After giving birth, your body needs to heal, and any physical activity you undertake must be eased into gradually. According to the American Congress of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, you should talk to your doctor when you feel ready to begin a postpartum exercise program. Exercising daily can help tone and firm your muscles. As you prepare for postpartum workouts, review exercise precautions and considerations and learn the techniques of basic pelvic and abdominal exercises to strengthen your stretched muscles.
Precautions and Considerations
Step 1
Refrain from exercise if you experience a breast infection, heavy vaginal bleeding or pain during the first six weeks after childbirth. Contact your doctor to discuss safe exercise options if you had a cesarean birth.
Step 2
Pay attention to your body's signals. Do not work out when ill, dehydrated or fatigued.
Step 3
Increase your exercise repetitions, frequency, duration and intensity gradually. The American Council on Exercise recommends gradually building up to 30 to 60 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic exercise three to six days a week. Supplement this activity with two or three days of muscle toning exercises.
Step 4
Consider taking postpartum exercise classes offered at your local gym or community center. Resources to help you locate classes include your local health care provider, hospitals and colleges.
Pelvic Exercises
Step 1
Start Kegel exercises soon after childbirth to strengthen your pelvic floor muscles that surround your vagina, anus and urethra. Pull in and squeeze your pelvic floor muscles, or the muscles that you use to stop your flow of urine midstream. Hold the squeeze for as long as you can and then release.
Step 2
Build up to 10 Kegel exercises every hour and rest for four seconds between repetitions.
Step 3
Lie on your back with your knees bent and feet flat on the floor to prepare for pelvic tilt exercises. Rest your head and shoulders on a pillow.
Step 4
Press the small of your back into the floor and pull in your stomach. Hold the pose for four seconds and release.
Abdominal Exercises
Step 1
Prepare for shoulder lifts and curl-ups as you would for pelvic tilts. Lie on your back with you feet flat on the floor and your knees bent. Place a pillow behind your head and shoulders.
Step 2
Exhale and stretch your hands toward your knees as you lift your head and shoulders off the ground. Hold this pose for four seconds and then inhale and lower yourself to the ground.
Step 3
Move on to curl-ups after you build up to doing 10 shoulder lifts with ease.
Step 4
Exhale and lift your torso off of the ground at a 45-degree angle as you reach for your knees. Hold this pose for about four seconds and then inhale and lower yourself to the floor.
Tips and Warnings
- Do not attempt vigorous exercise until you stop postpartum bleeding and strengthen your pelvic floor muscles.
Things You'll Need
- Pillow
References
- The American Congress of Obstetricians and Gynecologists; Education Pamphlet: Getting in Shape After Your Baby is Born; July 2009
- American Council on Exercise; Fit Facts: Postpartum Health; 2009
- "Pregnancy and Birth: Your Questions Answered"; Christopher Lees, M.D., et al.; 2007
- "The Complete Book of Breastfeeding"; Sally Wendkos Olds, et al.; 2010
