• Simple exercises can help you get back in shape post-pregnancy.pregnant image by Cora Reed from Fotolia.com
  
  Baby Fit, a website developed for pregnant or post-pregnant women looking to improve fitness, explains that when you are pregnant, the rectus abdominus muscles separate to make room for a baby, naturally affecting the appearance of your abdominal muscles. Fortunately, there are a number of abdominal exercises that can be performed post-birth to get your muscles back into shape. However, Baby Fit recommends consulting a professional trainer, physical therapist, or doctor before engaging in any physical activity.
  
  

Starting to Exercise

• Baby Fit notes that if you had a vaginal birth, you can start exercising as soon as any tears or incisions have healed. If you had a C-section, you can begin exercising once the incision is fully healed and any stitches have been removed. Additionally, you must not feel any pain when contracting the muscles in your stomach. In any case, it's important to listen to your body and stop if you feel any pain.
  
  

First Abdominal Exercise

• Baby Fit suggests starting with a simple breathing exercise that engages the abdominal muscles. Begin by lying on your back, arms at your side, knees bent with your feet on the ground. Lay in a natural position, with your spine resting in a normal stance. Breathe in slowly and deeply, contract your muscles, and hold the contraction for 5 seconds, still breathing normally. Do 5-10 of these contractions a day.
  
  

Abdominal Crunch

• A simple exercise to start with is the abdominal crunch. Lie on your back, hands behind ears, knees bent, feet on the ground. Raise your head and shoulder blades off the ground, contract your stomach muscles, and hold for five seconds. Release slowly to the ground and repeat five to ten times. Another simple exercise is the pelvic tilt. Lay on the ground with your knees bent and feet on the floor. Place your hands gently on your stomach, tighten your stomach muscles, and push the arch of your back and butt towards the floor. Hold for five seconds and repeat five to ten times.
  
  

Elbow to Knee Lifts

• Another exercise recommended by Women Fitness is elbow to knee lifts. Lay on your back with your knees bent and feet flat on the floor. Lift one elbow, with your hand behind your head, and the opposite knee and bring them together. Repeat on the opposite side; aim for 20 reps as your goal. A more advanced exercise is the bicycle crunch. Lay on the floor, arms at your side on the floor, feet in the air, but bent at the knee. Slowly stretch one leg, and as your bring it back in, stretch the opposite leg in a cycling movement. Repeat 10 times per leg.