Exercise after 3rd degree tear

[Claire5517]

Hi all, I have posted this in weight loss chat but no replies so hoping someone on here could help!

I'm after some advice and hopefully some people to share their experiences!!

After I had my gorgeous DD 11 weeks ago, midwife discovered I had 3rd degree tear. When my community mw came out to see me after the birth, she told me I wouldn't be able to exercise for at least 12 weeks (I have a consultant appointment in 2 weeks).

I try to do as much walking as I can but I am desperate to lose the baby weight and I feel like I am actually putting on weight because I can't do anything strenuous. Tbh its really getting me down, I'm still wearing my maternity jeans!!!

Please can someone give me some tips on what I can do to help. Or anyone else had 3rd degree tear and any problems with exercise??

TIA x

11 weeks.
its nothing.
give your body a chance to heal properly - say till six months
then get back into exercise
but until those muscles recover all you'll do is store up problems for when you are as old as me

gentle wii yoga, pilates and swimming will be a good start

and if you want to shift weight, have a go at 5:2 fasting - it won't stop the milk

I had a third degree tear...24 years ago.

I wasn't given any advice from the hospital or my gp about recovery or exercise. I realise now its a bloody miracle im not doubly incontinent.

The main thing I did was pelvic floor exercises. I read about them in an American book my aunt gave me about pregnancy & birth but it was a medical book not a book aimed at mothers

I know the weight is annoying but you really need to look after yourself. Very soon you will be back to normal & able to lose the weight.

Take care...

Thanks for your replies!

What I was hoping to do was go swimming (i'm not really a gym person!!) - do you think breaststroke would be ok? As its mainly leg work?

Claire
I would strongly suggest seeing a physio (some of my nutter swimming pals are physios) and get them to build you a routine.
Brisk walking forwards, backwards and sideways up and down the pool to start with, building up into swimming, building up into pilates and the like
but you need to see somebody who gives you personalised advice.

I'll make the rash assumption you will want more kids - make sure your muscles are strong.

I would chat with your GP as depends on extent of your tear (3a, 3b or 3c) and how you are healing. I had 3rd degree tear after DD and was seen to be healing well at 8 week check so was advised to continue as normal and exercise was fine. If poss get a physio referral to postnatal physios, I think they advise pelvic floor exercises as soon as poss. Would maybe leave the breast stroke for a while though.

Definitely millions of pelvic floors, but I also gained weight after a 3rd degree tear and PPH. I think it's an almost unavoidable side effect of such a big physical trauma. Hard and shitty as it is, physical recovery from the tear is most important at the moment, so I would really recommend you try to wait until your consultant appointment for an all clear.

FWIW although I gained tons after the birth, by the time DS1 was a year old I was a dress size smaller than I had been pre-pregnancy, from nothing more than walking with the pram.

the classic pelvic floor exercise that we have all the 5:2 ladies doing is stopping your wee.
sit on the toilet and half way through a wee, stop.
use all of your pelvic floor muscles to close your urethra
you'll fail the first few times

then after a couple of weeks it will work
then go up to stop start - like a tap
as those muscles are the important ones ( the back of the clitoris formation for the anatomically minded - hence why men cannot do that one)
they impact on the whole of the perineum and control of them makes life more relaxed for old farts like me.

Hi I also have a 3rd degree tear. My DS is now 6 months & am only just recovering. Still not allowed to exercise heavily but walking is fine. I've put on a stone since the birth & feel awful so I know how hard it can be. Please try an focus on the recovery of your body as a tear is a huge physical strain.

I was an avid runner & cyclist before & during pregnancy and this has really had an impact on me physically & mentally. Just try and look to the future when you are fully healed and can exercise properly & feel good again. All the best :)