By Jenny, Guest Writer, Happenings of a Little Bubba (@bubsymomma)
I don’t know about you but I tried to maintain a level of fitness throughout my pregnancy with my son. As a fitness professional, I had to. I even taught Pilates and Kick Boxing tell my 9th month of pregnancy. I think it is key to continue to exercising so that when it is time to get back into shape after baby, you can do it a whole lot easier!
Exercising in the postpartum period is a way to help you get back into shape and stay healthy for your baby and yourself. Many of us moms want to know when we can start exercising after giving birth. The general advice from most physicians and midwives is to wait 6-8 weeks before really getting into a fitness routine.
I have to agree with this rule of thumb. I remember when I started getting back into Pilates after my son it was about 5 weeks out. I did a move that required a lot of abdominal strength and was disappointed when I wasn’t able to do it and that it felt kind of weird. By weird I mean my uterus was still shrinking and I should have WAITED.
You may be asked to wait longer or hold back a bit if you have had a cesarean section or an operative vaginal delivery (with forceps or vacuum extraction). Your doctor or midwife can give you specifics on your personal time line for exercise. Ideally, this bar on strenuous fitness will not hamper your efforts to move.
Movement is perfect and should begin within hours after you give birth, even if you required surgery. We know that moms who move after birth do tend to heal more quickly and feel better sooner than their less active counterparts. This doesn’t mean jog around the block, but it does mean getting up and moving around your hospital room or in your home. Even after surgery or after an epidural, you can begin to walk with assistance in just a few hours. Though the first few attempts may be painful – overall, the movement is good.
I do not recommend a fitness routine, but a daily brief walk after the first week or two is perfect. Watch for over doing it, which as I told you above, I did. If you were exercising prior to pregnancy, you may feel more of a need to get out and get going. On a limited basis, some doctors will give you the go ahead. You might be asked to do modified yoga versus aerobics, but stretching and gentle movements are fine.
Just remember that your body is still adjusting to its non-pregnant state. You will have your center of balance shifting again, the hormones of pregnancy will continue to make your joints a bit softer and then you have just the feeling of exhaustion that can accompany any birth.
Here are some rules that I followed and recommend that you follow post baby….
• Wait until you’re given the go ahead
• Start with small bits of exercise
• Slowly work your way back into a fitness routine
• Stop exercising if you have pain, increased bleeding or you just don’t feel comfortable
• Think slow and gentle at first
Jenny/Certified Personal Trainer and Mommy Blogger
Twitter: julialadewski
great advice! As a certified strength coach and personal trainer myself, i agree with everything you said. I was working out just 3 weeks after my babes were born. it wasn’t intense. but I was working on fixing my diastasis, doing some body weight exercises and just get up and get moving.
julia´s last blog ..Why my job is so important
Twitter: MsKellyIrene
I wish I had read this about 11 months ago
I practiced yoga throughout my pregnancy, but after my daughter was born I didn’t start excercising regularly until 8 weeks. I spent my first two days in my hospital bed; I didn’t even see the hospital hallway until we checked out!The next few weeks were spent on the couch/in the bed/in the recliner. Once I did start exercising, it was really difficult. Now I try to involve my daughter as often as possible (mainly through going for walks or dancing around the house–her favorite). I do hope to do more after the next one.
Kelly Irene´s last blog ..Pears
[...] This post was mentioned on Twitter by julialadewski, brook dell'anna. brook dell'anna said: Pump it Up! http://bit.ly/cgOUGk [...]
I ran through all 41 weeks of my first pregnancy and was trail running 2 weeks after that birth. With my second pregnancy, I ran a half marathon at the very end of my second trimester and injured my knee (running!) in my third trimester. I had knee surgery 6 weeks after the birth and am still awaiting the go-ahead to run, which is killing me (and my mood).
My advice? Stay as active as possible, especially if you’re at risk of PPD, but don’t injure yourself or you’ll be in sorry shape. I’ve been trying to stay fit, but it’s hard while my knee heals. I can’t imagine what it will be like to resume running after what will be SIX MONTHS OFF. Yikes. Wish me luck!
Julia´s last blog ..Shattering Glass