The three keys to post-birth exercise
So you’ve given birth and you’re thinking about getting back into fitness- amazing!
Birth is such a magical process, but it can also be unpredictable and often challenging both physically and mentally. Birth recovery is therefore different for each person and each birth experience. This means that there’s not one hard and fast rule on when to return to exercise and in what capacity.
Having said that, there are a few things we know will make the journey a safer one, so when you are ready to (re)introduce exercise into your routine, start with these three key points.
Look for signs of healing
Physically, before you start training you want your pain symptoms to have reduced. You should feel able to move your body in a variety of ways without experiencing pressure, pain, leakage or discomfort.
If you have diastases recti, urine or bowel incontinence (including minor leakage), feelings of vaginal pressure (including a dragging sensation), pelvic pain, or tight scar tissue, it is best to seek the advice of a Women’s Health specialist who can perform an internal examination and determine which exercises are best for you and when.
Energetically, you should look forward to the idea of moving your body. Some people even crave the feeling of stretching or elevating their heart rate. If you’re mentally ready to get back into exercise, and your feelings towards it don’t relate to losing weight or changing your body shape, then the chances are you’ll go into the experience with a positive mindset which will make the experience a whole lot more enjoyable!
Get back to basics
Continue to perform your pelvic floor exercises and inner core work (and if you haven’t been performing this yet, start here first!). This includes diaphragmatic breathing. With this technique, you lay on your back with your heels flat to the floor and knees lifted. You inhale breath to release tension in the core and pelvic floor area, and exhale to gain tension in the core muscles and connective tissues. You can imagine your core and pelvic floor working like a corset here, getting together and looser as you contract and relax. Lying in a supine position on the floor, you can perform this breath technique for ten breaths, twice daily. Exercises such as heel slides and bird dog’s are great for building core strength, too.
Progress over time
Once you’re ready to reintroduce more formal training into your schedule, start moderately and build from there. What is moderate for a cross fitter who trained throughout pregnancy will look different to a gym beginner who trained twice weekly for 30 minutes. Regardless of your ability or fitness level though, your training should begin more stripped back and progress over time. You can moderate your intensity by changing the type of exercise, the amount of weights you use (if any), the position you put yourself/the weights in, the time you exercise for (total time and also length of intervals/working blocks)
Always remember to listen to your body! It’s so easy to compare yourself to others (both offline and online!), and even to your past self. But every pregnancy and recovery is different. It’s far better to take time to implement the basics and find a sustainable routine, than rush ahead and risk lasting core & pelvic floor issues. You know your body, you go at your own pace!
