Postnatal gymnastics: Why it is so important
Postnatal gymnastics is an important part of postnatal work. Find out here why postnatal gymnastics is so important and which simple exercises are available to get started.
Why postnatal gymnastics?
As a result of pregnancy, the tissues in the body become softer due to the change in the hormonal balance. This development ensures that your baby can pass through the pelvic floor at birth without major problems. After birth, the body changes again, but the pelvic floor is still soft. Since the pelvic floor muscles also include the sphincter muscles of the urethra, vagina and anus, they must be brought back into shape to ensure long-term functionality. If these muscles are not trained sufficiently, problems such as incontinence can later be the result.
Good reasons for postnatal gymnastics
Above all, the following reasons speak in favor of regularly incorporating postnatal gymnastics into the daily routine:
- To retrain the stressed muscles in the pelvic floor.
- To support the regression of the uterus.
- To strengthen the back burdened by breastfeeding and lifting.
- To feel more during sex.
- To relieve pain in the back or shoulders.
It is important to work on it every day. You either learn the exercises of postnatal gymnastics in the clinic, with your midwife or you attend a course. A course is paid for by your health insurance. It is best to ask your midwife during the birth preparation for such offers for postnatal gymnastics.
When can you start with postnatal gymnastics?
How quickly you can start postnatal gymnastics depends on your physical condition. If you were also active before pregnancy and the birth went without complications, you can start quickly. In case of health problems during pregnancy or a caesarean section, however, you should wait a little longer. You should start a postnatal gymnastics course within the first four months after birth and complete it by nine months after birth. If you notice that your pelvic floor is not yet so strong, you can also attend courses afterwards.
Postnatal gymnastics: exercises
Try to schedule ten minutes each day for postnatal gymnastics exercises. Find a quiet place for the exercises. Later, you can tense the pelvic floor during waiting situations, e.g. in the queue from the supermarket or when you stand or stop at a traffic light, and train it that way.
Exercise 1 – Postnatal gymnastics while lying down
In the first time, it is enough if you lie on your back, stand up your legs slightly and then tense the pelvic floor as tightly and as often as possible and let go again. You do this by pretending to interrupt the urine stream like in the toilet (so you can practice it at the beginning and get a feel for it).
Exercise 2 – Postnatal gymnastics in the prone position
Lie straight on your stomach and bend one leg sideways. Then tense your pelvic floor muscles with all your strength. But always make sure that you do not use other muscles. Keep the tension short and then relax again.
A little tip at the end
If you find it difficult to recognize the pelvic floor muscles, try inserting a finger into the vagina and then tensing it. The muscles that then enclose your finger are those of the pelvic floor.