HEALTH

Moves for mums: How to safely exercise after giving birth

4 August, 2023 . 0

Returning to exercise after having a baby is great for your physical and mental wellness – but you do need to take care. Here’s how to ease back into activity.

Becoming a mum can be one of the most joyous experiences in a woman’s life, but it can also take a huge physical toll.

Growing and carrying a baby for nine months, coupled with the process of giving birth – regardless of whether it was a vaginal or caesarean delivery – is physically demanding for women.

Which is why, in order to recover well and best look after their baby, women need to understand how to care for their own body postpartum.

How to help your body recover after giving birth

The first 12 weeks following birth is sometimes referred to as the “fourth trimester” – a critical time of transition between being pregnant and adjusting to life with a new baby and physical healing for mum.

While there is a lot happening for new parents during this time, it is important women allow themselves time to heal and restore their body to its optimal strength and function.

Pregnancy and postnatal exercise specialist Kimberley Smith says your 40-, 50-, and 60-year-old self will thank you for it.

“A well-structured postnatal program that focuses on core and pelvic floor rehabilitation can help you heal from birth, return to the type of exercise you love safely and also reduce your chances of experiencing common postnatal complications such as back pain, incontinence or even prolapse,” Kimberley, the co-founder of the Empowered Motherhood Program, says.

Kimberley says other advantages of safely getting your body moving again include:

Improved pelvic floor function and control – important for continence, reducing your risk of pelvic organ prolapse and increased sexual pleasure.
Less abdominal separation and improved core strength and control.
Improved posture and reduced back and neck pain.
A boost to your energy and mood.

Kimberley Smith and kids

How prioritising self-care makes you a better mum

New mum, distance runner and Asics ambassador Gemma Maini says returning to exercise following the birth of her son Ollie helped her maintain her self-identity and social connections.

“For many of us, exercise is also social, so maintaining those social connections is vital,” Gemma says.

“Being an active mum is also setting a great role model for our kids.

“I always say to new mums, ‘Don’t feel guilty about having “you” time – being happier and having that time to yourself makes you a better mum’.”

When to start your postpartum exercise

In non-complicated circumstances, Kimberley says ideally you can start your physical recovery with very gentle movements from day one – but it is highly dependent on the type of birth you’ve had and how you feel.

“If you had a vaginal birth, you can commence gentle pelvic floor and core activation in the days following birth (provided any catheters have been removed),” she says.

“Starting pelvic floor activations early in your postnatal recovery helps to promote blood flow to the area, which can help with the healing of damaged tissue as well as improve neural pathways and connection to the pelvic floor.”

If you have given birth via caesarean section, Kimberley says your initial focus will be on managing and reducing pain.

“Short walks around the hospital floor in the first few days after birth can help to improve circulation, improve bowel function and reduce your risk of blood clots, deep vein thrombosis, constipation and infection.”

After Ollie was born, Gemma says she sought guidance from a physio for advice on safe levels of exercise.

She was also careful to listen to her body and only do movement that felt comfortable – an approach she recommends for others too.

“Listen to your body,” she says.

“Get clearance from a women’s health physio and prioritise your pelvic floor, but you know your body better than anyone else, so listen to what feels good, what doesn’t and what you feel ready for.”

Why is the pelvic floor so important in postpartum exercise?

Kimberley says postnatal-specific training can help your body repair any damaged tissues, but the key focus should be the pelvic floor.

“No matter how you gave birth, your postpartum recovery starts with your pelvic floor,” she says.

During vaginal births the pelvic floor may stretch more than three times its normal length to allow for the baby’s head to pass through.

Women who have had a caesarean section can still have a weakened pelvic floor as a result of having to support the extra weight of the uterus, baby and increased blood volume.

“One role of the pelvic floor is to support the pelvic organs,” Kimberley says.

“A second role is to create a tight seal or ‘sphincter’ around the urethra and rectum to prevent incontinence.

“In its weakened and stretched state, the pelvic floor may not perform either of these roles well.”

What types of exercise are best for postpartum recovery?

Kimberley recommends the following exercises:

Pelvic floor activation

More than just Kegel exercises, a well-structured pelvic floor muscle training program is proven to be effective in preventing and treating stress urinary incontinence.

Core rehab

From about six weeks postpartum, you need to start to load the abdominal wall.

One of the key ways the abdomen is designed to move is to crunch – from getting up out of bed to getting out of a chair.

Other early postnatal core exercises include alternate arm and leg lifts in quadruped, toe taps and supported side planks.

Functional movement patterns

Incorporate exercises such as squats, lunges, chest press and rows into your workouts.

A great guide is to use weights that are a similar weight to your baby.

Thoracic mobility

Examples include cat and cow, thread the needle, basic chest opener stretches and book openings.

Kimberley advocates for all women seeing a Pelvic Health Physio at around 6-8 weeks postpartum. They can help you understand whether you are at risk of any pelvic floor-related complications.

For more on new parenthood:

Written by Claire Burke.