I’m now at an age where babies are happening. While we don’t have kids yet ourselves, we certainly plan to, and when we do, we’ll be looking to make the pregnancy process and recovery as easy as it can be. Exercise after giving birth is something that should be factored in to this but it's vital that it is the right sort of exercise and that it is safe for the new mum. In order to be able to provide safe and effective programming for postnatal clients, I recently completed the requisite qualification in pre and postnatal training. This short blog gives a short introduction into postnatal exercise.
WHY YOU SHOULD MAKE TIME TO EXERCISE
Research suggests that postnatal exercise is highly beneficial to new mums. Firstly, it can speed up the body’s recovery process while also improving postural issues that may have developed over the course of the pregnancy. Secondly, it will assist in day-to-day living with your new little one. A proper exercise programme will increase muscular endurance and strength while also improving stamina and overall energy levels. Thirdly, exercise will improve your metabolic rate and stimulate increased weight loss. And finally, it gives you a chance to spend some time on yourself, vent some stress and feel more confident about your body. However, there are two main issues that arise when it comes to exercising after giving birth:
1. WHEN SHOULD/CAN MUMS START EXERCISING?
Clearly exercise has many fantastic benefits and many new mums will be eager to get stuck into an exercise programme straight away. But you need to be careful. Your body has undergone some serious physiological changes and it has got some healing to do. If you start exercising too soon you could end up doing more damage than good. Current guidelines recommend that women should avoid all physical stress (i.e. avoid carrying anything heavier than the little one) for at least two weeks and shouldn’t resume full daily activities for a minimum of six weeks. Those mums that delivered by Caesarean section should not exercise for twelve weeks after delivery to allow for proper healing. And you should always have clearance from your GP before you embark on an exercise programme. When you do start, it’s important to start slow!
2. WHAT SORT OF EXERCISE SHOULD YOU BE DOING?
If you used to exercise before your pregnancy or you’re just eager to get started, there is a very real danger that you will jump in feet first and do the wrong sort of exercises. Exercising postpartum should not be about quickly changing the shape of your body – your body has been continually changing for the past 40 weeks or so – so its time to focus on repairing it, feeling better and building strength. Smashing circuits and heavy abdominal work is not the right approach. The last thing that your body needs in the early postpartum stages is a heavy beating.
Always make sure that your trainer is suitably qualified to advise you on the right sort of exercise following your pregnancy. If you’re interested in a proper and progressive exercise programme then please feel free to get in touch via the contact form.
Anthony