Families For Life | Exercising After Delivery

Your new baby is finally settled in and you’ve made it this far as a mum. Congratulations! With some time on your hands, you’re probably thinking about working out and getting back into shape. However, is it safe, especially this quickly after bringing your baby home? 

The short answer is: It depends. Read on and find out the best time to start exercising and what you can do to ease yourself back into an active, healthy lifestyle.

Is Post-Delivery Exercise Good for Me?

You might be worried about moving too much while recovering from your delivery. However, some physical activity can be good for you! It’s a great way to boost your mood, restore muscle strength, and raise energy levels. Even simple movements can help with blood circulation and healing.

However, don’t push yourself too hard especially if you experienced complications during your delivery. Pregnancy and labour can be exhausting and your body needs time to rest. Listen to your body cues and scale your activity accordingly. Being active is great but your health comes first!

When Can I Start?

Exercising comes with its benefits but the best time to start will vary between mothers. A lot depends on how your child was delivered.

If you gave birth via C-section, assisted birth, or experienced any complications, it’s safer to wait for your scheduled postnatal check-up 4 to 6 weeks after delivery. Once you get the go-ahead from your doctor, you can start working out again!

For mums who experienced a smooth delivery, you might only need a few days to recover before trying some simple exercises to ease yourself back into your pre-pregnancy workouts.

What Exercises Can I Do?

Before resuming pre-pregnancy exercises like running or high-impact aerobics, start small with low-risk workouts in the weeks following your delivery. Try these simple exercises:

  1. Take walks. If you’re still recovering, a short walk around your home can go a long way. Once you regain your strength, you can consider a longer excursion outdoors and take your baby along with you in a stroller!

  2. Do pelvic floor exercises. These exercises help strengthen pelvic floor muscles and reduce the risk of incontinence.

  3. Try low-impact aerobics workouts. Simple but effective, these physical activities can help you get your body moving to improve fitness and help you manage your weight. 

You can expect to get back to pre-pregnancy levels of activity 6 to 8 weeks after starting these exercises. However, if you experience pain or discomfort, stop immediately and wait a few more weeks before trying again. Don’t forget to set realistic goals for yourself and enjoy a smooth postpartum recovery and a healthier you!