Exercise After Pregnancy

Being a mum is hard work and you need to be fit and strong. Regular physical activity can boost your energy and self-esteem, relieve stress and help you sleep.

When can I start exercising?

It's a good idea to wait until after your six-week postnatal check before you start to exercise regularly again. If you exercised regularly before giving birth and you feel fit and well, you might be able to start earlier. Talk to your midwife or GP.
If you had a caesarean delivery, your recovery time will be longer. Talk to your GP before starting anything too strenuous.

Can I do any exercises immediately?

Yes, you can exercise your pelvic floor muscles (the muscles you use to stop your flow of urine when you're on the loo). Pregnancy and childbirth puts a lot of strain on these muscles, which can lead to stress incontinence (leaking urine when you sneeze, cough, laugh or exercise). You can do pelvic floor exercises anywhere: at home, at the bus stop or queuing at the shops.
Pelvic floor exercises can make sex better, too.

What should I be aware of before exercising?

Your lower back and core abdominal muscles are weaker than they used to be. During pregnancy your body produced a hormone called relaxin, which made your ligaments more elastic so they could stretch as the baby grew. Because your ligaments and joints have become more supple and pliable, it’s easier to injure yourself by overstretching or twisting.

Your abdominal muscles need checking

Before attempting any exercise, you need to check your rectus abdominus muscles, which run from beneath your ribs to the top of your pubic bone.
During pregnancy, these muscles sometimes separate. You need to do gentle strengthening exercises after the birth because the gap between muscles doesn’t close automatically. Anything too strenuous (such as sit-ups or curl-ups) can make it worse.
You can ask your midwife or GP to check if these muscles have separated.

Pelvic floor exercises
Squeeze the pelvic floor muscles gently 10 to 15 times, as though you're stopping a wee. Don’t tighten your stomach, buttock or thigh muscles at the same time. Do long holds for up to 10 seconds and short, quick squeezes.

What exercise can I do?

Begin gently. Make sure you feel comfortable with what you’re doing. A gentle walk with the buggy is fine to start off with. You can increase the speed or distance when you feel up to it. After six weeks (and when your bleeding has stopped), you could join a specialist postnatal exercise class, such as aquanatal, Pilates or postnatal aerobics. Don’t rely on your pre-pregnancy sports bra as your back and cup size are likely to be different. Get measured for a new one.

How do I know if I’m overdoing it?

If you’re doing too much, you’ll experience extreme fatigue, feel run-down and take longer to recover from workout sessions.
If your lochia (the bleeding after birth) flows more heavily or changes colour (becomes pink or red) after activity, you could be overdoing it and need to take it easy.

Can I take my baby along?

Many postnatal classes let you take part and leave your baby at the side of the room. Some exercise classes allow the baby and buggy in as part of the workout. Ask your health visitor if she knows of any in your area.

What should I look for in an instructor?

For a list of experienced pregnancy and postnatal exercise teachers in your area, look at the website of the Guild of Pregnancy and Postnatal Exercise Instructors (see Useful links).

What foods should I eat?

Eat a healthy diet and have regular meals. Drink water when you’re thirsty and avoid ‘quick fixes’ such as energy drinks. These just contain empty calories.
If you're hungry, try slow-release foods (for example, oat-based snacks, wholegrain breads and cereals, and fruit) that won’t give a sugary high followed by a low.

What exercises can firm my tummy?

Moira Clark, a specialist pregnancy and postnatal exercise teacher, recommends the following exercises to firm your stomach:

• Gentle tummy scoop Put one hand on the lower tummy between the naval and the pubic bones. Gently draw the lower tummy in away from the hand, keep breathing and hold for a few seconds. This can be done sitting, lying down or standing. Progress to keeping the tummy gently scooped in when moving around and walking.
• Pelvic tilts Lying on the back with knees bent up and a soft curve in the lower back, perform a tummy scoop and tilt the pelvis so that the lower back flattens to the floor and the pubic bones curl up towards the ribs. Hold for a few seconds, maintaining the tummy scoop. The lower abdomen should not bulge out. Release by tilting the pelvis back to the soft curve in the lower back.