This is a sponsored conversation written by me on behalf of UPPAbaby. The opinions and text are all mine.

 

May is Mental Health Awareness Month, and more specifically, Maternal Mental Health Awareness Month.  Most of us have heard that exercises produces endorphins, those “feel good hormones” that elevate our mood and alleviate depression symptoms.   With nearly one in seven mothers experiencing postpartum depression, getting moving can be crucial to our well being.   Looking at data over a 20-year period, researchers found that women who were physically active experienced less depressive symptoms, than those who led a sedentary.  The science is pretty clear, the more we move, the better we feel. 

As a personal trainer and mom of two little ones, I know the many physical benefits of getting active after having a baby.   My education, research, work with postnatal training clients, and my own postpartum experiences (one C-section, one vaginal delivery), have given me so many examples of how important this is to help mommas recover faster.  Getting active helps us gain energy when our sleep-deprived bodies have none to spare, and moving helps our muscles recuperate and gain back strength much faster. 

Trust me, I KNOW it’s not easy to find time to workout when you have a child (or 2, or 3) at home.  You’re exhausted; you barely have time to eat or shower, let alone workout.  The good news is, the research is also pretty clear that it doesn’t really matter the type of workout you do, as long as you get moving.  Once you have your doctor’s clearance for exercise postpartum (usually around 6 weeks), try a video at home (You can find my free Postnatal Workouts HERE), take a class to get out of the house, or the easiest way, just get outside and take a walk and you’ll begin to feel the results right away.     

When you get outside remember that the sunshine and fresh air also improve our mental health.  I know not everyone can get outside right away after having a baby, but once you can, walking with the stroller is one of the best postpartum exercises there is.  I was lucky to live in Los Angeles where I could start going for walks with both a February baby and an August baby.   Unless you have restrictions from your doctor, you can start walking right away after delivery.  And when you do, your body gets Vitamin D, endorphins, and as a bonus, your baby gets to explore the outside world.

One word of advice to all you mamas about getting outside – make sure you find a stroller you love and one that is easy to use.   And especially if you have more than one kiddo, get one that can convert to a double stroller!  Naively, I thought I didn’t need a double stroller; I thought I’d just wear the baby, or that my toddler would magically walk beside me.   I found out pretty quickly I was wrong, and the UPPAbaby VISTA is the versatile stroller that saved me.  The frame is lightweight and easily converts from single to double, using the basinet, the infant car seat, (I have the UPPAbaby MESA car seat, but many other car seats work with the VISTA as well), the Rumble Seat and the Toddler Seat.    Check it out at www.uppababy.com. 

Postpartum recovery is hard work.  Getting active makes it easier.  Moving for both your physical and mental health is not only beneficial for you, it’s a gift to your baby and those you love.