After the strange and challenging year of 2020, there will likely be even more new goals and resolutions made than usual to ensure 2021 is a better year!

Why are typical New Year goals not realistic for mums?

For mums who are currently pregnant or have given birth quite recently, the most common resolutions are not really realistic. For example, ‘Dry January’ – not really relevant to pregnant mums, and for those mums who like their wine and have abstained for 9 months recently, the last thing they will want to do is put off that much-needed glass of wine for another month!

Then there are the standard diet and fitness goals, which do not quite work for mums. Entering into strict diets and mass intense workouts, lifting weights, and fitness is not realistic and can also be unsafe. For example, dieting or significantly reducing energy intake is definitely not recommended during pregnancy and breastfeeding. Jumping exercises & running, boot camps, and intense gym sessions can be more harmful than beneficial if done incorrectly and if your core cannot withstand the added pressure.

Lastly, many other usual mental resolutions will be knocked flat simply by the tiredness of pregnancy and the tiredness of life with a baby!

How can this blog help?

To help guide you on realistic goal ideas! No need to feel you should make all these your goals for 2021, but the great thing is that they are all realistic and achievable, and you will feel much better for having them, whether you manage 1, a few, or all of them!

5 Realistic Goals to Make During Pregnancy

• Eat Well. It is so tempting to eat more fun foods when pregnant & breastfeeding, but just be wary of how much and how often. There is the risk of developing ‘Gestational Diabetes’ during pregnancy, which can be prevented or controlled by keeping sugar intake down. During breastfeeding, with the tiredness and ‘high energy’ lactation cookies, it can be easy to take in more energy than using up, leading to weight gain. Try booking a session with a Nutritionist experienced with mums who can advise you on the best way to support your health and your baby's.
• Say Hello to Your Pelvic Floor. So many mums have no idea where or what the benefits of keeping a strong pelvic floor are until they experience the issues of ‘leaking urine’, back and pelvic pain and feelings of pressure down under during pregnancy. It's worth starting Pelvic Floor Exercises (Click Here to See Our Online Exercise Program) early in the 1st and 2nd trimesters and continuing through. All that's needed is 5–10 minutes 3 times a week.
• Keep Active. Exercise boosts your energy, helps keep your tone and weight under control, and improves blood flow to the baby. If you stay active during pregnancy, regaining fitness and shape after birth will be much easier. We have a ‘Ease into Pregnancy Exercise Kit’ available that helps you learn to exercise safely and offers a variety of safe cardio options, as well as ten 20-minute workouts you can do at home.
• Walking is free, easy, and the safest form of exercise during pregnancy (unless complications indicate bed rest). Invest in a pedometer and set a goal of 5000 to 10000 steps per day.y
• Make Time for You. Book regular slots for things you will really enjoy that are also restful, such as pregnancy massages, pregnancy yoga & pilates sessions, and even naps. Time will be limited after the birth; make the most of your time now.

6 Realistic Goals to Make After Birth

• Be Present. Try to limit your phone time so you can be more present for your baby or kids. There are apps you can download that monitor screen time or track time spent scrolling to help you avoid getting too sucked in. Less phone time helps prevent missing all the firsts and milestones. Also, making the phone off-limits before bedtime enables you to switch off and get that much-needed sleep.
• Eat Well. It can be challenging to make an eating plan after giving birth, as often mums will be trying to lose some excess pounds gained during pregnancy. But at the same time, you do need enough energy to support optimal milk production during breastfeeding and when you're feeling exhausted from lack of sleep and staying up late at night. It's worth booking a session with a Nutritionist who can guide you with this.
• Book a Check-Up with a Woman's Health Physio. We cannot stress enough how important this is after giving birth. They will be able to fully assess your pelvic floor and core function after giving birth, including whether you have a ‘diastasis recti (ab separation) or any prolapse and help get you going on the correct exercises. The check-up can be at any time, but it is recommended between 6 and 8 weeks after giving birth.
• Start Some Gentle, Safe Exercise. This will help boost your energy and improve your mood. Our ‘Ease into Postnatal Exercise Kit’ provides advice on how to activate your pelvic floor & core, how to exercise safely, safe cardio choices, and 10 20-minute workouts you can do at home. These workouts include pelvic floor strengthening & core exercises, as well as arm & leg toning exercises.
• Tighten Your Tummy. Factors such as Diastasis Recti (ab separation) and just simply having been pregnant and the tissues stretched and core weakened can also lead to the tummy still looking big after a couple of months post giving birth – commonly called a ‘mummy tummy’ or ‘paunch’.    Make it a New Year's resolution to get started with one of our ‘online programs,' which include 5-10 min workouts that will help restore your core, heal any Diastasis Recti, and tighten your tummy.
• Walk, Walk, Walk The safest exercise after giving birth to help restore some fitness and lose pounds (if needed) is walking – we do not advise starting running again until 12 weeks after birth or at least having been checked out by a physio to check you have enough core strength to return to running safely. Rather than take public transport, the car, or a taxi, Aim to walk with the stroller as much as possible. Set a goal for the number of steps you take per day.
• If breastfeeding, for any issues, seek help from a Lactation Consultant ASAP – Experienced physios can also help with blocked milk ducts and engorgement by carrying out an ultrasound and lymphatic massage (massage that is not painful) and by preventing mastitis from developing.

This will give you some good goal ideas for 2021. They do not have to be New Year goals; they can be set at any time throughout the year.

For any of the fitness goals, check out our online programs.

Physio Therapy Singapore also have Nutritionists/Dieticians on our team who can see you online or in person in Singapore.  For lactation support, we can provide in-home physiotherapy and recommend lactation consultants. Our physios are also trainers who can offer safe online and in-person prenatal and postnatal training.

Good luck with any goals you decide on!