Ease back into the activities you used to do. Be patient with your changing body. Nine months on, nine months off is a reasonable mantra.
Yoga Babes Want to get back in shape while bonding with baby? Do yoga together. 
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How to look and feel your best after your baby comes
Once your baby arrives, your world is officially rocked.
You're delirious with exhaustion; every inch of your body aches, and the closest
thing to a meal you've had in days is a handful of Goldfish crackers. "Saying
this is a challenging time would be a huge understatement," says Lisa Stone, an
ACE-certified pre- and postnatal fitness specialist and president of Fit for 2.
The whole new-mom thing may seem overwhelming now, but you can get your life (and
your looks) back to nearly normal - with the same two things that got you through
your pregnancy: patience and persistence.
Working It Out
Pat yourself on the back. You just participated in the most grueling of all
endurance sports, the nine-month marathon that is the creation and incubation of
a human life. (Kinda makes a mere four-hour run seem wimpy, no?) The bitter irony
is that while childbirth is an enormously physical feat, it's not exactly the
world's best shape-up plan. We know what you're thinking: You watch Friends. You
saw Rachel pop out a miniature person and skinny right back into her size two
Sevens. Here's a news flash: TV? Not real. Rachel? A character. Jennifer Aniston?
Not pregnant, never was. We're not saying you can't get your pre-baby body
back - you absolutely can. You can even improve on what you had before. It just
won't happen a) effortlessly or b) overnight.
"You didn't wake up one day 25 or 55 pounds heavier," says Stone. "It's a gradual
gain, and it will be a gradual loss." According to Stone, "nine months on, nine
months off" is a reasonable mantra to adopt. The key, of course, is exercise.
Hitting the gym (or the trail or the pool) won't just help you snap back
physically. Studies have shown that exercise can decrease your risk of postpartum
depression (but only if the activity is stress relieving, not stress provoking).
Even if you were a superathlete before, the American College of Obstetricians and
Gynecologists (ACOG) stresses the importance of resuming exercise gradually.
(Remember, your muscles and ligaments are still stretched out, and you're
probably somewhat sleep deprived.)
Around the four-week mark, regardless of whether you had a vaginal birth or a
C-section, it is medically safe to resume gentle activity. (Whether or not you'll
have the time or the energy is another matter altogether.) No matter what your
fitness level, walking with your baby three times a week for 30 to 45 minutes
should be doable. "If you wear your baby on your body rather than pushing a
stroller, you'll get a better workout and a bonding experience, too," she
explains.
Your walks can also double as social hour. "It's really important for new moms to
have a reason to get out of the house," says Stone, who suggests scheduling your
strolls with other new moms as often as possible. After your walk, round out your
workout with two sets of 10 lunges, squats and push-ups (or as many as you can
do) and end with at least 5 minutes of stretching.
Other tips: Be patient with and tolerant of your changing body. Don't decide to
take up a new activity or start training for a major athletic event in the weeks
following your baby's birth. Ease back into the activities you used to do such as
aerobic dancing, swimming, tennis, strength training and yoga. "It's okay to
breathe hard and to sweat," says Stone. "It's not okay to pass out. You have to
use common sense. Just as when you were pregnant, if it hurts or doesn't feel
right, don't do it."
Now, a word about anatomy. You may find that you're more, well, buxom than you've
ever been before. As thrilling as this can be, it can also make aerobic exercise
uncomfortable. Layering one sports bra over another can give you the added
support you need to get through a workout.
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Health & Beauty: Baby Yourself