Postpartum exercise should be approached with caution and after consulting a doctor or midwife. Pelvic floor exercises, pelvic tilts, isometric crunches, and arm and shoulder exercises with light weights can help tone and strengthen muscles. Walking with a stroller or carrier is also a good option.
After having a baby, many women are eager to start exercising or return to their old routine. It is often recommended that women return to exercise and consult with their doctor or midwife before doing so. Depending on the type of delivery and the complications that arose, a longer recovery time may be necessary before beginning postpartum exercises. Sometimes a separation in the abdominal muscles called diastasis recti can occur during pregnancy. This is a condition that must be addressed before performing any abdominal exercises.
Some of the most important postpartum exercises are those that help tone the muscles of the pelvic region. This can often be done soon after delivery and will help control bladder leakage and heal an episiotomy or perineal tear. Kegel exercises strengthen the pelvic floor muscles and are performed by contracting and releasing the muscles used to stop the flow of urine. Kegels are usually done in sets, and a common technique is to contract the muscles for up to 10 seconds, release, and repeat up to 20 times. A set like this can be repeated throughout the day.
Pelvic tilts are effective in strengthening the abdominal muscles and are often recommended as postpartum exercises. A pelvic tilt is performed while lying on your back with your knees bent and your feet flat on the floor. On an inhalation, the stomach and buttock muscles tense to roll the hips back until the lower back lifts off the floor. This position is held for three seconds and then released on the exhale. It’s common to start with five pelvic tilts, building up to 15 repetitions.
Some postpartum exercises are actually done with the baby. An isometric crunch can be done starting in the same position as the pelvic tilt with the baby held on the tummy. On an inhalation, the abdominals contract and the baby is lifted up. As you exhale, the abdominals relax as the baby is lowered. Repeating this for 10-15 repetitions will help strengthen your abdominal and core muscles.
Arm and shoulder exercises with light weights help tone and strengthen the muscles needed to carry and lift the baby. One or two sets of 12-16 reps of lateral raises, biceps curls, and triceps kickbacks can be very effective postpartum exercises. Modified pushups, those completed against a wall or on your knees, can also help build upper-body strength.
New mothers often find that walking is one of the best forms of postpartum aerobic exercise because it can be done with the baby in a stroller or carrier. There are many postpartum exercise groups and classes that incorporate stroller walking with total body conditioning, giving a mother the opportunity to exercise with her baby while she interacts with other parents.
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