Image credit: Tangram Wellness
Okay, you’ve given birth and it’s a healthy baby – congrats! You may want to take it easy and rest (and you really should), but doing some light exercises does have its benefits. You’ll feel more energetic and happier, and your strength and stamina will get a boost!
When can I start exercising after giving birth?
For mummies who’ve done a caesarean birth, you’ll need to wait for at least six weeks for your body to heal and recover – you’ll have a postnatal check-up scheduled after that six week period as well, so you should check with your health care practitioner if you’re able to begin working out.
For mummies who’ve gone through a vaginal birth without complications, and have been exercising consistently before and throughout their pregnancy, they can start out with light exercises after they feel they’re ready to.
However, some things that’re really common amongst mums who’ve just given birth are the aches in their bodies and bones, plus the fatigue that sets in – those are signs that you shouldn’t push yourself while exercising.
Hormones like relaxin that’re produced during pregnancy to help relax ligaments in the pelvis and widen the cervix can last for up to six months in your body. This means that your joints will be a bit weaker for a while, and you shouldn’t do strenuous, high-contact activities or even strength/resistance training.
Even if you’re mentally ready to start exercising again, pay attention to the physical needs of your body too; don’t go too hard while you’re working out.
The Do’s and Don’ts of Exercising Early On
Do…
Don’t…
How important is it to lose extra weight after giving birth?
The most important thing to consider when losing weight is if you want more kids. Being overweight could increase the risk of complications in future pregnancies, which includes:
If you’re not planning on having more kids, keeping your weight under control and staying healthy still has its benefits!
Firstly, you’ll continue to remain healthy as your child grows up – your energy levels will be improved (it gets quite a bit more tiring as they get older), you’ll be reducing your risk of diabetes and heart disease too.
Secondly, exercise helps you both physically and mentally. We’ve already talked about the physical parts of exercise, so let’s take a look at the mental benefits.
The mental boost that you get from exercise is partially from being able to take control of yourself (via the level of your fitness). You’ll witness and experience, first-hand, the change that your body’s going through, which is a direct result of your effort and hard work!
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