Postpartum exercise

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Hi everyone I'm currently 35 weeks pregnant and was wondering how you lost weight after birth? I most likely won't feel up to it for a while but I would love to start exercising to feel better about my body. I used to go to the gym way before getting pregnant but I never did any exercises in particular just went for fun. I would like to be outdoors when exercising and I know everyone is different but did you notice much difference in your body after going on a long run or a bike ride? Or any exercises that you did would be appreciated. I want to mostly tone up as I've gotten a bit flabby lol. Thanks.

Morning!
I'm afraid I don't have any advice but also 35 weeks and trying to decide on my PP exercise routine too.
Have you done much research on how long after the birth it'll be before you can start exercising? My understanding is about 6 weeks, but going to ask my OB/GYN when I go in for an appointment next week so can report back.
Are you planning on breastfeeding? I have read it burns about 500cals a day so that's the equivalent of a pretty intense workout!
My legs have gone to shit, I used to regularly squat/lunge/deadlift etc but since my centre of gravity changed I don't trust myself to lunge anymore 😅 still running 5ks and training upper body but the cellulite is creeping on

Hello there and I have no idea it will most likely be after any tears I might get heal 😆 I'm not planning on breastfeeding no so that could definitely be a downside. And my legs are terrible too however I never ran lol. I've put on alot more weight and have noticeable stretch marks on my boobs, belly, butt, hips and legs!! They won't bother me that much as long as my body gets into shape after birth and some exercise.

I've never been more toned than when I rode a bike! After getting over the jelly legs phase you look and feel great without much pain or effort. It was only after child no3 I stopped riding as it wasn't practical. I didn't even realise all the good it did me at the time as I was using it purely for getting around and not exercise. Get a wee ride for the little one, they're great.

*Obviously not until a long while after birth...ouch! Oh and get a "big bum" seat.

@MoonDelay That's great I really wanted to ride a bike tbh 😄 And I wanted to get one of those things you put on the back of the bike and put baby in... my mums face dropped and says it's too dangerous. I wasn't planning on going on mountain rides with the baby ffs😂.

Lol the wee ride ones are fixed in front of you, a bar is attached to the seat post and handle bar post thing and the seat in fixed on that with a screw thing (sorry i am absolutely terrible at explaining it but can Google it). They're much better than the the rear ones in my opinion. Although, when they get older their hair goes in your mouth and flies in your face. I rode on the pavements, considerately obviously. I got moaned at once by a pavement hogger, her husband and two old dogs. Complete whinge bag as I stopped way before we crossed paths to let them by 🙄 but most other times people were obliging and so was I. No way was I riding on the roads.

It's a bit precarious when they fall asleep but there is an attachment shaped thing like the Starship Enterprise that sits on the front so they hopefully lean on that but it doesn't always work that way 😄

Sorry...thing, thing, thing, thing! I really need to widen my vocab

I'm a runner, and started running again as soon as I could after each of my DC. I did postpartum yoga my first as well, whoch wasn't very challenging in terms of exercise but was good for relaxation and trying to get my core muscles back.

You just have to listen to your body, do what feels comfortable, and take it steady. It took 6 months after DC1 before I was running hard again, but after DC2 I raced a half marathon at 10 weeks. Both were the right thing for me at the time.

I also found it was easy to fit in bodyweight type exercises while the baby slept - plank, push ups, etc. Good luck

Hello, I’m also 35 weeks! (Second pregnancy)

In my first pregnancy I was still going to the gym and swimming up until 41 weeks. I had an emergency cesarean but felt really good afterwards and was doing very gentle exercises in the gym about three weeks after he was born (literally just body weight or incredibly light dumbbells, walking on the treadmill or cross-trainer, and no abdominal work at all). I walked a parkrun with the pushchair at about three and a half weeks PP too. By my 6 week check I felt ready to do a bit more and actually went out for a run and accidentally managed 5km continuously (albeit very slowly!). I kept building up the running, and using the turbo trainer (bike) at home over the winter and by 4-5 months PP I was doing half marathons and trail races at a decent pace. I did a few triathlons (and obviously the relevant training) over the summer and did a half Ironman almost exactly a year after DS was born. I literally ate whatever I liked and was breastfeeding so the weight just fell off.

