Most new mums want to look like they did before they were pregnant, or maybe even improve on it. Though this may seem daunting, getting your body back after a baby isn't as tough as you think. And remember: the fitter you are before delivery, the easier the return to your pre-pregnancy shape.

The really crucial problem is getting time to yourself for exercise. If possible, have someone watch your baby for 30 minutes or an hour a few times a week to free you up to do this workout. If this isn't realistic, you can always try to do the strength training and stretching bits at home when the baby is asleep, and then get your cardio exercise in whilst strolling the baby. Regardless of how you fit exercise into your busy life, any activity is better than none at all.

Exercise is important after having a baby, because it:

boosts energy
helps you sleep better
increases self-esteem at an emotionally vulnerable time
combats stress and tension
helps you lose the extra weight gained during pregnancy
produces endorphins that give you a natural high
tones and strengthens muscles

After you deliver, ask your doctor when you can begin exercising again. For most women it's within four to six weeks, but if you've had a Caesarean, you'll probably need longer to recover.

The mantra for post-pregnancy exercise is slow and steady. In particular, if you're breastfeeding you need to work out at a low intensity to prevent the accumulation of lactic acid in your milk. It's also crucial to be very careful to move slowly and not make any sudden or jarring movements when you exercise. This is because your joints are probably still unstable due to the presence of the hormone relaxin in your system. Relaxin allows your ligaments (which stabilise the joints) to move more freely to accommodate the baby, but it also makes it easy to overextend joints and become injured. Bear in mind that it takes six to 12 weeks to fully recover from childbirth, and it could take up to one year for your body to return to the way it was before you got pregnant.

First, we'll touch on Caesarean sections. After delivery, your doctor will probably prescribe deep breathing and leg exercises to do whilst in bed to reduce the risk of developing blood clots. Pelvic floor (or Kegel) exercises should be your main form of exercise for the first six weeks. It is not recommended to start a full-on exercise programme until ten to 12 weeks following a Caesarean delivery.

Whether you've had a vaginal or Caesarean birth, pelvic floor exercises are the most important of all. These muscles form a hammock that supports the pelvic organs and provides sphincter control of the vagina, urethra and anus. It's essential that you strengthen this muscle before attempting any other exercise. Here's how:

Release your vaginal muscles as if you are about to urinate.
Then, contract these muscles up and in.
Hold the position for five counts and breathe normally.
Release.
Repeat as many times as possible until your muscles begin to tire. As you get stronger, hold the position longer.
When you've mastered this try adding contraction-like pulses each time and finally progress to several little contractions without resting in between.

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