There are tonnes of noise in the fitness industry and plenty of clickbait “how to get your abs back after having a baby.” How do we know which ones work and are right for you?

When it comes to talking about the postnatal “body bounce-back” our program doesn’t discuss success in this way. Why? It's unrealistic! Post-birth, mothers are sleep deprived, undernourished, and need time to heal. The majority of mothers that we have seen have forgotten how to reconnect to their core and they don't use it to support themselves functionally. Aesthetics and losing weight are one way to look at your wellness, but it's not the only way. To truly see long-term results we need to build you up stronger than before and the key to your success will be in your core. After our mind & body program, your core could become stronger than before, your mind more at ease, because we rebuild you from the inside out. Clickbait programs are just preying on delicate Mamas and we want to do the opposite, we are looking to build up your confidence.

We understand though that having to go back to the beginning, not recognizing your body - especially when it comes to your fitness - can be destabilizing and confusing. It's hard to know where to begin, especially when you are so exhausted and busy. My advice to you is to take it slow. So in this short guide, I will tell you exactly how to get back into exercise postnatally.

What type of exercise is suitable for a new mum?

After birth, your body is healing and it can take up to 12-18 months to fully recover. I am not talking only externally but internally - your body has undergone so many changes. 

If you had an uncomplicated vaginal birth, then you can begin your pelvic floor exercises a few days after the birth, this is slow and controlled. The rehab stage can be uninspiring so we have included a level 0 in our postnatal course to help get you through it. During this stage, it's safe to walk small journeys as this helps improve blood flow, which aids the healing process. Check in with yourself every day to make sure you are not over-exhausted.

After 6 weeks you can check in with your doctor and get the all-clear to resume proper exercise. Bear in mind that even if you have the all-clear, you might mentally not be ready to throw yourself back in, and that is ok. Pilates is an excellent segue back into fitness as its principles include breath, control, centering, flow, concentration, and precision which is everything we need to rebuild and strengthen postnatally. Traditional gym exercises and the “go hard or go home” mentality will only hinder you in this crucial and vulnerable stage. You want to leave out any high-impact exercise; full sit-ups, aggressive twisting, or planks straight after the birth and focus on alignment, core connection, and breath.

Now that you can definitely see there are options to move safely post birth,

Here is exactly how to get back into exercise postnatally:

Step 1: After birth, you want to begin with your pelvic floor exercises. Slow and steady, really connecting your breath, pelvic floor, and then eventually your deeper core muscles. It is important that you don’t skip this stage, or run ahead before you truly feel your pelvic floor reconnecting with your body. 

Step 2: Your nutrition and hydration need to match your body's healing needs. Postnatal mothers need between 3-4 liters of water per day, especially when breastfeeding. Nutritionwise, think whole foods, plenty of vegetables, and protein. Finding a good bone broth to build up your collagen is extremely beneficial. I have 1 shake a day and I’ve never felt better!

Step 3: At 6 weeks, once you have found your nutritional flow and core connection (it may be a little longer for those who had complications or a cesarean), you can progress into some movement. Avoid any twist of the torso or sit-ups mentioned above. Jack knives and V sit-ups are out of the question.

If you are determined to move back into stronger workouts such as running or CrossFit style sessions then do this with caution, modify certain exercises, especially those focusing on the abdominal region. If you weren't into any of these exercises before pregnancy, then don't take them up in the postpartum period.

Watch out for any signs from your body that tell you you’re not ready to exercise. These include: 

Heaviness in your vagina

Bleeding

Peeing or pooing

Pelvic or abdominal pain

Chest Pains

If you are in a fitness class definitely make your instructor aware that you're in the early postpartum stages. Not all instructors are educated on postnatal mums so it would be more efficient and safe for you to seek out a class that is specifically for mothers. These classes focus on the core and understand how to approach fitness postpartum. Should you be exercising at home, check-in with your body and occasionally look down at your abdominals. If you see any protruding or doming, you need to adjust your exercise and regress.

Step 4: Timing. Plan your workouts around when the baby is napping so that you aren't interrupted. Feed bubba before the session so that you don’t have to workout with a full load and an anklebiter nipping at your heels. 

Step 5: Check in with your body before you get overtired or reach exhaustion. A woman's body is amazing, they signal to us all the time. Your body will tell you when the workout was too difficult. Warning bells will include:

-Changes in milk production

-Exhaustion after the workout or later on in the day.

-Very tired muscles.

-Dizziness or lightheadedness.

Finally step 6: we recommend scheduling 3 pilates or strength sessions (these can be 20-30 minutes long) and 2 aerobic conditioning sessions (swimming, cycling, brisk walking) per week to effectively recover.

Here are 2 really great exercises to begin with, both are Diastasis Recti safe.

Thanks to our postnatal pilates mind & body program, you don’t need to worry about what exercise is safe for mums, you have all the right exercises, progressions, regressions, and levels in one place.

As you saw in this article, listening to your body is key. Without rebuilding your pelvic floor, deep core, and connection, your progression into stronger fitness will be slowed down. However when you take control of your healing journey and focus on rebuilding from the inside out, then you will make steady advances into a stronger you.
If you end up on our course, let us know how you get on, tag us or write to us at [email protected] or @mummybe_ (Instagram) @mummybe (Facebook).