This time I think it’s going to be harder with a toddler as well! I doubt I’ll bounce back as quickly but I’m hoping I can start doing gentle gym workouts and some buggy walks over the winter. I’m technically entered into an ultramarathon in May and may still try to train for it (and then probably drop down to the half distance) but we’ll have to see how things go.

I have bad stretch marks on my upper inner thighs from when I put on a lot of weight in my early 20s. They have faded to a v.light silver so hoping any stretch marks I may get in these last 5 weeks will do the same.
As with any weight loss regime, diet is more important than exercise so I guess as long as we eat well for the 6 weeks we can't exercise we should set up for success.
Ugh tearing!! I realllly hope that one passes me by! Is this your first?

@MoonDelay

Lol the wee ride ones are fixed in front of you, a bar is attached to the seat post and handle bar post thing and the seat in fixed on that with a screw thing (sorry i am absolutely terrible at explaining it but can Google it). They're much better than the the rear ones in my opinion. Although, when they get older their hair goes in your mouth and flies in your face. I rode on the pavements, considerately obviously. I got moaned at once by a pavement hogger, her husband and two old dogs. Complete whinge bag as I stopped way before we crossed paths to let them by 🙄 but most other times people were obliging and so was I. No way was I riding on the roads.

The seats sound a lot safer, thanks, I'll check them out. And there's no way I'd be going on the road either!

@fellrunner85

I'm a runner, and started running again as soon as I could after each of my DC. I did postpartum yoga my first as well, whoch wasn't very challenging in terms of exercise but was good for relaxation and trying to get my core muscles back.

You just have to listen to your body, do what feels comfortable, and take it steady. It took 6 months after DC1 before I was running hard again, but after DC2 I raced a half marathon at 10 weeks. Both were the right thing for me at the time.

I also found it was easy to fit in bodyweight type exercises while the baby slept - plank, push ups, etc. Good luck

You seem alot more motivated than me lol😆 I've only done stretches for my sciatica that's about it. Did you diet much? I'm never sure what to eat when trying to get my body in shape.

@PolarBearStrength

Hello, I’m also 35 weeks! (Second pregnancy)

In my first pregnancy I was still going to the gym and swimming up until 41 weeks. I had an emergency cesarean but felt really good afterwards and was doing very gentle exercises in the gym about three weeks after he was born (literally just body weight or incredibly light dumbbells, walking on the treadmill or cross-trainer, and no abdominal work at all). I walked a parkrun with the pushchair at about three and a half weeks PP too. By my 6 week check I felt ready to do a bit more and actually went out for a run and accidentally managed 5km continuously (albeit very slowly!). I kept building up the running, and using the turbo trainer (bike) at home over the winter and by 4-5 months PP I was doing half marathons and trail races at a decent pace. I did a few triathlons (and obviously the relevant training) over the summer and did a half Ironman almost exactly a year after DS was born. I literally ate whatever I liked and was breastfeeding so the weight just fell off.

This time I think it’s going to be harder with a toddler as well! I doubt I’ll bounce back as quickly but I’m hoping I can start doing gentle gym workouts and some buggy walks over the winter. I’m technically entered into an ultramarathon in May and may still try to train for it (and then probably drop down to the half distance) but we’ll have to see how things go.

Congratulations and that's amazing how quickly you recovered after you CS. I think dieting whilst recovering sounds like a really good idea lol, I've been eating more than ever since pregnant so hopefully after birth I shed some weight just from that.

I got my replies mixed up my bad. That's amazing how you lost weight without even dieting! I think I'll try and diet but I never know what to eat.

