We firstly want to congratulate you on being a new mama! The past months have been worth it because you are now with your precious bean. Still, this is where routines change. The body may still be recovering in the beginning, household errands are needed, and sleep schedules become different. Exercising in this situation may be challenging but mamas need to stay healthy for their beans too, right? So here is a complete guide that will help you be informed about the what, when, why, and how of postnatal exercise and a few things to remember as well.
Starting the Routine
Postnatal workout is exercising after pregnancy. This is usually done in a gradual manner overtime since the body of a mama is still heavily recovering from childbirth. Apart from the physical factors, we are aware why exercise reduces stress for most people. It’s the same thing for new mamas after going through pregnancy. That being said, when to start working out and how many exercises per day are also critical factors.
Keep in mind that exercising differs for every mama. So be sure to not compare or be competitive early on. This is because the beginning phase of your workout routine depends on how your pregnancy and delivery went. If the process was uncomplicated and normal then you can start doing a few light exercises after a few days to a week. Still, be sure to not exert too much energy at the start. Pre-pregnancy fitness doesn’t matter after childbirth as all need to start slow. But if you underwent a cesarean section or had other surgeries, postnatal exercises may have to wait for a couple of weeks or months, depending on the recovery. Even so, it is best for every mama to consult their respective doctors to better understand their physical capabilities.
Benefits
Mamas who are active before pregnancy know what exercises can do for the body and mind. Those who are new to regular workouts may want to try having a routine to experience the same thing. But you can’t immediately rush into a heavily active lifestyle. While new mamas are to start light and slow, postnatal workouts still have big benefits as we have listed below:
Helps restore muscle strength: pregnancy can change your body and one way is it weakens your abdominal and pelvic floor muscles. Doing specific exercises can help restore their strength.
Improves mental health: exercise can reduce stress by improving your mood and helping all mamas avoid postpartum depression.
Helps give a boost: it can raise energy levels and improve overall well-being, making you less tired during the day.
Promotes weight loss: another normal effect of pregnancy is weight gain. Being gradually active after giving birth can help to lose those extra few pounds.
Postnatal Workout
Have you been itching to get moving since pregnancy? Or perhaps you were active before childbirth and you’ve missed using your exercise mat? We listed some activities you can try no matter how many exercises per day you plan to have as a routine. But always remember to not do too much immediately.
Pelvic Floor Exercises
Pelvic floor exercises or kegels are usually taught during pregnancy to help mamas with the process. So there is a good chance you may have heard or done this already for the past months. These exercises can be used for post pregnancy and can help strengthen your pelvic floor and abdominal muscles after being worn down during childbirth. If your doctor has recommendations on certain kegels to perform, you can add those to your routine. When doing pelvic floor exercises, be sure to take note of these simple steps too:
- Tighten your pelvic floor muscles (the ones used to stop the flow of urination).
- Hold for 10 seconds.
- Repeat throughout the day
Diaphragmatic Breathing
This is often known as the deep breathing exercise and is best to be instilled in your postnatal workout routine. You can do this for a few minutes everyday and can be started as soon as you have already recovered. This exercise reduces stress as it improves your core stability and rate of breathing. Either seated or lying down, follow these simple steps to get the habit of the correct pattern:
- Lie flat on the floor on your exercise mat.
- Relax your body, focusing on releasing the tension from your toes to the top of your head.
- Put a hand on your chest and another on your stomach.
- Take a deep breath in through the nose for 2 to 3 seconds. This will expand your stomach, but your chest should remain relatively still.
- Exhale slowly while keeping one hand on the chest and one on the stomach.
- Repeat several times for 2 to 3 minutes.
Walking
Walking or brisk walking is essential to be part of your postnatal exercise routine. Do so when your body has recovered enough or if your doctor already gave the green light. To make the most of this exercise, you can take your bean in a stroller when the weather permits. In this way, not only will it help your body but it serves as a mama and bean bonding time too!
Cat-cow in Tabletop
Yoga moves can be part of your postnatal workout too. One beginner activity is the cat-cow in tabletop stretch. This is perfect for new mamas because it improves the back muscles to avoid back pain, strengthens abdominal muscles or core, and enhances mobility of the spine. A yoga exercise like this can also reduce stress as it is relaxing and develops better circulation. Follow these steps to execute the cat-cow stretch properly:
- Get on the floor on all fours using your exercise mat. Keep your back flat, spine neutral, and gaze looking down at the floor. Your wrists will be directly under your shoulders and knees under hips.
- Inhale and take a deep breath. On the exhale, round your spine toward the ceiling. Your head and tailbone will move closer to each other.
- Hold in the cat position for 1 to 2 seconds. Then, inhale, arch your back, and lift your tailbone and head toward the sky as you relax your belly to the floor to move to the cow position.
- Do this continuously for about 60 seconds.
Postpartum Planks
Planks are also a great postnatal exercise. It targets the strengthening of your core, upper body, and glutes. But while this can be done along with the previous exercises if you had an uncomplicated delivery, planks might have to wait if you had surgeries in childbirth. This is because unlike the previous ones, this exercise requires a bit more force and strength. Nonetheless, here is the proper way to execute planks when your body is ready:
- Lie on your stomach with your forearms on the exercise mat on the floor and elbows beneath shoulders. Your feet will be flexed with toes on the floor.
- Engage your glutes and core and rise up on your toes so that only your forearms and toes touch the floor. Your body should be a few inches off the floor in a straight line.
- Contracting your deep abdominal muscles, bring your belly button to spine, and tighten your buttocks and upper body. Breathe normally and hold for 30 seconds.
- Repeat 1 to 2 times. As you get stronger, increase the hold time.
Side Plank Leg Lifts
The side plank leg lift is similar to planks but in an advanced manner. In this case, be sure to execute only when your body has fully recovered especially if you had surgeries. This exercise targets your obliques, glutes, and shoulders. Take note of these steps for the right execution:
- Lie on your stomach with your forearms on the floor and elbows beneath shoulders. Your feet will be flexed with toes on the floor.
- Go on one forearm and turn sideways.
- Raise your body off the floor to get into a side plank position.
- Raise your top leg and hold it in the air for 20 to 30 seconds or repeatedly perform leg raises until the time is up.
- Perform 1 to 2 sets on each side.
Always Remember
You now got some scoop about postnatal workouts such as when to begin and some starter activities. Being a new mama can be challenging but you also learned why exercise can reduce stress and improve your overall health. But there are two things that you should always keep in mind too. First, consult your doctor if you have the opportunity. They can serve as an advanced guide as they were with you during your pregnancy and can help understand your body more. Second is, as said earlier, never push yourself too hard. Postnatal exercises are really beneficial but these can backfire if you do too much in a short period of time. Even so, be sure to have fun and this will already become a routinary activity for you.
Resources:
Lindberg. (2020). The Best Postpartum Exercises to Do Right Now. Healthline. https://www.healthline.com/health/exercise-fitness/postnatal-exercises
McCallum. (2021). Postpartum Exercise: What to Know About Exercising After Pregnancy. Houston Methodist. https://www.houstonmethodist.org/blog/articles/2021/feb/postpartum-exercise-what-to-know-about-exercising-after-pregnancy/
Postnatal exercise. (2012). Better Health Channel. https://www.betterhealth.vic.gov.au/health/healthyliving/postnatal-exercise#bhc-content
