Exercises After Pregnancy & Birth

The sight of a sagging postpartum belly can upset any woman, no matter how confident. Women often find that coping with the postpartum belly is more difficult than dealing with the changes of pregnancy, explains Dr. Abaz Sosic, an obstetrician at Bradford Regional Medical Center in Bradford, Pennsylvania. Exercise can help return your body to pre-pregnancy shape, but can also cause you harm. Consult a doctor before starting any exercise program after giving birth.

Benefits

Daily exercise helps restore your muscle strength while toning your body. Exercise may even decrease feelings of exhaustion, improve your mood, increase your fitness level, tighten loose abdominal skin and decrease your risk for serious diseases, such as heart disease and diabetes. You may even feel a closer bond to your baby and feel more in control of your environment when you exercise regularly after giving birth, advises Dr. Luisito Dingcong, a psychiatrist at the Bright Horizons practice in Clearfield, Pennsylvania.

Importance of Rest

Pregnancy, childbirth and newborn care take a toll on you mentally and physically. Incorporate both rest and exercise into your daily routine during the first two months after giving birth, Sosic instructs. Spend this time getting to know your baby, performing postnatal yoga and gradually increasing your fitness level through walking and other light aerobic activities. Doing so will allow your body to recover from pregnancy and childbirth while allowing you to increase your fitness level, boost your sense of well-being and manage your weight.

Strengthening and Stretching

Strengthening and stretching exercises can benefit you within hours of giving birth. Kegel exercises strengthen your pelvic floor muscles to help reduce incontinence, heal the perineum and tighten your vagina. Begin strengthening your abdominal and core muscles by carefully raising your hips off the bed using only your thighs, abdominal and buttocks muscles. Continue to strengthen your abdominal muscles by tightening your abs as you press your back into the bed and curl your pelvis forward. Leg movements, shoulder stretches and arm exercises help increase the strength and flexibility of other areas of your body.

Aerobic Exercise

Wait seven to 21 days after giving birth to start a light aerobic workout, Sosic recommends; Cesarean sections and complicated births require the longer waiting period. Start slowly with a light 10- to 15-minute walk. If you do not experience exhaustion or pain during or after the walk, consider increasing the speed or duration of your walk. Gradually increase the speed and duration until you can walk at a moderate intensity for 30 minutes without stopping. As your fitness level increases, begin exploring other forms of aerobic exercise to vary your workouts.

Precautions

Complications from pregnancy may restrict your ability to exercise. Consult your doctor before attempting any form of exercise to ensure your safety. Stop exercising and contact your doctor if you experience pain, bright red vaginal bleeding or excessive fatigue. High-impact exercises and those that require rapid changes in direction or stops may cause injury, because the hormone that relaxed your joints to allow for delivery of your baby continues to affect your joints for up to six months after giving birth, Sosic explains. Decrease breast tenderness by wearing a supportive bra and avoiding exercises that cause your breasts to bounce.