@Sairafina

I have bad stretch marks on my upper inner thighs from when I put on a lot of weight in my early 20s. They have faded to a v.light silver so hoping any stretch marks I may get in these last 5 weeks will do the same. As with any weight loss regime, diet is more important than exercise so I guess as long as we eat well for the 6 weeks we can't exercise we should set up for success. Ugh tearing!! I realllly hope that one passes me by! Is this your first?

Yeah I'm hoping mine fade too😣. I think I'll do as you said diet until I recover, hopefully I can keep it up haha. And yes this is my first I really don't know what to expect birth or postpartum.

I was thinking of getting some sort of exercise bike for at home too but DP thinks it won't get used as when you're at home you're unmotivated. I find myself more motivated at home because all you have to do is get on it and go!

I'm lucky to live in a country where the gyms are open for business as usual so as soon as I get the all clear I'll be back down there!

Bio Oil is great for helping stretch marks to fade. I've been using it since about week 24 and no stretch marks although it's impossible to know if that's because of the oil or genetics. Also plenty of time for them to appear!

@Sairafina

I'm lucky to live in a country where the gyms are open for business as usual so as soon as I get the all clear I'll be back down there!

Bio Oil is great for helping stretch marks to fade. I've been using it since about week 24 and no stretch marks although it's impossible to know if that's because of the oil or genetics. Also plenty of time for them to appear!

I think ours are open too just limited people. And I was using bio oil but then got sick of putting it on and stopped because I hated the feel of it😆 Maybe I'm paying the price for it now, although like you say I may well have just gotten them anyway.

If it’s any help, my ds is now 5 months. I gained 20kg in pregnancy. I have now lost the 20kg already and haven’t really had to do any major exercise. Baby sleeps best in pram or sling so I think general walking daily has helped a lot ( I usually do an hour morning and afternoon).
I think breastfeeding has also helped hugely as my ds was almost 9lb born so has had a large appetite from the start.

It's funny now you mention it OP, I'm thinking about getting an exercise bike too! It's purely a thought and I haven't even looked yet but I do miss riding my bike a lot and could really do with the exercise. I'm currently pregnant and pretty sloth like and eating more crap during pregnancy especially with lock down. Have no idea where it will go either because our house is small and quite packed but I'm sure I'd use it. I mean you can avoid the pavement hoggers, glass, dog poo, rain, wind... win-win I'd say!

It's funny now you mention it OP, I'm thinking about getting an exercise bike too! It's purely a thought and I haven't even looked yet but I do miss riding my bike a lot and could really do with the exercise. I'm currently pregnant and pretty sloth like and eating more crap during pregnancy especially with lock down. Have no idea where it will go either because our house is small and quite packed but I'm sure I'd use it. I mean you can avoid the pavement hoggers, glass, dog poo, rain, wind... win-win I'd say!

Sorry double post. App is playing up for a change

@Caspianberg

If it’s any help, my ds is now 5 months. I gained 20kg in pregnancy. I have now lost the 20kg already and haven’t really had to do any major exercise. Baby sleeps best in pram or sling so I think general walking daily has helped a lot ( I usually do an hour morning and afternoon). I think breastfeeding has also helped hugely as my ds was almost 9lb born so has had a large appetite from the start.

That's amazing! It's incredible what our bodies do sometimes. I hope I lose weight and though I'm not BF.

@MoonDelay

It's funny now you mention it OP, I'm thinking about getting an exercise bike too! It's purely a thought and I haven't even looked yet but I do miss riding my bike a lot and could really do with the exercise. I'm currently pregnant and pretty sloth like and eating more crap during pregnancy especially with lock down. Have no idea where it will go either because our house is small and quite packed but I'm sure I'd use it. I mean you can avoid the pavement hoggers, glass, dog poo, rain, wind... win-win I'd say!

They seem so handy don't they. And I'm eating crap too I feel so guilty. Our house is crammed too I would have no idea where to put mine. If that's what will make you motivated then do it I'd say! Put it in the living room if you have to 😆

Congratulations on your LO by the way 👶💞