On your mark. Get set. GO!
Hold up – not so fast. If you haven’t read Part 1 of this series on Meditation, be sure to go back and catch yourself up. Because before we can move ahead, we have to be mindful of how we are doing physically post-delivery.
So check in with yourself before we journey into this part of the series, which is movement.
I want to reiterate that every woman is different, and every pregnancy, labor, and recovery is different too. So just because one mom can run a mile only a few weeks after birth does not mean that you will be able to. Take it slow and find the movement that your body needs and can handle in this moment. Be sure to get approval from your doctor or midwife before doing any physical exercise.
Ok, let’s do some fact checks. Why are we even talking about movement? I just delivered a baby and I am exhausted.
The science behind ‘The Happiness Effect’ of exercise is pretty cool – it involves parts of our brain and certain chemicals (actually lots of them!) that make us feel happy when we engage in movement or exercise. Check out the info-graphic for a quick reference to this process.
Now, movement can look like a lot of different things. It can be a slow walk down the street, or a trip to the gym for the power class. Movement can be some gentle yoga in your living room or your favorite Barre class.
Make this part of your self-care routine!
Take the baby for a stroll around the block, or use tummy time as an opportunity to do some yoga stretches! If you had an exercise routine before your pregnancy, maybe you can get back into that (but be gentle with yourself when building up your stamina and strength). Even just a simple roll of your shoulders and stretching your head from side to side can release some of those chemicals and boost your mood.
So next time you find yourself in a slump, remember that using meditation and movement, even in small doses, can help turn your mood around even just momentarily. If you only meditate or move for 5 minutes a day (even just 1 minute at a time), that’s 35 minutes each week! So don’t get discouraged if you don’t have much time – take it slow and know that you WILL feel better.