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Exercises to do after pregnancy


Postpartum Exercise: What to Know About Exercising After Pregnancy

TIPS TO LIVE BY Feb. 17, 2021 - Katie McCallum

Life looks different after having a baby. From your morning routine to your evening routine to your workout routine, almost everything changes.

Speaking of your workout routine...

How soon after giving birth can you start thinking about exercise again?

"Pregnancy and childbirth are accompanied by some pretty significant changes in your body. Exercise can help you heal and recover, but your workouts will look different than what you're probably used to for several weeks," says Dr. Kathleen Mundy, OB-GYN at Houston Methodist. "While many women are eager to burn off baby weight, I recommend thinking of postpartum exercise as a way to reap the lifestyle benefits of physical activity, while also slowly regaining strength in the muscles weakened during your pregnancy. "

Making time for exercise after pregnancy can help you:

  • Feel more energized
  • Sleep better
  • Manage stress more effectively
  • Lose weight
  • Regain strength in your abdominal muscles

"Regular exercise may also help fight symptoms of postpartum depression, the baby blues some new moms feel after giving birth," adds Dr. Mundy.

How soon after giving birth can you exercise?

Like most things exercise, there's no one-size-fits-all answer to how soon is too soon and how much is too much.

"When it's safe for you to start exercising again depends on your how your pregnancy and delivery went. If you had an uncomplicated pregnancy and normal vaginal delivery, you can start doing light exercises as soon as a few days after giving birth. If you experienced a complicated pregnancy or had a cesarean section, your body will likely need more time. Your doctor will help you understand when you can start exercising again," explains Dr. Mundy.

And a certain emphasis needs to be placed on light exercise. Trying to do too much too soon may be tempting — especially if you miss your old workout routine — but it's ill-advised.

"First and foremost, and regardless of your pre-pregnancy fitness level, it's important to start slow and let your body be your guide," recommends Dr. Mundy. "The structural and hormonal changes that happen during pregnancy don't just disappear as soon as your baby is delivered, and overdoing it after pregnancy can result in urine or feces leakages, pelvis discomfort, joint pain and even injury."

Slowly easing into exercise means opting for low-impact workouts — such as walking and postpartum exercises — long before you go for a run or do a HIIT workout. And, as you slowly increase the intensity of your workouts over time, be sure to listen to your body and stop immediately if you feel any pain.

"Most importantly, set realistic exercise goals for yourself. If you're new to exercise and looking to burn some baby weight, keep in mind that, in addition to regaining strength, improving your overall cardiovascular fitness and building muscle takes time. If you're already an avid exerciser, you'll still need to be patient as your body recovers."

What are postpartum exercises and why are they important?

Pregnancy and childbirth change your body in many ways, but, in particular, they weaken your abdominal and pelvic floor muscles. This is significant because these muscle groups help provide stability and balance while performing daily activities, as well as while exercising.

"After pregnancy, it's very important to regain strength in these muscles, and postpartum exercises are a way to do that," explains Dr. Mundy. "These exercises can help prevent incontinence and pelvic organ prolapse in the future."

A postpartum exercise routine can safely include:

  • Pelvic tilt exercise to strengthen your abdominal muscles
  • Kegel exercise to strengthen your pelvic floor muscles
  • Belly breathing to help re-coordinate your breathing throughout your core
  • Happy baby pose to loosen tight pelvic floor muscles
  • Walking to improve your cardiovascular fitness and challenge your muscles

"Be very cautious about the type of abdominal and pelvic muscle exercises you do after pregnancy," warns Dr. Mundy. "Quickly returning to high-intensity core workouts can strain your weakened abdominal and pelvic muscles and cause pain or injury."

Can exercise affect your breast milk if you are breastfeeding?

For the first several weeks after giving birth, your exercises won't entail jumping, running, weightlifting or anything rigorous. But once you do get to a healthy fitness level where your workouts really get you moving, you may be wondering how exercise affects breastfeeding.

"There's a misconception that you should breastfeed or pump before your workout, as high-intensity exercise can cause lactic acid buildup in your breast milk, which babies won't eat. This is probably very rare. That being said, I do still recommend that you pump before a workout simply because exercising when your breasts are full can be uncomfortable," explains Dr. Mundy.

Here are some do's and don'ts of exercising while you're breastfeeding:

  • Do drink plenty of water
  • Do wear a supportive bra that fits properly (not too tight, but not too loose)
  • Do gradually increase your activity level
  • Don't exercise with full breasts (breastfeed or pump before a workout)
  • Don't overdo it — stress and fatigue can reduce your breast milk and increase your risk of a breast infection

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Safe return to exercise after pregnancy

Safe return to exercise after pregnancy | Pregnancy Birth and Baby beginning of content

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Exercise can help you recover after childbirth, make you stronger and improve mood. Even if you're tired and not feeling motivated, there's plenty you can do to get your body moving. But no two pregnancies are the same. How soon you're ready to start exercising depends on your individual circumstances – so always check with a health professional first.

