When Can You Start Exercising After Giving Birth?

Your new baby is here and you are keen to get back into shape. Firstly, make sure that you wait for your routine post-natal check-up where your doctor will advise you when you can start exercising.

Your doctor is the best person to guide you on when to start exercising after giving birth as there is healing to be done. Once you have the go-ahead from your doctor, this article can guide by recommending the kind of exercise program you should look at.

Wondering When Can I Start Exercising After Giving Birth?  

Sport after pregnancy is a serious topic and you should carefully consider everything from where can you start exercising after C Section to when is the appropriate time.

To answer your question, when can I start exercising after giving birth - It is always recommended to take things slowly at first.

Besides the physical reasons to be gentle on yourself at first and heeding the four to  six-week recommendation to heal as long as there were no complications during birth, newborn mothers tend to struggle to find the time to maintain a regular schedule.

While that is the recommended timing of when you can start exercising after C Section, it also depends on the individual, you may need longer to recover. Remember that your body has endured a 9-month marathon and needs time to heal. Start with light exercise which, amongst other things, will help with stress and fatigue.

Try to find an exercise program that includes rehabilitating your pelvic floor. This is why you might be searching for where can you start exercising after C Section – not every fitness coach has the pelvic floor in mind!

To do this, about two sessions every week for a month will help you rebuild the ligaments and muscles that were became damaged during labour.

So where can you start exercising after C Section? It is not so much about where, but with whom that is important. You will want to find a trainer who keeps the following in mind:

• Working the perineum, which will help to prevent prolapses, pelvic organ descent and incontinence.
• Your abs, for strengthening and flattening the stomach.
• The muscles surrounding your spinal column, which will help you to improve and maintain a better posture.

By aiming to achieve your goals at a reasonable pace you will avoid injury.

When Can You Start Exercising after C Section?  

If you have recently undergone a C-section, you’ll need to wait at least six to eight weeks after the surgery. Even after you have given yourself time to heal, you’ll feel some discomfort in the muscles at first around the scarring.

Try not to make your primary goal about weight loss, rather, listen to your body and allow it to adapt.

Never overdo it and make sure that you are fully healed before starting your exercise program that suits your fitness level and physical condition.

Even if you’ve had a C-section, you’ll still want to aim to rehabilitate your perineum. The Gasquet Method is a breathing technique that works on posture and allows you to engage all the muscle groups that are involved in a pregnancy.

Don’t forget that getting back into a walking routine is also one of the best forms of exercise that you can do. Not only that but it will also clear your head.

So if you’re asking when can I start exercising after giving birth, here are a few signs to indicate that you are not yet healed enough.

• Continual incontinence two months after the birth.
• Pelvic organ descent or prolapses.
• Regular bleeding.
• Lower back pain.
• Painful scarring
• Pelvic pain.

The key is to listen to your body and hold back on your exercise program if you experience any of the above. Again, for the avoidance of doubt, always speak to your medical professional if you have any concerns about when to start exercising after giving birth.

Pelvic Floor Rehabilitation Exercises

Rehabilitating after childbirth is essential, but with Caesareans, it is a bit different.

Regardless of your birthing experience, you should aim to include pelvic floor recovery in your exercise program. To achieve this and work on losing weight, two 20-40-minute exercise sessions per week should do the trick.

By now you probably have an idea of when to start exercising after giving birth, and here are the types of exercise that are recommended for new mothers.

• Aquagym
• Light resistance training
• Pilates
• Stretching
• Walking
• Qi Gong
• Swimming
• Light aerobic sessions
• Yoga
• Tai Chi.

To begin, avoid high-impact and high-intensity workouts like HIIT and CrossFit.

Be realistic about losing your pregnancy weight and give yourself at least three to six months to see a major difference. By then you can pick up the pace a bit by including more intensity into your program with things like jogging and squats. Start at a moderate intensity and work on your breathing to help you get back into the swing of it.

The benefits of exercise are undisputed.

Amongst other things, it will improve your circulation, help you to lose weight, improve your endurance and give your cardiovascular system work out too.

The Time to Begin Working on Abdominals After Pregnancy

Your doctor or midwife is likely to give you the green light to work your pelvic floor muscles about six to eight weeks after birth. Don’t confuse this with working your abdominals though. Including gentle abdominal work will help you to tone muscles without the danger of overexerting your perineum.

Exercising with a Newborn in Your Life

The difference between the impossible and the possible lies in a person’s determination.  Tommy Lasorda

Maintaining an exercise routine, or finding any time for yourself, can be challenging, here are our tips.

As mentioned, start with low and slow intensity. Activities like walking, yoga and cycling are all good options. These exercises will contribute to weight loss and strength but also get you into the routine and rhythm of maintaining an exercise program.

If you have no complications about six weeks after giving natural birth, you can begin activities like gym and running which are good for both physical and mental health.

If you love the outdoors, consider investing in an all-terrain pram which will make fitting your newborn into your exercise routine a lot easier.

If you are working out at home, aim to include your daily chores and even consider carrying your baby around for extra resistance.

If gym is your goal, find out if there is a childcare option which is quite a common feature of major gyms.

In some cities, there are classes for both moms and babies where mothers can make friends who are going through the same experience.

Perhaps consider getting help with your fitness goals from a private trainer who can also give you advice about when to start exercising after giving birth.    

To get into a consistent exercise routine where remaining enthused and accountable is possible, it is worthwhile finding a personal trainer on Superprof. This way, you will guarantee that your sessions are personalised. Not only will you be able to meet your goals, but you will also have the peace of mind of knowing that your form is correct. When someone is monitoring your movements, you will benefit from doing the exercise properly and also prevent injury.

Another advantage to using Superprof is that there are many personal trainers who will offer their first introductory session at no cost. This will provide you with the valuable opportunity to find out more about them and also discuss your reasons for desiring to get fit. So whether you would like to tone and strengthen or gain cardiovascular fitness, that first meeting is the perfect time to discuss it all.

Regarding budget, there are many options on Superprof. You could elect to work with a coach on a one-on-one basis or pair up with a buddy to save on costs. There are also online options and working out in groups which also make getting fit with a personal trainer more affordable.

There are thousands of Superprof tutors, coaches and trainers in multiple locations all over the world including South Africa. You simply need to use the website’s location tool to find a trainer located near you.

Just remember to check with your doctor before starting an exercise routine after childbirth.