Motherhood is an exciting time! It comes with plenty of joy and a fair share of changes. Whether this is your first, second, or third time, pregnancy changes your body, internally and externally. As it heals from the pregnancy and delivery, your body will feel constantly tired and lack energy. You may find yourself not recognising your post-baby body.

But, while you’re allowing your body to heal, you need to support this healing process by finding time to fit in fitness activities.

So, if you’re eager to get moving and active again, you may be wondering when it’s safe to return to your regular exercise regime and what workouts will best support your postpartum health.

In this article, we break down the benefits of postpartum exercise and the best postpartum exercises to consider.

Benefits of postpartum exercise

There are several benefits of postnatal exercising that can help improve your physical, mental, and emotional well-being. Some of these benefits include:

• Help boost your energy levels.
• Improve your sense of well-being.
• Boost your mood and prevent postnatal depression.
• Promote weight loss.
• Help to restore muscle strength.
• Help strengthen and tone abdominal muscles.
• Promote better sleep.
• Improve your cardiovascular health.
• Restore pelvic floor muscles.

Guidelines on when to start postpartum exercise

The general rule of thumb is to wait six to eight weeks after giving birth before getting back into a fitness routine. But the good news is that you can begin with gentle exercising, such as walking, within a few days of giving birth when you feel comfortable to start doing so.

We understand that you’re probably eager to jump right into a postpartum exercise routine. But a word of caution – this can do more damage than good. Therefore, we advise you to speak with your doctor to get advice on when to start and what exercises will suit your situation based on your pregnancy, the type of birth you had, and any complications experienced during delivery.

Recommended postpartum exercises

As we mentioned above, to begin with, we suggest you include exercises such as

• Moderate walking to get the body moving.
• Pelvic floor exercises such as Kegel exercises to strengthen the pelvic floor muscles.
• Core training to strengthen the abdominal muscles, such as cat/cows, supine leg lifts, and diaphragmatic breathing.

Post 6-weeks postpartum exercises

As your body begins to heal, you can start to add a few more moderate-intensity workouts into the mix, such as

• Yoga.
• Pilates.
• Swimming (when the bleeding has stopped).

Post 12-weeks postpartum exercises

Now that your body is getting stronger, you can begin to include high-impact exercises after consulting with your doctor. These exercises include the following.

• Running
• Sports

Remember, postpartum exercises can help you become mentally, physically, and emotionally stronger. However, be sure to be kind to yourself and take it one step at a time.

If you find that exercising is causing you pain and abnormal bleeding, we advise you to speak to your doctor immediately.

Seeking postpartum fitness advice

You are not alone on this journey. Dr Kothari and our team at Wollongong Obstetrics and Gynaecology are here with you every step of the way.

If postnatal fitness is on your mind, contact us today, and Dr Kothari will guide you on the most appropriate fitness routine to suit your circumstances.