Despite the downside that some pregnancies present, it is always a wondrous miracle to achieve and be able to carry and be with your bundle of joy. The sleepless nights, cringe-worthy morning (or all day) sickness, hyperemesis gravidarum, enforced bed rest et al somewhat seems worth it. As circumcision is an initiation for a boy to a man, having a baby is the same for women in the African setup. Suddenly you are welcomed into the womenfolk domain, no one watches what they say around you. Inclusivity and an indicator you are now ‘grown’. Your body also undergoes a morphosis after having a baby, nothing is as it was because there was a major rearrangement to make room for your growing baby. This is why exercises before conception and postpartum exercises are vastly different. When you’re a new mom, time seems to fly by filled by caring for and after your newborn. It is important to make time and include exercise as part of your self-care. You can have a written list of items to do as part of your self-care. Most doctors and physical therapists recommend a waiting period of between 6 to 8 weeks post-partum to give your body time to heal from the strain childbirth bears. Even so, some birth process like cesarean section requires more healing time than vaginal birth.
Instances Where Exercise Is Not Ideal
The benefits of postpartum heavily outweigh the negative side of it. Nevertheless, it should be tackled as ignorance can cause fatal results. All injuries should be addressed first before commencing on a fitness path. Self-preservation and care should take mandatory precedence. Vaginal pain, bleeding or fluid leakage besides lochia or the more serious postpartum hemorrhage are an indication that you should focus more on your health than fitness. This could indicate an underlying issue that will need a doctor’s visit. Diastasis recti is a condition where the ‘six-pack’ muscles in the abdomen get a partial or complete separation. This is usually caused by expanding of the uterus as the pregnancy progresses. One can tell from a bulge or ridge that develops on your stomach. Fitness comes secondary to dealing with this. Fistula is a series of vaginal or anal injuries brought on by prolonged labor. Pelvic Organ prolapse is when an organ like the bladder gets pushed into the vagina walls during the birthing process while bearing down. These impede fitness as well.
Easing into Exercise
If you had kept an active fitness regimen before getting pregnant, exercise will come fairly easier than if you’re just starting. Your body will also respond faster because the muscle has memory. It is still not a walk in the park because your core muscles are not the same due to stretching. It is recommended to ease into exercise after the 6 to 8 weeks of wait. Your body is still not back to full performance and retains a pregnancy hormone known as relaxing that helps loosen joints. This is the culprit responsible for body aches and injuries. Sleep is an underrated vital component of fitness. The main aim of the exercise is to be healthy and boost serotonin-feel good- levels. As a new mom, it is easy not to get enough rest but rest as much as you can. Exercise can exacerbate your fatigue. Ligament tear is a possibility from months of inactivity while strenuous intensive exercises are a new mom no-no. This is because these exercises like jumping and sprinting produce lactic acid as a byproduct that usually alters breastmilk. When your milk supply dips or you get injuries, that is a clear indication you’re pushing yourself too hard and need to ease up.
Various Exercises to Sample
These postpartum exercises are convenient in the sense that you do not need to dress up, grab your gym bag, and leave your newborn. They can all be done in the comfort of your home as your baby is sleeping. As a rule, always breastfeed or pump before exercising and outfit yourself with a proper sports bra. Working out with engorged breasts is not ideal and will be a painful affair.
- Yoga
This has got to be the number one postpartum exercises. It touches on all areas; mental stability, physical agility, and spiritual calmness. It has been known to alleviate Postnatal Depression also known as PPD-Postpartum Depression.
- Pilate
It is a low-impact postpartum exercises that focuses on relaxing muscles and strengthening muscles in various parts of the body. It is useful in toning-up, correcting, and improving your posture while works towards building lean muscle.
- Walking
Walking is a form of aerobics as it gets your heart pumping stronger and faster. This makes sure the oxygen-rich blood effectively gets to all muscles and internal working organs throughout your body. You can strap your baby and take a stroll outside to get the full impact.
- Kegel and Pelvic Floor Exercise
If you delivered vaginally it is fine to start 30 minutes after or as soon as you feel comfortable. If there are stitches, let them heal first. Kegels together with pelvic floor exercise help in tightening muscles lent loose from the pressure exerted by the uterus. It also achieves better bowel and bladder control.
- Ab and Oblique Curls
This exercise involves spinal flexion and bending at your waist to contour your waistline. It strengthens your back and stomach muscles, core muscles. It also aligns and corrects muscles that were displaced by carrying extra weight that comes with pregnancy.
- Back Pain
The spine is the most affected during pregnancy. In the case of chronic pain, it requires an immediate medical consultation. For less pain, the use of hot or cold compress helps to ease the inflammation while taking pain relievers reduces the sting of pain. Sleeping on a firm mattress and watching your posture is also important. No one ever tells you how your body changes when you have a baby, maybe because it’s different for every woman. All the same, the treatment and what to watch out for are the same. To a healthy body!