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Dear Dr. Donohue: I had a baby about two months ago. I also have a body that is not the same as it was before I became pregnant. I feel like I am completely out of shape. And I have lost some control over my bladder. Is it impossible to get my old body back? -- T.R.

Dear T.R.: With a little work, you'll have the same body you had before you were pregnant.

At the six-week checkup following delivery, women should discuss what kind of exercise program they can pursue. There will be few or no limitations set.

A good start is a walking program. Take a relaxed pace at first and walk a relatively short distance. Gradually pick up the pace to the point where you are walking briskly but are still able to talk and are not exhausted after the walk. It can take two months to reach that goal.

While you are picking up the pace, increase the distance. Each week add two minutes to the total walk time. Aim to walk for 30 minutes every day. If you wish, you can break the walks into two walks of 15 minutes or three walks of 10 minutes.

Walking is going to take off the weight you gained during pregnancy.

To regain bladder control, do Kegel exercises. While urinating, stop the stream. The muscles that you contract to stop the urine flow are the muscles you want to exercise throughout the day.

Three times a day, contract those muscles at least eight times in a row. Hold each contraction for six seconds. You can do more than three sets a day. You determine the limit.

If you are breast-feeding, it might be wise to feed the baby before or one hour after you have finished your exercise. Lactic acid builds up during exercise. It can diffuse into breast milk and make the milk taste sour. An hour after exercise, lactic acid is cleared from the blood.

Dear Dr. Donohue: I walk approximately 2 1/2 miles a day five to six times a week. I have been carrying 1-pound weights in each hand as I walk. The other day a woman stopped me and said I should not carry weights because they throw my body off. I mentioned this to my doctor, but he didn't give me an answer. -- A.M.

Dear A.M.: Carrying hand weights during a walk contributes to the calorie expenditure of the walk. You have been doing so for a considerable time, and they haven't thrown your body off. They won't.


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