5 dos and don’ts for exercising after childbirth
When can I start exercising again after giving birth and to what extent? This is a question many new moms ask themselves. Guest author and fitness trainer Annika Luckmann from Mom in Balance has advice: In this article she explains which exercises you can do without hesitation and what you should do without for the time being.
Right after giving birth, exercising is probably the last thing on your mind. That’s a good thing, because the postpartum period is primarily intended for arriving and resting. Take enough time to get to know the new family member and to process the birth in peace.
Your pelvic floor muscles, abdominal muscles and pelvis also need time to recover. In the first week you can slowly start to tighten your pelvic floor and abdominal muscles carefully. Do this 8-10 times a day, one time at a time. From the 2nd week you can go for a 10-15 minute walk at an easy pace. If it feels good, you can slowly build it up to 30 minutes.
After 6 weeks – if your gynecologist gives the okay – you can start exercising again. It can also take 8 weeks after a caesarean section.
Here are a few points to keep in mind when exercising after giving birth (6-12 weeks postpartum):
5 doses for sport after childbirth
- Take it slow and listen to your body. If you are in pain and it doesn’t go away, seek professional help and support. If, for example, the pelvic floor is still causing problems after 12 weeks (loss of urine, hammock feeling, …) consult a pelvic floor physiotherapist.
- Activate your abdominal muscles and pelvic floor muscles during training.
- Start with standing core exercises and avoid exercises like sit-ups, jackknife, etc.
- Let your midwife feel if you still have a diastasis and only start horizontal abdominal exercises (such as planks) again when the diastasis is closed.
- Look for professional support, because good posture is the be-all and end-all. Someone who can give you tips and instructions will make it easier to get back on track.
5 don’ts for exercising after childbirth
- Don’t overexert yourself. Your body has done amazing things, be proud of it, but don’t overstrain yourself directly when doing sports. Slowly build up the exercises in volume and difficulty again.
- Don’t start jogging and jumping again right away. Wait at least 12 weeks after giving birth. From 6 weeks after the birth you can start powerwalking again to slowly build up your stamina again.
- Don’t do abdominal exercises that only train the rectus muscles, for example, but train the entire core.
- Don’t hold your breath! Breathe evenly! Especially when doing strength exercises.
- Do not torture yourself to exercise. Find a sport that you enjoy and gives you energy. That way you stay on the ball and the bastard doesn’t stand a chance.