Getting the muscles back in shape after childbirth is down to determination.

So, there you are with your brand-new, squealing infant, slumped on the sofa and counting it a successful day if you get out of your bathrobe and into some mum jeans. At this point, exercise is very low down the to-do list, somewhere behind ‘bin that book on controlled crying’ and ‘clean the bathroom’.

But, as you gradually surface from the post-birth fog, it will strike you that while you now have the most perfect breasts in the world (if only they would stay like that forever), your midriff has gone south in spectacular fashion. And somewhere around the two-month mark, your mind might occasionally ponder doing something about this.

Which means that it’ll be another couple of months before you actually get around to it. But that’s no bad thing. Forget those irrit-ating celebrities slipping into red carpet evening gowns about 30 seconds after they give birth. Firstly, they’ll have been hoisted into those confections wrapped in a truckload of Spanx; secondly, they’ll have a terrible night having to suck their stomach in while hoping they aren’t leaking breast milk all over the silk; and thirdly, they doubtless have a nanny to deal with the squealing infant while they burst their stitches doing a spinning class.

Your body needs time to recover after giving birth and at the beginning, there’s nothing wrong with some regular brisk walking and perhaps a swim. Getting moving even at this low intensity is helpful, as it improves your health and protects against post-natal depression.

But once you’ve got over the miracle/trauma of birth, getting the jiggling bits back under control becomes more of a priority. On the plus points, you lost several kilos just pushing that baby out, ditching the amniotic fluid and ejecting the placenta, so stepping on the scales might not be as painful as you think. And if you’re breastfeeding, the baby will be guzzling up a decent amount of the calories that you eat; so in terms of weight loss, you’re off to a flying start.

Once you’ve settled in after childbirth, getting those wobbly bits under control becomes a priority.

If you are chomping at the bit to exercise again and had a natural birth, there’s not much to stop you after around the three-week mark, when your muscles start to regain their tone. Check with your doctor though before you begin, and note that it will take a little longer after a c-section.

At this point, your abs may still be lurking somewhere under your armpits thanks to the natural separation that happens in most pregnancies. Let’s just say that holding a plank might be a challenge. Some experts claim that the sooner you start doing the right exercises for your abdominal muscles, the more likely they will be to join up completely as opposed to leaving a small gap.

If you had a caesarean, the separation may be worse as the surgeon needs to move the muscles aside to deliver the baby. It’s important to get these muscles back into shape not just so that your stomach looks flatter (although obviously if you’re aiming to get back into the skinny jeans, that’s pretty key); they also protect your back, pelvis and organs.

If you can, join a class. Some offer babysitting while you work out or let you take the baby with you. Try Bee ‘n’ Fit in Msida (7931 6324), www.junglespirit.org or www.mamaknows.com.mt. You’ll get encouragement from the trainer, who will be able to tell you which exercises are suitable and effective post-partum. You’ll also be able to ramble to some other sleep-deprived, haggard- looking mothers with wobbly bits of their own; it’s bound to make you feel better.

Once you’ve got over the miracle/trauma of birth, getting the jiggling bits back under control becomes moreof a priority

If that just doesn’t fit into your schedule, then work out at home. Be aware however that not all abs exercises are suitable immediately post-birth. Sit-ups, for example, put too much stress on your belly and can actually slow down the closure of the muscle. Instead, try straight leg heel lifts, with the other leg bent, pelvic tilts or ‘transverse abdominal’ moves (where you’re on all fours, sucking in your stomach towards the ceiling).

Belly dancing is also a really excellent way to tone up parts of your body that other exercises just can’t reach. At a time when you feel about as sexy as a dirty nappy, this exotic dance can achieve the impossible of making you feel beautiful again with its sinuous, graceful movements.

Since getting baby to nap is the holy grail of early motherhood, you could also combine toning sessions with jogging your offspring along in the pushchair or pram. Even doing three miles an hour will burn fat and start to increase your fitness levels again; work on the timing so that you get back home again just as Junior’s eyelids have finally closed, meaning you get your work-out and also a few blissful minutes of peace.

And although it’s hard to fit in a class during the chaotic phase of having a young baby, yoga can be incredibly helpful to your well-being. It will remind you to do your pelvic floor exercises, ease out the kinks you get from holding your increasingly heavy bundle of joy and give your mind space to, well, breathe without the familiar sound track of wailing. Make sure you tell the instructor that you are a new mum and check whether there are any poses you should avoid. If you can get a group of friends together, most studios will offer classes tailored to your needs as new mums.

Experts tend to agree that slow and steady wins the race when it comes to post-birth fitness. You have a lot going on; if you miss a work-out or just can’t get it together to make yoga on time, it’s no big deal. But exercise will help you carve out some time just for yourself, improve your health and release some much-needed endorphins, all of which will make you a better mother.

So hand daddy/grandma/the neighbour a lovely baby to dandle, close the door and make a run for it ... before he or she notices you’re gone.