Exercise After Pregnancy
Exercise will help you regain muscle tone, lose weight and have more energy. If you had a vaginal birth, you can start most regular activities again as soon as you feel comfortable. Start slowly, and then gradually build up the length of exercise. If you have heavier and brighter bleeding after exercise, you need to slow down.
After a caesarean birth, exercise can be started when you’re comfortable and have discussed your exercise plans with a physiotherapist, doctor or other health practitioner.
You can start Kegel exercises right away (as soon as one day after delivering) to strengthen and tone the area around your vagina, and help control urination. Make Kegel exercises a regular part of your daily routine for the rest of your life – as long as they don’t hurt. See the tip sheet
Strengthening the Pelvis.
Exercise can be a time for you, your partner and your baby to spend together. Choose an activity that’s comfortable for all of you, and make it one that easily fits your daily schedule. If you feel pain while exercising, stop and rest.
Caring for your abdominal muscles
Abdominal muscles take most of the pressure of the growing baby during pregnancy. These muscles run up and down from your chest to your pubic bone. It is common for these muscles to soften, weaken and separate under stress, opening like a zipper. If you notice bulging along the middle of your abdomen when you get out of the bath or bed, you could have a separation in your abdominal muscles.
Separation of the abdominal muscles
You can check to see if you have a separation in your abdominal muscles by doing this test:
-
Lie on your back with your knees bent and feet flat on the floor.
-
Lift your head and shoulders off the floor, keeping your chin tucked.
-
Place your hand flat along the middle of your stomach, fingers pointed towards your toes. You may feel a gap between the bands of stomach muscles.
-
Note if there is any bulging in the middle of the abdominal muscles.
-
If you have any bulging or gaping in the middle of your abdomen, talk with your doctor or other health practitioner.
You can lessen strain to these muscles by:
-
Getting out of bed by turning onto your side and pushing up with both arms.
-
Avoiding exercises where you curl up.
-
Not holding your breath when you lift or carry something.
Until the gap is closed, you should not do sit-ups and exercises that rotate the trunk, twist the hips or bend the trunk to one side.
Good Exercises
-
Walking—gradually increase the pace and distance. Use a good stroller or soft carrier so you can take your baby with you. If you jog or walk quickly, wear a supportive bra.
-
Swimming—you can begin swimming after vaginal bleeding and discharge have stopped.
-
Postnatal fitness classes—your community may have classes designed for new mothers.
-
Yoga—start slowly or join a class that’s specially designed for new mothers. You may even find a class for moms and babies.
Exercising and breastfeeding
Exercise does not affect the amount or quality of breast milk you produce, and will not affect your baby if you’re breastfeeding. Rarely, in some women, intense exercise will cause an increase in lactic acid in breast milk and the baby may not like the taste.
If your baby does not feed well after you’ve done intense exercise:
-
slow down
-
feed your baby before exercising
-
express breast milk before exercising to give to your baby after you exercise
-
try feeding again a little later.
Remember—your milk is still good for your baby.
Some things to remember
-
It took 9 months to become the size and shape you are. It will take a few months to return to your pre-pregnancy weight.
-
Start exercising slowly.
-
Don’t diet. Focus on nutritious eating and getting 20 minutes of light exercise a day.
-
Breastfeeding will help you lose weight. It is especially helpful along with healthy eating and regular activity such as walking. Many women find that most weight loss happens in the second 6 months of breastfeeding.
Links:
Canada's Food Guide to Healthy Eating and Physical Activity
Baby’s Best Chance
