I had my second kid 18 months ago. I put on 16 kg during pregnancy. I shed 10 kg in the first six months thanks to breastfeeding and being constantly exhausted. The remaining 6 kg took real effort.
Here's what the internet kept telling me: do gentle yoga, walk daily, don't rush your body, listen to your core, eat nourishing foods.
All good advice but totally useless if you want to get strong again. I wanted to lift. I wanted my body to feel capable, not just "recovered".
What actually worked for me:
Pelvic floor rehab first. Before any lifting I saw a women's physio for pelvic floor activation. This is non-negotiable postpartum. Skipping it risks prolapse and incontinence. Not glamorous but essential.
Progressive return to lifting. I started with just the bar, adding 2.5 kg each week. Ego completely gone. I squatted an empty bar for four weeks while the gym bros loaded plates around me. I didn't care.
Protein priority. Breastfeeding burns roughly 500 calories a day, so I needed to eat more, not less. I also needed at least 100 g protein daily from paneer, eggs, dal and whey.
Sleep. Ha! I get five to six hours in broken chunks. Sleep is the limiting factor right now, so I've accepted slower progress.
Current lifts: squat 55 kg, deadlift 70 kg, bench 27.5 kg - better than my pre-pregnancy numbers.
Postpartum fitness is possible. The roadmap: pelvic floor first, progressive loading second, ego out of the way always.
Society needs role models like this. Fitness in India is often lacking, and women's health and strength training is even worse.
I'd suggest adding Romanian deadlifts (RDL) too. Maybe do RDL one week and deadlift the next. Deadlift works many muscles, while RDL focuses on glutes, hamstrings and a bit on the lower back.
Fantastic, I'll share this with my wife. We have a three-year-old and she hasn't started her fitness journey yet.
Absolutely amazing! Pregnancy and postpartum is no joke. Congrats on taking care of yourself.
Amazing, I'm going to share this with my family. Thanks for the knowledge.
Keep pushing, we're rooting for you!
This is awesome, keep going ma'am! ✨
Cheers to you.
I can see you're a strong woman - both physically and mentally. It takes a lot to lift that much, especially with a baby. Getting back to your pre-pregnancy shape and strength isn't easy. It's been 16 years since my second delivery and I never got my flat tummy back. I'm stronger and more sculpted than I was 10-20 years ago, but I still battle stubborn fat in some areas. I wasn't aware of that back then. Seeing women like you, who are conscious about strength and fitness, makes me happy. Cheers, girl!
Hey, could you recommend any videos or YouTube channels for pelvic floor strengthening and a home-based fitness routine (preferably with simple equipment)?