Pregnancy is a time of change. It’s a time of
“new life” and “expansion” - physically, emotionally and spiritually. All
women, no matter what age, shape or fitness, experience incredible physical
changes during pregnancy. It takes some time to return to your pre-pregnant
fitness level and shape. If you are working on getting back into shape after
the birth of your baby, it is essential exercise at a safe postnatal level.
Consider the following advice.
1. Regular exercise after your pregnancy can
help you to return to your pre-pregnancy weight more easily, reduce back pain,
improve or maintain muscle tone, reduce leg cramps, swelling and constipation
and improve sleep patterns. Women who exercise regularly often feel better
about themselves and can cope more easily with the demands of motherhood.
2. Appropriate exercises during the first four
to six months after the birth of your child include walking, swimming (once
bleeding has stopped), post natal exercise classes, water aerobics (low impact
to start with) and low impact aerobics. Your fitness professional may be able
to provide you with a light weights program that allows you to maintain your
posture and does not involve holding your breath.
3. You can gradually increase the intensity of
your exercise program as you feel able to, provided you do not experience any
pain or discomfort.
4. It is very important that your pelvic floor
and abdominal muscles have regained sufficient strength before you recommence
sport, aerobics, running or heavy lifting. Most women will require a minimum of
twelve to sixteen weeks of exercises to strengthen their pelvic floor and
abdominal muscles before they return to their normal exercise routine.
5. You should not experience any back pain,
pelvic or vaginal heaviness or urine loss during or after exercise. If you do,
slow down or reduce your intensity level. If pain or discomfort persists
consult your doctor or continence and women’s health physiotherapist.
6. Women often incorrectly believe sport and
other high impact exercise will take care of their pelvic floor muscles.
Participating in sport, running or other high impact activities during
pregnancy and early after childbirth may actually reduce pelvic floor muscle
strength and cause long-term bladder and bowel problems, including the risk of
prolapse requiring surgical repair.
7. Always maintain correct form and posture
during exercise. Use postnatal abdominal muscle bracing, drawing in your pelvic
floor and lower abdominal muscles, making sure that you continue to breathe
easily. Be aware of your back at all times. To maintain good posture when
standing, lift yourself up tall, stand with your lower abdominal muscles drawn
in, your shoulders back and gently nod your chin in. Aim to maintain this
position regularly during the day.
9. Take care not to overdo it! The disruption of
your sleep pattern due to your baby means you are often tired before you start
to exercise. Stop exercising before you reach exhaustion. Have a rest during
exercise if you feel you need one. Remember to work at your own pace.
Pelvic Floor Muscles
10. Aim to start to do pelvic floor exercises
within the first few days after the birth to strengthen these muscles again.
Even women who have had stitches can do pelvic floor muscle exercises.
11. Choose some activities from your daily
routine which will remind you to do your pelvic floor exercises, for example
when sitting to feed your baby.
12. Keep up your pelvic floor muscle exercises
even after your muscles feel like they are back to normal. This will help them
to stay strong and to prevent any problems developing with further pregnancies
or as you get older.
13. Sometimes sexual intercourse can be painful
after the birth of your baby following stitches due to the scar tissue. If this
happens, speak to your doctor and seek treatment from a physiotherapist working
in the area of women’s health.
Abdominal Muscles
14. After pregnancy your stomach muscles are
stretched and do not protect your back as much as usual. Your lower back and
pelvis need to be supported and stabilised by muscles to protect your spine
from being injured when lifting, moving and carrying objects, including your
baby.
15. Your deepest abdominal muscle layer is like
a living corset. It helps to stabilise your spine before any movement or
action. This is known as the Transversus Abdominus (TA) muscle.
16. Strong abdominal muscles support your back
and help prevent the development of low back pain. Going back to sport before
the abdominal muscles stabilise and support the spine properly increases the
risk of a back injury.
17. The pregnancy hormone Relaxin, which softens
your joints, still has effects after the birth, which may increase the risk of
injury. ‘Pick up’ your pelvic floor and draw in your abdominal muscles when
lifting and maintain good posture.
18. Sit-ups and curl-ups do not work the TA
muscle correctly. Stomach curls and crunches should cease as soon as you are
pregnant and should not be performed until your deeper abdominal and pelvic
floor muscles have regained their strength after the birth. Your
physiotherapist or fitness professional can help you learn pregnancy and
postnatal abdominal bracing exercises to provide support to the baby during
pregnancy and to tone your abdominal muscles up after the birth.
A range of postnatal abdominal muscle exercises
are available; choose the level that is
right for you.
Above all, enjoy the time you have with
your child. Getting yourself back into a fitness routine after childbirth
not only helps fight the “baby blues” and postpartum depression, but it also
releases endorphins that can have a positive effect on the
entire family.
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