Exercise is beneficial for mums

Regular exercise after you've had a baby will strengthen and tone your muscles, help you recover from labour if you gave birth vaginally, and raise your energy levels so you feel less tired. It may help you to also lose weight and become fitter.

Exercise is 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. But don't worry about not getting enough exercise. Caring for a newborn can be hard work, and you might not have the energy or time to work out as regularly as you'd like. Do the best you can – even 10 minutes is better than nothing.

How your body changes after pregnancy

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.

Labour and birth can cause physical problems including back pain and a leaky bladder, both of which can be made worse by vigorous exercise. Pregnancy hormones can affect your joints and ligaments for up to 6 months after the birth, 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. You will need to do exercises to strengthen these muscles to avoid back pain and injury.

Your pelvic floor – the muscles and ligaments that support the bladder, uterus and bowel – can be weakened after pregnancy, especially if you had a large baby or pushed for a long time.

Regular exercises will help to strengthen your pelvic floor. But you should take care not to do more damage by exercising too vigorously too soon. Be careful of using heavy weights or doing high-impact exercise, as this can increase your chance of prolapse (when an organ, such as the uterus, drops down).

How quickly you return to exercise depends on how fit you were before you had the baby, and what happened during the labour.

Returning to exercise after vaginal birth

You can start doing gentle pelvic floor and abdominal exercises the first day or two after the birth. If you feel any pain, stop.

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.

Avoid swimming until the bleeding has stopped for 7 days and you've had your postnatal check with the doctor or obstetrician (6 to 8 weeks after the birth).

Wait until your 6-week postnatal check-up before you go back to the gym or start a group exercise program. It's best not to return to your previous level of physical activity until 16 weeks after the baby is born.

Returning to exercise after caesarean

A caesarean is a major operation and it will take you at least 6 weeks to heal. However, you can still do pelvic floor exercises from the first day after the birth. You can start to exercise your abdominal muscles as soon as you feel able to. Avoid sit ups, crunches or abdominal curls, as these put pressure on the scar.

Avoid lifting heavy weights. Tighten your tummy and keep your back straight if you need to lift something around the house.

After 6 to 8 weeks, you will still be healing inside. It is OK to start walking, do low-impact aerobics or cycle. Stop if there is any discomfort, pain or a pulling sensation on your scar and try again a couple of weeks later.

You should avoid high-impact exercise for 3 to 4 months after your caesarean. Don't go swimming until the bleeding has stopped for 7 days and you've had your postnatal check with the doctor or obstetrician (6 to 8 weeks after the birth).

Low-risk exercise for mums

The following exercises are suitable in the days after you have your baby:

  • Abdominal exercises, or 'abdominal bracing' Choose one of these positions: sitting, standing, lying on your side, lying on your back, or kneeling on all fours. Pull in your lower tummy towards your spine. Hold for 5 to 10 seconds and breathe normally. Repeat 8 to 12 times, 4 times a day.
  • Pelvic floor exercises Sit and lean slightly forward with a straight back. Squeeze and lift the muscles around your vagina as if you are trying to stop a wee. Hold as you count to 8; relax for 8 seconds. If you can't hold for 8, just hold as long as you can. Repeat about 8 to 12 times.

Other exercises that are safe after pregnancy include:

  • walking
  • swimming and aqua aerobics (once the bleeding has stopped)
  • yoga
  • Pilates
  • low-impact aerobics
  • light weight training
  • cycling

You can incorporate exercise into your day – for example, when you meet up with friends, or while you're doing other tasks (doing pelvic floor exercises while you're breastfeeding or driving, for example). Walk with your baby in the pram rather than driving, or do your abdominal exercises on the floor next to your baby.

For at least 3 months, try to avoid heavy weights, sit ups and high-intensity aerobic activity such as running and tennis.

When to be concerned

Before you start any high-impact exercises, cough or jump with a full bladder to see if you leak any urine. If you don't, you're probably ready to exercise.

If you're still leaking urine 3 months after the birth, talk to your GP or a physiotherapist about strengthening your pelvic floor. You can find a physio near you using the Service Finder.

If you have trouble emptying your bowel or bladder, feel a sense of pressure in your vagina or notice a bulge or swelling in your vagina, you may have a prolapse. See your doctor.

Where to seek more information

  • Talk to your doctor or maternal child health nurse.
  • Call the National Continence Helpline on 1800 33 00 66.
  • Download the free Continence Foundation of Australia Pelvic Floor First app, available on both Android and Apple devices.

Speak to a maternal child health nurse

Call Pregnancy, Birth and Baby to speak to a maternal child health nurse on 1800 882 436 or video call 7 days a week.

Sources:
The Royal Women’s Hospital Victoria (Abdominal Muscle Separation or Diastasis), Jean Hailes for Women's Health (Prolapse & bladder weakness), The Royal Women’s Hospital Victoria (Exercise), Sports Medicine Australia (Exercise in pregnancy and the postpartum period)

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Last reviewed: May 2020


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  • Body image after having a baby
  • Physiotherapy advice after pregnancy
  • What happens to your body in childbirth

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