Great Bodies After Giving Birth

More moms are making time, between burping and Barney to get in shape.

Not only are they finding their figure again, but many are giving birth to even better bodies after they bear children. The Early Show Contributor Debbye Turner reports.

During her childbearing years, Dory Fern says she gained a lot of weight. She says, "Both pregnancies, I ate my way through them. I gained more than what you're supposed to. I was up around 50 pounds for both my kids."

But she peeled away the pounds. She says, "I am narrower than I was. My hips are a lot smaller. Before I was pregnant, I was a size 8 or 10. And now, well, these jeans are a size 1.

She got down to a size 1 by making exercise a No. 1 priority.

She says, "My main source of exercise is running on the treadmill. I run three miles."

After her adrenaline rush, she trades in heavy breathing for slow exhales and a yoga mat.

She says, "It's great to be 37 and look back at pictures of me at 24 and think: I look a lot better now. I am in the best shape of my life."

And so do many Moms, as more of them push and pump their way to leaner meaner bodies, joining after-baby exercise programs and hiring personal trainers.

Personal trainer Jason Keigher says, "Constantly, constantly, constantly I'm getting phone calls from women. 'I just had a baby and I really need to get back in shape.'"

He specializes in prenatal and postpartum fitness.

So how is it that women are paying more attention to getting into a great shape after having a baby?

Keigher says, "A lot of it comes from what they see on TV, a lot of celebrities getting back in shape lately and they want to look like that."

But you don't have to be a star to look svelte. Pointing at Elizabeth, Keigher says, "Just look at the abs on Elizabeth Avery. She gave birth 11 weeks ago!"

"I feel great!" Elizabeth exclaims. She hired Keigher to turn her into a "Muscle Momma."

He says, "I like to stick with functional activities, things that are going to mimick everyday activity of a mother, possibly bending down to pick up the baby.

For Elizabeth, the benefits of exercise go beyond the physical. She says, "It's a great hour where you just switch off from being a mom and from all the new things you're doing: feeding, changing diapers and you just focus on yourself."

But before you run from the labor room to the workout room, Keigher suggests keeping the guidelines in mind:
** always consult your doctor
** and listen to your body, see how it feels
** and most importantly be aware of the hormonal changes it's going through.

He says, "Relaxant and Elastin they are in women's blood once they conceive and it's still in the blood for probably approximately three months after they have a baby, and this causes excessive joint mobility and instability in joints."

Of course the biggest challenge for Moms like Dori Fern is finding the time to exercise. Fern is also a freelance writer. So, when she can't escape her career or her kids, she turns playtime into a workout.

She says, "We all have limited time. It's what you choose to fit in it."

Keigher says though some moms will see results quicker than others, give yourself one year to get a better body after having a baby.