given birth may not be motivated enough to undertake an exercise program, even if she is aware that it is to her benefit, as well as that of her baby. This hesitance may be due to hormonal imbalances, fatigue, or postpartum depression. In the case of women who were never physically active before getting pregnant and giving birth, there could even be a question of why should they take up a fitness program when they were able to manage without one before.

A professional trainer sees to it that these concerns are addressed immediately. Women who are assured of holistic support – physical, mental, and emotional – are more receptive to taking better care of themselves, particularly after giving birth.

Having Open Channels of Communication

Another way that professional trainers are able to encourage a new mom to take up exercising is by letting her understand that her concerns which are related to her having given birth, are all important. The trainer looks for non-verbal cues such as a look of tiredness, or a lack of willingness to talk, and addresses these immediately.

Losing weight is not just about vanity, after all. It is not just about the desire to look good, although of course, that is also an important consideration which helps to shore up self-confidence.

But, in general, it is the underlying health values that are expressed to the new mother: when her trainer, as part of her health team, is able to make her understand that her continued good health will also be to the benefit of her baby, it becomes simpler for her to wholeheartedly participate in, and achieve the goals of, her training program.

Yours in health,

Sharm, MSc
sharm@gurufitness.com