Whether you’re a fitness fanatic or the sight of a treadmill makes you weak at the
knees, we all need to know what type of exercise is suitable for us post birth.
As someone who has seen many women postnatally, this isn’t a one rule fits all
kinda gig… but there are 9 top tips that we can follow to help you know your
limitations when you start exercising after having your baby.
1 – Give your abdominals time
As your uterus grows, your rectus abdominus is stretched to accommodate the
growing baby. This results, once baby is delivered in what many women refer to as
‘a pouch’. Don’t worry… this doesn’t last but doing exercises, especially crunches
too soon after having a baby can result in the linea alba (the connective tissue
between your fascia) not pulling back together. Take it steady and refrain from any
abdominal work until baby is at least 12 weeks old.
2 – The 12-week rule
“They cut through my abdominal muscles...”
Nope, in the vast majority of cases they didn’t! If you have had a caesarean section,
the doctors are very unlikely to cut through your abdominal muscles. However, they
did cut through your skin and fascia which is a thin layer of connective tissue that
surrounds all organs. This takes time to heal. If you’ve had a c-section then
exercising before 12 weeks post birth isn’t advised. Your body has had major
surgery and it needs time to heal.
3 - Pelvic Floor… it’s never too early
It doesn’t matter what delivery you have had… the pelvic floor is a muscle that can
be worked straight after delivery. Great news is you can do these exercises
wherever and whenever you feel the urge… no yoga mat needed. There are a whole
spectrum of visualisations and resources online to help with pelvic floor. I personally
like to start with these basic steps –
1. Squeeze and think about drawing in through your anus- as if you’re holding
in wind, try to keep your glutes (your bum muscles) relaxed while you do it.
2. Once you’ve mastered that squeeze around your vagina and bladder, as if
you’re stopping the flow of urine or squeezing during intercourse.
3. Hold the squeeze for a few breaths, keep breathing as normal.You can build this exercise up but refrain from holding for more than 10 seconds.
You can also try short squeezes while breathing normally.
4 – Can you sing?
Everyone feels differently regarding doing cardiovascular exercise… listen to your
body. Short walks with a pushchair or sling might be enough for you. If you do want
to do more, make sure you’re monitoring your heart rate… can you talk without
being able to sing? Keep exercise low impact to avoid over stretching joints. See over stretching below.
5 – Don’t over stretch
During pregnancy we have a huge surge of a hormone called relaxin, this hormone
helps to relax the ligaments in the pelvis and soften and widens the pelvis. It hangs
around post birth too, those women who breastfeed can still be producing the
hormone up to 12 months after they’ve finished feeding. Stretching gently is ok but
you don’t want to feel the end of your natural range of movement, avoid pushing to
where your muscles start to shake.
6 – Smell the fresh air
Boosts energy. Promotes sleep. Increases oxytocin hormones. Helps prevent
postpartum depression. Relieves stress… and much more. Really, do I need to write
more? If you can get outside to walk, breathe the fresh air for 10 minutes every day,
it can boost your endorphins.
7 - Mobilise your spine daily
A simple pelvic tilt can activate your core and mobilise your lumbar spine. Simply
lay on the floor with your knees bent and feet grounded. Tilt your pelvis down to the
floor and draw your belly button down. Hold for 3 seconds. You can repeat this as
many times as you like, remember to wait until post 12 weeks after a c-section for
this exercise and if it hurts, stop.
8 – Breathe using your diaphragm
Yes Breathing… don’t we do that all day every day? We do but diaphragmic
breathing helps to activate your core muscles. You can do this either by lying down
or sitting up. Start by taking a deep breath and expand your stomach as much as
you can. Try your best not to lift your shoulders…breathe into your stomach. After
you inhale, hold the breath for a 3 count, and then exhale slowly and release all the
air from your lungs. This technique may feel slightly alien at first but the more you
practice the more it becomes second nature.
9 – You know your own body best… if something hurts then stop!
If you push too hard to start with then you run the risk of causing irreversible
damage to your body. Your body (which is amazing by the way) has taken 9 months
to create another human being, give yourself time and a steady programme to
follow.
If in doubt consult, a local postnatal specialist who can assist you with your exercise needs.
Wrote By Rose Gibson
BabyBeats Director