One of the biggest fears of fitness women is getting pregnant from the fact that they won't be able to exercise for a long time after giving birth.
After the birth of your baby, it is important to rest long enough, following the same safety measures that all women should take into account. Even after you've made a full recovery, it's important to note that there are still certain things to pay attention to, as being physically ready to exercise doesn't mean you can go straight back to your old training routine.
Find out how to get back to exercising after giving birth .
When to return to exercise after delivery?
Most important of all, wait for your body to heal as it must be ready to cope with the physical demands of exercise. Therefore, you must wait for your medical professional to authorize that you can resume training, which can be from 6 weeks to 6 months, depending on your labor.
Once you have met the estimated time, it does not mean that everything is perfect, since there is still the risk of bleeding, tearing or that your body cannot cope with the physical demands. However, it is recommended to resume training from less to more; that is, start at a low level and increase in difficulty as you feel better.
You can start with simple walks accompanied by your baby. You can also use a stationary bike at the gym or at home where you can do a light resistance routine. Once you are cleared to resume training, there are a few things you will want to do to ensure that the transition to exercise is as smooth as possible, as well as mentally prepare yourself.
How to return to sports after childbirth
1. Visit the doctor for a checkup
In some clinics and hospitals there are no longer six-week postnatal check-ups, this may be the case of the city where you are, but not for that reason you should not have a check-up with your doctor, especially if it is your first delivery.
Once your doctor clears you to train again, it is recommended that you do it gradually. It is important that you bear in mind that you cannot resume hard physical activities suddenly, but gradually, from less to more.
The rest time can be after the first weeks if you had a cesarean section, or between 10 to 12 weeks if you had a non-surgical delivery, but in any case, it is recommended to visit the doctor before resuming your physical activities.
2. Get low-impact exercise
A great way to get back into training is by exercising with your own body weight. Exercises such as squats, wall-supported squats, pelvic exercises, and deep breathing abdominal exercises are good exercises to implement.
As you exercise, you may find that some exercises that were once simple for you are now much more difficult to perform. Your core strength may be completely gone, but that's normal in these situations. This will not always be the case, as you will begin to regain your strength as you exercise.
On the other hand, if you rush and want to get back to your workouts at the same level you left them, you could be hurting yourself. Therefore, it is recommended to listen to your body. If you feel good enough to try more challenging exercises, do them, as long as it is with caution.
3. Avoid any challenging activity
If you are thinking about attending a HIIT training class or doing any other extreme or high performance exercise, then you are not thinking clearly.
Aside from the fact that your body is recovering from a great deal of stress from childbirth, it is very likely that you are not yet physically fit to resume an exhaustive workout, not to mention that you still have the hormone relaxin in your body, which causes your joints are more flexible and increase the risk of joint injury, especially when going side to side or trying to perform a hard movement at high speed.
Instead, opt for lower-impact, lower-risk options, where you can focus on the options where you have full control of your body.
You can start with light cardio exercises, such as with a stationary bike, but if you prefer weights, then you can exercise with very light loads, even lighter than what you used to lift previously (remember that you are in a recovery stage). Plus, it's a great way to get your body used to lifting again.
4. Focus on a full recovery
After childbirth, most women want to get back to their previous figure (especially if they are fitness athletes), but it is recommended to ignore this type of thing at the beginning of training, as it can be tempting to want to lose weight quickly or remove that excess fat on your arms.
Instead, you should try to gradually strengthen your body as you train. Remember that the main thing is not to return to the figure you had previously or to want to be a totally new woman, but to recover your previous conditions.
5. Take the time to train again
The most important thing after the birth of your baby is not to go to the gym to train, but to spend time with the new member of your family. You can go back to the exercises, but the main thing has to be the care of your child; therefore it is recommended to take it easy and not worry about getting back to training as soon as possible.
The exact time to return to training after a cesarean section is not known , since it depends on the way in which each body evolves as its recovery progresses, what if it is recommended is to take things slowly and start from less to more. Hard training without good rest can cause you a lot of problems.
conclusion
Sudden and rapid training after childbirth can be very damaging to health, as the recovery time period necessary for the body to recover from all the stress suffered has to be met. Therefore, it is recommended to resume physical activity gradually, going from less to more. In fact, even after you've met your estimated rest time, it's recommended to visit a doctor to confirm if you can exercise again.
References
- Aston, M. 10 Tips To Restarting Fitness After Childbirth. For Breakingmuscle [Reviewed November 2019].
