Postpartum Training

When can you start training again after giving birth?

After childbirth, it's understandable that many are eager to get back to exercising to regain the body or shape they had before becoming pregnant. It’s like during pregnancy, but with increased ease and more variation before you return to normal. Just be careful not to push too hard too quickly - adjust your activity according to your condition, and gradually increase the amount and intensity.

The regular exercise you had before may start for some as early as a few weeks postpartum, but it’s recommended to play it safe and wait six weeks or perhaps longer - but this varies from person to person.

Activities you can do

For some, the road back to normal can be steeper. According to the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, it is individual when you can resume the corresponding training as before. Of course, it must be physically and medically safe, and the timing depends on whether the delivery was complicated or not. For example, after a cesarean section, you may need to wait more than six weeks before you can resume exercising again.

Just like when you tapered down during pregnancy, you now need to ramp back up

Everyday activities such as wheeling the stroller, walking up stairs as you may have done during pregnancy, regular household chores, and perhaps playing with children - are a perfect start to exercising. And if you previously did pelvic floor exercises/kegels, continue that as it’s still relevant for preventing leakage and can help counteract a feeling of heaviness during activities.

If you find that you still cannot perform activities that involve running and jumping because you experience leakage, strengthen your pelvic floor and switch to brisk walking, cycling, or gymnastics.

It’s also important to mention that - especially if you did this during pregnancy and enjoyed it - you should avoid swimming or bathing until the bleeding has stopped due to the risk of infection, which is usually after four to six weeks.

Breastfeeding before exercising

You need to be careful not just with your own body because if you breastfeed, it can affect the child's fluid or nutrient intake. According to several studies, moderate weight loss while breastfeeding seems to be the safest. Intense training can make the milk sour or bitter, which might make the child refuse to breastfeed.

A valuable tip is to breastfeed before you exercise. This will also prevent breast engorgement/pain and what we mentioned earlier about milk potentially being sour due to built-up lactic acid after the workout.

Simple exercises you can do

In our article on exercise during pregnancy, we mentioned an exercise you could do throughout your pregnancy, but it’s also relevant now after giving birth. Pelvic floor training or kegels is very beneficial for preventing unexpected urinary leaks.

Here are three other exercises you can do at home

• Deep breathing through the abdomen with contractions

How to do it -

This is an exercise you can start doing as soon as an hour after giving birth. It helps the muscles to relax and simultaneously starts the process of rebuilding and toning the abdominal muscles and the abdomen itself.

Sit up straight and take a deep breath in, feeling like you're drawing the air in from the lower part of your abdomen. Tighten your stomach in and keep your abdominal muscles tight while you breathe in and release it as you exhale. Gradually increase the time you hold the tight position.

• Small bridge

How to do it -

Lie on your back with hip-width distance between your feet, arms down at your sides, and feet planted on the floor. Activate your abdominal muscles and tighten your glutes to lift up while pressing your heels into the floor.

A bonus exercise here is to do a kegel when you're at the top of the bridge, holding it for three seconds before you release and slowly lower your glutes back down to the floor. Release the pelvic floor muscle when you start the small bridge.

• Squats

How to do it -

Be careful and make sure you have something to support yourself with, or have a friend or your partner ensure you don’t fall before you begin a squat. You never know how your first squat will feel.

Stand with your legs parallel to each other about shoulder-width apart. Tighten your core muscles and bend at your hips and knees, keeping your back straight throughout the movement. Squat down until your thighs are at a 90-degree angle to your lower legs, and press yourself back up until you are standing straight.

But don’t be too eager and don’t go too low if your body doesn’t allow it. The muscles and ligaments may be loose from pregnancy, and you don't want to injure anything. If you wish to ease into squats, you can introduce it by sitting up and down on a chair.

Get a good start on this new phase of your life

Take a look at our various training leggings for a fresh and new start in this new phase, and the great legging guide if you're unsure of what you want from the leggings and recommendations on what is best for what.