Jodie Kidd swims her way to post-baby slim-down
By Liz Thomas
Last updated at 12:46 AM on 7th January 2012
A strict diet and rigourous exercise regime has become the norm for stars desperate to slim down after having a baby.
But supermodel Jodie Kidd has revealed that her secret to getting back in shape is simply a regular gentle swim.
The 33-year-old beauty gave birth to her first child, son Indio, with Argentian polo player Andrea Vianini, in September.
Swim the baby weight away: Jodie Kidd has revealed that gentle swimming has been her secret weapon to working off her pregnancy weight
But she kept swimming late into her pregnancy and was back in the water within a couple of months giving birth.
She told the Daily Mail: ‘I am still breast-feeding so there is no way I am going to diet or doing anything that might damage my body because I want to be at my best for the baby.
‘But swimming is wonderful. It is gentle exercise and it is much better for my joints. I am still producing Relaxin so I have to be careful as I could really damage myself if I tried anything more strenuous.’
Miss Kidd gave birth to Indio, who weighed 7lb 10oz, by emergency Caesarean.
Gentle: Kidd, who is currently promoting Swimathon, says she won't go near diets while she is breastfeeding
Doctors recommend that new mothers having undergone surgery to avoid exercise for around two months.
Dr Joanna Helcke, a personal trainer and specialist in pre and post natal exercise, said it takes between eight to ten weeks to recover from a caesarean section.
'After that gentle exercise is fine but my personal view is that new mothers should not start running until five or six months after giving birth,' she said.
'There is a hormone called Relaxin, which relaxes the ligaments to facilitate the birth. It is still in your body for months after you have had the baby. Running is not good for that.
Family: Jodie and partner Andrea Vianini welcomed son Indio in September
Swimming is regarded as better for joints and ligaments than running because they are under less pressure in the water.
But women who have undergone a Caesarean need to make sure all of their wounds are fully healed and should consult their doctor to see if they are physically ready to get in the water.
Miss Kidd said: ‘Swimming is a great all over workout you are using all your body. If you go to the gym then it is one machine for your bum, one for you tummy, one for your legs.
‘It just uses all of your body and it gives you a nicer shape. If I work out too much then I get too muscular, whereas swimming is more toning.’
The star is taking part in the Swimathon Weekend 2012 which will raise money for Sport Relief and Marie Curie Cancer Care.
She also insisted she was not concerned with weighing herself or her image but wanted to stay fit and healthy.
Swim smart: Jodie promoted the Swimathon 2012 fundraising weekend at Oasis Sports Centre this week with Duncan Goodhew
Miss Kidd hit out at the “militant pressure” on women to breast feed - a debate that has raged over the past year.
The TV presenter said: ‘It is really important to be relaxed and work out what is right for you and your baby. I am still breast feeding but there was a point when I wasn’t producing enough milk, Indio was starving hungry so we gave him a bottle, the midwife was screaming at me when I said what I wanted to do.
‘There is an enormous pressure on new mothers but the worst thing you can do is be stressed about it. That is bad for both of you.’
Strictly Come Dancing contestant Miss Kidd and Vianini began dating in Spring 2010, although they have been friends most of their lives.
A romance sparked when Kidd visited Vianini in Argentina and now they split their time between their Sussex home and South America.
He has a seven-year-old son Lucas from a previous relationship.
Miss Kidd has turned her life around after a difficult few years in which she was caught out in a newspaper drugs sting and her first marriage to internet entrepreneur Aiden Butler fell apart after just 18 months.
• The Swimathon Weekend 2012 will take place across the UK between 27-29 April. http://swimathon.org/
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