The Art and Science of Fitness | Reclaiming your fitness goals after pregnancy

Nothing makes you admire the human body quite like the amazing feat of pregnancy and childbirth. The ability to create life (with a bit of celestial help), while old as time, is also among the most magical things in life. Obviously, in all of this, men play a supportive role. Women carry the weight, quite literally. And once the baby is there, your life has changed quite significantly and nothing is like it was before. Including your body.

- Dr Rajat Chauhan (drrajatchauhan.com) Sports Medicine & Musculoskeletal Medicine Physician, Author and Student of Running & PainEva Bacon (evabacon.com) Runner, Roller Blader, Rock Climber, Urban Hiker, Translator and IT Program ManagerEva and Rajat write a weekly column, exclusively for HT Premium readers, that breaks down the science of movement and exercise.

Eva, one of the co-authors, can talk from her own experience. She noted that it is hard not to feel like a vessel during pregnancy. If one is breastfeeding and catering to the baby’s needs, you are no longer the sole dependent on your body. Exercise can help. Of course, only once it is safe to do so, light stretching and yoga can start pretty soon postpartum, gradually building it up over weeks, but for more vigorous exercises you should wait at least six weeks.

Postpartum exercise can serve two functions: It is good for getting back to fitness. But it also means that you, as a new mother, need to set aside time to prioritise yourself. Which is hard to do with a newborn. It is all too easy to lose the sense of self and instead feel a sense of servitude to the newborn. Even though becoming physically active soon after the delivery of the child is important, it is worthwhile mentioning that any woman planning a pregnancy should prepare for it. This should include both physical and mental health. Becoming a parent is one of the most fundamental shifts of our lives and nothing can prepare us for it, but ourselves. We literally need to get moving. Physical journey during and after the pregnancy