Returning to exercise safely after having a baby…
If you’ve just had a baby and are eager to get back into exercise or if you are wondering where to start, this blog is for you. We will briefly talk about why exercise is beneficial for you, how your body changes during and after pregnancy and how to return to exercise safely.
Intro
After having my two boys, the thought of exercising was quite daunting for me. Prior to having the kids I was very active and massively in to my horse riding. After selling my horses during my first pregnancy and falling pregnant very shortly after having my first baby – yes that came as a surprise! I just didn’t know what exercises to do, what I could do and how I would even get time or the energy to do it. I kept looking for answers online but the information was so conflicting and I was just getting more and more confused.
That is when I decided to train as a fitness instructor and take a specialist interest in pre and postnatal fitness. And that is how Strong Mama was born! I wanted to provide a safe and effective way for Mama’s to exercise whilst bonding with their children rather than putting them in childcare. And I didn’t want other mums feeling like I did and not knowing where to start. So here we go, a blog on where to start when and if you want to!
Benefits of exercising:
Exercising through pregnancy and after birth will help speed up your recovery after childbirth. Not only will it make you stronger physically, but it will also help improve your mental health and help prevent postnatal depression. Looking after yourself is so important particularly when you become a mum! Trust me, I know it isn’t always easy and I am not talking about jumping into a HIIT workout, but you will also find that you have more energy and start to feel less tired.
What happens to our bodies during pregnancy and after birth?
That being said, it is important to remember that your body has been through so much during pregnancy and childbirth. In fact, it takes approximately one year for our bodies to fully recover.
One of the biggest changes to our bodies (besides the obvious) is the hormones that we have going around our body. One in particular is called Relaxin, which affects your joints and ligaments and muscles for up to 12 months after birth. This hormone kind of does what it says on the tin, it loosens and relaxes your muscles, joints and ligaments during pregnancy to help your body stretch. Relaxin also helps your body prepare for delivery by loosening the muscles and ligaments in your pelvis. This puts you at a greater risk of injury because it makes you more flexible than normal and everything feels a bit ‘loose’.
Another big change happens to our abdominal muscles. During pregnancy our abdominal muscles separate, usually these go back to normal after giving birth, but sometimes they can stay separated creating an ab split (diastasis recti). If your abdominal muscles stay separated it is important to do the correct exercises to help safely knit them back together. Finding a qualified instructor to help you do this is really important.
When you feel ready to exercise, it is really important to not overdo it. Really listen to your body and don’t push yourself too hard, you have been through a lot! Gentle walks are perfect for starting out if you are wanting to start doing something before your 6-8 week check with your GP. How quickly you can return to exercise will depend on how fit you were before you had your baby and what happened during your labour. I can’t stress enough, to please find a fitness instructor who is qualified in postnatal fitness and has the knowledge to help you return safely back to exercise.
Safe return to exercise
It is highly recommended to start doing pelvic floor exercises as soon as you can after birth provided there is no increase in pain. You can usually start this within one to two days. This will help relieve or prevent symptoms of a leaky bladder.
You can do pelvic floor exercises lying down, sitting or standing. With practice, they can be done anywhere and at any time. This is how to perform the exercise:
Squeeze and draw in your bottom as if you're holding in wind.
Squeeze around your vagina and bladder (urethra) as if you're stopping the flow of urine or squeezing during intercourse.
Long squeezes – hold for as long as you can, but no longer than 10 seconds, then relax.
Short squeezes – quickly squeeze the muscles and then let them go immediately. Do this until your muscles get tired.
Aim to build up to 10 repeats of each exercise, at least 3 times a day.
It's important to keep breathing normally while you do these exercises. Make sure you do not pull in your stomach when you squeeze.
If and when you feel ready to, start with a gentle walk and at your own time and pace gradually increase the speed of your walks. Maybe push the pushchair, or babywear if you feel comfortable and ready to.
Before going to any fitness classes you must have had your 6-8 week check to make sure that you are fit and healthy before returning to exercise. If you had a c-section, it is recommended that you return to exercise between 8-12 weeks to give your body a bit longer to recover. Start off with low impact exercises (Strong Mama Fitness Classes!) and gradually build up your fitness levels.
Make sure that you are doing core exercises that are suitable for you. If you have had a c-section or have an abdominal separation it is important to avoid exercises such as: sit ups, crunches, or anything in a planks/press up position. At our Strong Mama fitness classes we will give you specific adaptations for this. Which is why it is also important to make sure you find a fully qualified specialist fitness instructor.
If you have any questions about your postnatal fitness journey or if you would like more information on our Strong Mama classes, please contact me.