Exercise after pregnancy

[MillyStar9]

Hi everyone
My DD is 3 weeks old. I had a very fast, natural labour with a small second degree tear. Physically I feel absolutely great and I've had no bleeding for 3 days.

I exercised every day of my pregnancy including the day before labour and am very keen to get back to it. I get very down and anxious and I manage this with exercise and can feel myself slipping down that road.
Do you think it's too soon for some gentle cardio?

I went back too soon. I'm treating a prolapse now. You'll have plenty of time to get back to it. Don't rush.

Thank you for your reply. I hadn't thought of that. I am planning on cycling but perhaps I should reconsider.

I went hiking. Totally over did it. Felt something was wrong immediately. Still kicking myself.

You waited 3 weeks already?!!
I was out running within 1 week. Every time. No prolapse, either. YMMV.

Wait for 6 weeks, minimum. I had exactly the same and I'm still getting back into it after 6 months. Your body is softer now, even softer than in pregnancy and you are much more likely to injure yourself. When you start, take it slow, walking with baby, gentle yoga etc. and then build it up.

Thanks everyone. I have been walking lots already. I have cancelled my weekend ride as I'm going on a cycling holiday in July and don't want to be injured and ruin that.

I had a 3b tear and was back on my bike 3 weeks 5 days after. I’d actually felt ready to get back on it waaaaay sooner, but wanted to check with a Women’s Health Physio, I saw her at 3 weeks and 4 days and she said go for it.

I have been cycling a long time (I raced) and cycled throughout my pregnancy (most days).

The advice from my physio was to stick with the rollers (easy spinning) and build up gradually each day. After a few weeks I started going out on flat routes. I had to let my symptoms guide me - so heaviness/ increase in incontinence then back off. I found putting to much power down (so steeper hills, accelerating hard out the saddle etc) caused increases in symptoms (which I’d been warned about). I was also advised not to train as that’d slow down the healing process as my body would also be trying to recover from training.

I had a trip to Scotland at 3 months covering about 12 hours a week. At 6 months I was in the Alps and then Pyrenees, again averaging about 12 hours a week. The big problem I found was low back pain, initially just if I was on the bike more than an hour, then 90 mins, then 2 hours etc. I overcame that, but suffered once I hit the Alps, the long climbs over an hour hurt. Again, I overcame that. I put it down to weak core muscles, so did a daily half hour core routine (suitable for post-pregnancy, so not putting pressure on my pelvic floor).

Given you had a lesser tear and I did all that on a much worse one, i reckon just go with it and let your symptoms guide you. It’s really hard getting decent advice from health professionals - so many gave me horrified looks. Luckily my WH Physio is also a competitive cyclist so was actually able to give me sensible advice.

I’m now 16 months on and have a very mild bladder and bowel prolapse and also a descent of my perineal body. My only symptom is heaviness toward the end of the day. I don’t think all the cycling helped, but I don’t think it’s entirely to blame either. Physically and mentally I feel fantastic and getting out on the bike most days has helped me in so many ways.

Whatever you do make sure you militantly do your PF exercises and don’t stop, ever. View them as like teeth cleaning.

Thank you @noodlmcdoodl, you sound similar to me. It is the Alps I am heading to in July and I am hoping to jump back into racing in June. I have been doing the NHS pelvic floor app which is going really well. I will keep at it!

I would agree with noodl about getting decent advice from professionals- even at 6 weeks I asked about going back to the gym and was met with a "why would you want to?" which was hard to take from an obese GP, but still. Listen to your body and take it slow.