Postpartum Recovery: Exercise Guidelines
If my pregnant clients are asking, "What exercises are safe to do during pregnancy?" (check out the answer here) Then my most asked question by Postpartum clients is:
"What exercises are safe to do during postpartum recovery?"
Rest.
Sleep deprivation is REAL! Stay in bed snuggled up with that sweet new babe of yours, preferably completely naked (put one of those big blue pads or an old towel under you). Being naked has a few benefits. It allows your perineum or incision to air out and heal and helps keep unwanted visitors at bay! If you're breast/ body/ chest feeding on your list of goals, resting skin to skin for a few days after your birth will also help milk supply, on-demand feeding and bonding.
Breathe.
Core Breathing, that is. Yup, that's an exercise, and it's the first one you are encouraged to do as much as you can. Incorporate your Core Breathing into any and every movement you do, even rolling over or getting up from sitting. I've included a quick tutorial on Core Breathing right below.
Walk.
Incorporate that Core Breathing into your walking too! For the bonus, push a stroller, or even better, wear your baby if you can. This incorporation is more work than you think in the early weeks, so take it easy at first and ensure you've got enough energy to get back to where you started!
Check out this quick "Core Breathing" tutorial to activate your inner core effectively.
Are you looking for safe and challenging workouts? Check out my Movement Library, get on the waiting list for virtual group classes or book in for some one-on-one sessions Move Well, Feel Well!
It is highly recommended that you take your time getting back into more vigorous activities. It is not unreasonable to give yourself 4- 6 months of just "day-to-day activity," walking and healing before starting a more organized exercise routine, especially if you have had a cesarean birth. Many people do want to get moving, though. Listen to your body!
Here are the general guidelines you can follow if you exercise without the knowledge and mindful eye of a qualified instructor and when you're ready to start doing a little more.
A few Common Issues in Postpartum Recovery:
Let's give you a little context and information about why we have these guidelines for exercise in postpartum recovery. Some prevalent issues can develop or be exacerbated by exercising without guidance or awareness; ideally, we don't want to contribute to or increase these issues.
Diastasis Recti Abdominus (DRA):
100% of pregnant bodies will have some degree of DRA by the end of their pregnancy. DRA is stretching of the connective tissue (linea alba) between the two sides of the abdominals, causing separation to the right and left of the centre of the belly. For some postpartum bodies, this will "heal" almost immediately and will likely not be noticeable or affect movement. Some work must be done for most other people to get the core to work again effectively. Our goal is not to increase the degree of DRA with less optimal movement patterns but to work for sound core activation to create appropriate tension across that linea alba again. This healing does not always mean the "gap" between the sides will get smaller, and that's okay. At first, traditional abdominal work, excessive extension (backbends), planks and exercising on All 4's can contribute to DRA due to the amount of force and stretch put on the linea alba. The exercise to start with that helps "heal" DRA? You guessed it, "Core Breathing!"
Pelvic Floor Dysfunction:
The muscles of your Pelvic Floor are part of your Inner Core. With the added weight of a growing baby belly over the last nine months, extra pressure was put on these muscles, and they may become too tight trying to support the weight or too loose, unable to keep up with demand. Either way, the extra pressure may have caused them to become dysfunctional. Symptoms of Pelvic Floor Dysfunction include:
• leaking urine (even just a little!),
• feeling like you have the urge to urinate more than usual,
• constipation,
•bowel incontinence (including gas),
• low back, hip or pelvic pain or
• a downward pressure or sensation of bulging in the vagina.
A dysfunctional pelvic floor may not cause pain but can lead to pain down the road or prolapse of pelvic organs.
Other considerations:
Sore Neck and Shoulders:
Gazing down lovingly at your baby and feeding them every two hours (or so) can be taxing on your neck and shoulders! Some even feel tingling or numbness in their arms and hands. Try this easy little exercise set after each feed to help you "reset" and avoid progressing any issues (Click here!)
Balance:
Your body is again in flux with its centre of gravity as your organs make their way back into place, the possible added weight of milk-filled breasts and a change in body weight. It is common to lose one's balance, even with simple activities, or feel clumsy and uncoordinated. The body uses hormones to help soften and relax the ligaments around joints to accommodate the growing baby during pregnancy. The effects of these hormones are still present (some say as long as a year after one last lactates!), making it easy to overstretch and cause injury due to instability.
Work Smart, Not Hard!! Easy does it, but get it done!
Would you like more postpartum movement tips, leave a comment or be in touch!
