I've been getting so many enquiries from new mums about what is considered "safe" exercise during the first 6 weeks postpartum. This can be for a number of reasons, mum had a fit pregnancy, and is missing the exercise aspect, or mum is looking in the mirror and thinking "Who is this person looking back at me??" to name a few. Let's look at it from a different perspective. If you severely sprained your ankle, would you be doing box jumps a week after injury? No! Remember, pregnancy and birth (by whichever means your baby enters the world) causes an injury to your body (core and pelvic floor to be exact..) And just like any other injury, the best thing to do is to rest the injury for at least 6 weeks and then slowly re-introduce safe exercises to rehabilitate the injury. So what should I not be doing?Let's take a look at the big no-no's first. You should avoid:
Another thing to think about is how you get out of bed. Do you just sit up (placing extra strain on your already compromised core), or do you turn onto your side and get up from that position? I know it's hard when you are finally in a deep sleep and bub screams, awakening you thinking the apocalypse is upon you, but always try and turn onto your side first, and get up safely. (Your body will thank you in the long run!) So what can I do?Now that we got the don't out of the way, let's talk about what you can do in the first 6 weeks.
Enjoy your babyAll above things considered, my advice to all new mums is to not worry too much about getting active too quick. If you feel you "NEED" it for your sanity, you definitely have got some options. But don't push too hard, don't jump straight back into how you were training before pregnancy. You have a long road to recovery ahead, take it slow and you will reap the rewards later. Being patient now will help you to bounce back stronger than ever when your body is ready! For now, enjoy this special time with your little baby. They are only little for a little while - cherish every second!
Carien xx
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AuthorA mum and Personal Trainer who is passionate about helping mums get active during pregnancy and back into fitness safely post birth. ArchivesCategories
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