Exercise After Delivery

In the First Six Weeks

– In all cases, ask your doctor to give you the green light to start.
– In healthy uncomplicated pregnancies, it is considered safe to start exercising few days after delivery or once the mother feels that she is ready.

– Kegel exercises can be started from the beginning.
– Start slowly and increase the intensity gradually.
– When heavy bleeding, you need to slow down.
– in a gym, make sure to tell your instructor that you recently had a baby.
– It is better to wait until the first postnatal check up (after 6-8 weeks) to resume harder exercises such as running or aerobics.
– No swimming until your postnatal check up and had 7 days without any postnatal bleeding or discharge.

Walking:
How: start slowly with 10 minutes and increase gradually up to 30 minutes every day. Pushing your baby pram is good idea.

Pelvic Floor Muscles Exercise
You can start in the first days after delivery.
Benefits: prevent incontinence, improve blood circulation, strengthen pelvic floor muscles.
How:
You can do it on your side or back.
Pull your pelvic floor muscles up and in as if trying to stop from urinating.
First week: 10 repetitions each hold for 1 second
Second week: 10 repetitions each hold for 2 seconds.
Third week: 10 repetitions each hold for 3 seconds.
Up to the 10th week, hold for 10 seconds.
Don’t hold your breath while exercising and do it three times a day.

Deep Belly Breathing: 
Benefits: to tighten/flatten the belly muscles. You can start doing it in few hours after delivery.
How: Inhale some air and contract/tighten your abs. Hold for few seconds and then exhale and relax. You can do this 2-3 times a day for 10-20 repetitions each time.

Strengthening upper back and neck exercises:
Be gentle while stretching and with twisting of your body as the ligaments and joints might be more pliable.

1. Cross your arms on your chest and sit straight. Twist to the right and left. Repeat 10 times each side
2. Sit with your hands behind your neck. Twist to the right and left. Repeat 10 times each side.

Pelvic Tilt:
Benefits: improve abdominal strength.
Lay on your back with your knees bent. Inhale some air and push your lower stomach muscles in and tighten your pelvic floor muscles with arching your back away from the floor. Do 10 to 20 repetitions.

Watch the video: