Exercise is a great way to lose after your baby is born and also helps you feel good. Walking the baby in the pram does all this and puts the baby to sleep (usually), so is an ideal way to start being active after giving birth. Build up exercise gradually, but avoid vigorous exercise until after your postnatal check (at about 6 weeks) to be sure everything is okay. Low impact exercises like walking can be done after three months. Aim for five minute walks daily, working your way up to 30 to 45 minute walks, or you can also break that time up into two short walks. Swimming is another great way to tone up and this can be done after your post-natal check-up. High impact exercises like running or court games can be done after six months.
As well as general exercise, you need to do some specific exercises to help your tummy muscles and pelvic floor get back their shape and strength. The pelvic floor muscles has been stretched and weakened by pregnancy and birth, and it is important to make them strong again so that you feel more comfortable, bladder function is good and sexual satisfaction returns. You will probably be shown some exercises in hospital, or there may be a physiotherapy class you can attend.
A simple pelvic floor exercise to do:
- Sit with legs slightly apart and tighten the ring of muscle around the vagina, as if stopping the flow of urine. Hold to the count of five and relax it as slowly as you can. Do this exercise as often as you can, gradually holding for 10 seconds, this could take some months to achieve. Also, once a day, using the same method, build up to 20 short squeezes.
You can test your pelvic floor after a few months by jumping up and down with a full bladder and tightening pelvic floor as you do so. If you leak, keep up with the exercise regime. Pilates and gentle yoga is another great way to strengthen the pelvic floor and tone the stomach.