After giving birth can i exercise

If you feel any pain, stop. When you feel like it, start with a gentle walk, perhaps while pushing the pram. Then, at your own pace, gradually increase the time and pace of your walks. Build up to a minute walk every day if you can. Avoid swimming until the bleeding has stopped for 7 days and you've had your postnatal check with the doctor or obstetrician 6 to 8 weeks after the birth. Wait until your 6-week postnatal check-up before you go back to the gym or start a group exercise program.

It's best not to return to your previous level of physical activity until 16 weeks after the baby is born. A caesarean is a major operation and it will take you at least 6 weeks to heal. However, you can still do pelvic floor exercises from the first day after the birth. You can start to exercise your abdominal muscles as soon as you feel able to.

Avoid sit ups, crunches or abdominal curls, as these put pressure on the scar. Avoid lifting heavy weights. Tighten your tummy and keep your back straight if you need to lift something around the house. After 6 to 8 weeks, you will still be healing inside. It is OK to start walking, do low-impact aerobics or cycle. Stop if there is any discomfort, pain or a pulling sensation on your scar and try again a couple of weeks later. You should avoid high-impact exercise for 3 to 4 months after your caesarean.

Don't go swimming until the bleeding has stopped for 7 days and you've had your postnatal check with the doctor or obstetrician 6 to 8 weeks after the birth. You can incorporate exercise into your day — for example, when you meet up with friends, or while you're doing other tasks doing pelvic floor exercises while you're breastfeeding or driving, for example. Walk with your baby in the pram rather than driving, or do your abdominal exercises on the floor next to your baby.

For at least 3 months, try to avoid heavy weights, sit ups and high-intensity aerobic activity such as running and tennis. Before you start any high-impact exercises, cough or jump with a full bladder to see if you leak any urine. If you don't, you're probably ready to exercise. If you're still leaking urine 3 months after the birth, talk to your GP or a physiotherapist about strengthening your pelvic floor.

You can find a physio near you using the Service Finder. If you have trouble emptying your bowel or bladder , feel a sense of pressure in your vagina or notice a bulge or swelling in your vagina, you may have a prolapse. See your doctor.

Some include your baby and their pram or buggy as part of the workout. Ask your health visitor if they know of any in your area. If you're going to a class that is not a special postnatal class, make sure you tell the instructor that you've recently had a baby.

You could also try this postnatal yoga video. Push the pram or buggy briskly. Remember to keep your arms bent and your back straight. Make sure the handles are at the right height for you — your elbows should be bent at right angles. Walking is great exercise, so try to get out as much as you can. Play energetic games with older children. You can exercise by running around with them. Build activity into your day.

Use the stairs instead of the lift or, for short journeys, walk instead of taking the car. Bend your knees when you pick things up off the floor, rather than bending at the waist. If you bend down with bent knees and a straight back, instead of bending over at the waist straight knees and a bent spine , you'll strengthen your thigh muscles and avoid damaging your back.

Hold heavy objects close to your body. Try swimming. It's good exercise and also relaxing, but you'll need to wait until 7 days after your postnatal bleeding has stopped.

If you take your baby with you, try to have someone else there to mind the baby so you have a chance to swim. Borrow, buy or watch exercise videos online. This is a good way to work out at home. You could get a friend or your children to join in.

Look after your mental health It's important to look after your mental health as well as your physical health. It boosts energy. It promotes better sleep. It relieves stress. It can help you lose the extra weight that you may have gained during pregnancy. As you get ready for your workout, follow these steps: Wear loose-fitting clothing that will help keep you cool.

Wear a bra that fits well and gives plenty of support to protect your breasts. Have a bottle of water handy and take several sips during your workout. Article continues below Advertisement. If you have further questions, contact your ob-gyn. Don't have an ob-gyn? Search for doctors near you. Learn About the Book. Find an Ob-Gyn Search for doctors near you. Start Your Search. Back to Top. Working out can temporarily alter the levels of lactic acid, and while it won't affect the nutritional value of your milk, it can have an impact on the taste.

Be sure to invest in a supportive sports bra your chest will thank you. And drink more fluids an extra glass before and after your exercise session should do it. Your practitioner will help you figure out what the problem is and can refer you to a physical therapist if necessary. A PT can evaluate you and either offer exercises to help you heal or reach out to your doctor. As long as your insurance includes physical therapy, your sessions should be covered.

In addition to the usual warning signs pain, bleeding, leakage, pelvic heaviness , stop if you feel lightheaded or dizzy. Everyone is different, and how you respond to exercise after giving birth depends on many factors, including any complications you may have had during labor and delivery.

It may also help to frame exercise as a means for becoming healthier overall rather than as a way to fit back into your pre-pregnancy jeans. The postpartum period is all about rebalancing potent pregnancy hormones with a new little person to take care of and very little sleep.

For up to 1 in 5 women, that can result in postpartum depression PPD. PPD is never your fault, and there many complex causes of it, but there is evidence that suggests exercise can help lower postpartum anxiety and depression symptoms in most women.

It gets you out with other friends with babies and builds a community to support you. By week six postpartum, almost everyone can return to their normal pre-pregnancy routines, says Artal, although some women find it takes longer. What to Expect follows strict reporting guidelines and uses only credible sources, such as peer-reviewed studies, academic research institutions and highly respected health organizations. Learn how we keep our content accurate and up-to-date by reading our medical review and editorial policy.

The educational health content on What To Expect is reviewed by our medical review board and team of experts to be up-to-date and in line with the latest evidence-based medical information and accepted health guidelines, including the medically reviewed What to Expect books by Heidi Murkoff.