Safe Return to Exercise After Pregnancy
3rd November 2021
Exercise helps you recover after childbirth, make you stronger and improve your mood. Even if you’re tired and not feeling motivated, there’s plenty you can do to get your body moving.
Why exercising is beneficial for mums?
it strengthens and tones your muscles (inc pelvic floor muscles)
helps you recover from labour
raise your energy levels so you feel less tired
it helps you become fitter
good for your mental wellbeing – It can relieve stress and help prevent postnatal depression.
You are also more likely to get outside and meet people
How does your body changes during and after pregnancy?
– Relaxine hormone can affect your joints and ligaments for up to 6 months after the birth (or 3 to 6 months after stopping breastfeeding), putting you at greater risk of injury
– Your abdominal muscles may have separated during the pregnancy. They usually go back to normal after the birth, but sometimes they can stay separated. Get it checked by a postnatal physio/personal trainer
When you feel ready to exercise, it’s very important to not to overdo it. Even if you’re feeling great after having your baby, your body will have gone through big changes and needs time to recover.
How quickly you return to exercise depends on how fit you were before you had the baby, and what happened during the labour.
It’s important to find a fitness instructor who is qualified or has the knowledge in training postnatal women.
Safe return to exercise
– You can start doing pelvic floor exercises the first day or two after the birth (and it’s highly recommended to do them!)
– When you feel like it, start with a gentle walk, perhaps while pushing the pram. Then, at your own pace, gradually increase the time and pace of your walks. Build up to a 30-minute walk every day if you can. Both doing pelvic floor exercises and walking are safe to do even if you had a c- section.
– Start with low impact exercises (swimming, cycling) and gradually build it up from there
– Make sure you do core exercises that are suitable for you. If you had a c- section or have an abdominal separation then don’t do crunches, sit ups, or anything in a plank / press up position
– Don’t lift heavy weights if you had a C – section for at least 6 weeks
– Remember on looking after your scar if you had a C- section. Gently massage your scar area.
If you have any questions about your
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