Having a baby can be an incredibly special experience, but it is also an extremely physically and emotionally demanding process. After giving birth, many mothers are eager to start exercising again in order to regain strength, flexibility and to improve their overall wellbeing.
But when should you start exercising after giving birth? This article will provide helpful advice on when and how you can safely begin certain exercises after giving birth.
For many new mothers, the postpartum period is a time of immense physical and emotional change. It's important to remember that all mothers' experience of this time will be unique, and should take into account their own individual needs for rest and recovery.
An ideal amount of rest after giving birth is eight weeks. During this time your body will be gradually healing from the significant physical changes it underwent during pregnancy and childbirth.
During this period it is important to keep up with healthy lifestyle habits such as eating well, getting regular exercise, and spending time with friends or family in order to reduce stress levels.
If you had a vaginal delivery without complications, you can start very gently with simple abdominal exercises on the bed during the first week after your delivery. You can make these exercises a little heavier each week. You can also slowly build up light pelvic floor exercises from the postpartum period.
Training your pelvic floor is very important because it can prevent incontinence. In addition, it is useful to strengthen these muscles first, because otherwise you may lose urine during exercises in the first period after childbirth.
When it comes to post-cesarean recovery, exercise and sport can play an important role in a safe and speedy recovery. Exercise after cesarean has been proven to help the body heal faster, reduce pain and discomfort, strengthen the abdominal muscles, improve energy levels, manage stress and anxiety, as well as improve posture.
The most important thing is that you listen to your body and take things slowly. Don’t start doing strenuous activities until you have been given permission from your doctor or midwife.
After about 6 to 8 weeks post-cesarean you may be able to start gentle walking or swimming in a pool of warm water. This will get your heart rate up without putting too much strain on your body. You should also focus on strengthening your core muscles with pelvic floor exercises which are great for supporting good posture during the early stages of recovery.
It is important for new mothers to focus on building a strong core. This includes performing abdominal exercises that activate the transverse abdominis (TVA) muscle which helps support the spine, pelvis and internal organs.
Strengthening this area will assist in improving posture as well as stabilizing your body during other activities such as lifting or carrying objects or playing with your little one.
If you like to run or play tennis, you will have to be patient a little longer. Only after three months has your pelvic floor recovered sufficiently to absorb the shock load associated with these sports. This applies even if you have no pelvic floor complaints!
After birth, you are more susceptible to strains, sprains, tears, and other injuries due to weakened muscle tone coupled with hormonal shifts during this time. The ligaments are less taut than before. If you train too intensely, you run the risk complaints and blockages in the pelvic area. Pregnancy also puts a heavy strain on your back. If you don’t build up your core muscles, back problems often occur.
