Exercise can help you recover after childbirth, make you stronger and improve your mood. Even if you’re tired and not feeling motivated, there’s plenty you can do to get your body moving. But no two pregnancies are the same. How soon you’re ready to start exercising depends on your individual circumstances–so always check with a health professional first. After you’ve had a baby, regular exercise will strengthen and tone your muscles. It can also help you recover from labour ,as well as make you feel less tired overall! Exercising releases endorphins, making you feel good and motivated to tackle life as a new mum.
In addition to being good for your physical wellbeing, regular exercise has been shown in many studies and reports from around the world as having an incredible effect on mental health. The strains of pregnancy can often lead people down a path where they are more prone towards stress-related disorders such as Postnatal Depression, but this doesn’t mean you need to stay at home inactive, just doing ten minutes every day will make all the difference, so start now – even if it’s just getting out there walking/jogging etc., whichever way suits best—you’ll soon find yourself feeling less stressed.
Changes to your Body After Pregnancy
Exercise is an important part of your postpartum recovery journey. You should not overdo it, even if you feel great after giving birth to a healthy baby! Your body has gone through big changes and needs time for itself too, so don’t try anything intense right away.
It’s important to be aware of anything that could go wrong in pregnancy or in giving birth. The physical changes that occur during this time can cause problems, including back pain, leaky bladders (due to increased stress on the pelvic floor ?), joint discomfort/injury. The physical problems that can come with labour and birth are not just temporary, they can last for up to months after the event. The speed at which you return to exercise will differ depending on your fitness level before pregnancy, and what happened during labour. Our goal at Function Health Club is to help educate you with what you can and cannot do during these times.
Low Risk Exercises for Mothers
Option 1:
Abdominal exercises are a great way to strengthen your abs. Choose one of these positions: while standing with legs flat against the floor so that you’re in a four-point position (the same as squats). Draw Lower Tummy towards spine while breathing normally for 5 – 10 seconds at a time before repeating. 8-12 times per day 4x daily.
Option 2:
The pelvic floor is the major muscle group in our lower abdominal area. It helps to support and adjust childbirth, as well as maintain urine flow or other bodily functions, such as bowel movement! To strengthen this important region, we must perform certain exercises that involve contracting and relaxing these muscles. Sit up straight and lean slightly forward, making sure your back is parallel with the floor. Squeeze every muscle in this area, then hold for 8 counts while counting slowly down from 10 before relaxing again fully after 2 seconds without moving. You can repeat this exercise 8-12 times.
As always, consult an expert before proceeding with any types of exercises. At Function Health Club, we can assist you with your journey back to fitness. You can learn more if you contact us at https://functionhealthclub.com/birthfit/ or follow us on Instagram and Facebook.
