Post natal work outs

[pippa251]

Hello,

I'm 32 weeks and am still able to work out 4- 5 times a week.

(I'm not obsessed or anything it's that I have a really physical job and know that I'll have to get back in shape before I can pass my fitness requiremnt to return to work.)

I was just wondering if anyone knows how much time should you take off excersize after having the baby ? And when should you stop the excersizing (I have been gradually stepping the internsity of work outs down month by month)

cheers

It depends on what birth. For a straight forward vb no stiching or tearing I was told to do only the post natal exercises they give you till six weeks to give your womb and muscles time to get back to normal.

I was in the gym on my due date! Just some gentle uphill walking on the treadmill and 20 minutes on the crosstrainer. Also had a pregnancy pilates DVD which I did up to the day before I gave birth.

In terms of exercising afterwards - deoends on how you feel really. If you have a CS you will be given specific advice (i didn't, so don't know what that is!). If you had a standard dlivery, then I believe it is best to wait until your tummy muscles have rejoined together (if you google this there is plenty of advice on how to test for this - and the helath visitor can sometimes help.) I found a series of abs exercises that could be done from day one, starting very gently and progressively getting harder - again try googling.

In terms of 'general' exercise, I went back to the gym when dd was 3 weeks old to do some stuff on the rower and cross trainer, plus light weights, leaving her with DH for an hour (and a bottle of ebm just in case!) I had a high forceps delivery and loads of stitches a
nd couldn't run without my insides feeling like they were going to drop out until about the 2 month point! Also, push the buggy EVERYWHERE - very good for fitness.

thanks for the advice- will defo get googling!!

Hi Pippa

I'm a PT so hopefully can help a bit. Six weeks post-birth is the 'official' guideline for a straightfoward vaginal delivery and 12 weeks for a C Section. However, as others have said it really does depend on your birth. e.g. I had forceps, episiotomy and 3rd degree tear and although had been very fit before and during pregnancy, wasn't able to return to the gym until 10 weeks and no running until 16 weeks but a friend of similar fitness levels who had a straightforward homebirth is back running already just 8 weeks after having had her baby.

After the birth if you feel ready to exercise but have had a tricky delivery or don't feel quite right down there, stick to non impact exercises only - so no running, skipping or jumping of any kind.

Walking is excellent, as is the cross-trainer and resistance work and can all be done within a couple of weeks of delivery if you feel up to it.

Regardless of your delivery though, avoid anything that really stresses your flexibility hard like astanga yoga unless you're very used to it and familiar with your usual flexibility levels until post-six months as you'll still be full of relaxin and prone to pushing stretches too far. Important to stretch though, but gently!