Returning to exercise post pregnancy…. start here

It is important to remember that your body has changed over the past 10 months and in this 4th trimester, taking time to adjust, learn your new role as a Mum and return to exercise safely when you feel ready is so important. Resetting expectations post pregnancy is crucial as is rebuilding from the inside out to get a strong foundation to work from.

Try not to feel any pressure to rebuild your fitness.  It took 9 months for you to grow a baby.. please take the time to allow your body to restore and recover before you even thinking about returning to anything you used to do pre pregnancy.

My three top tips for returning to exercise are below.

1.  Start with your essential core breath work.  It’s simple, effective and essential to strengthening your core and pelvic floor muscles. You can find more information on how to do this in specific PF and TA blogs here on the website.

2.  Step out into the sunshine for a walk.  Start with a small distance and gradually increase the distance or speed as you feel ready. The combination of Vitamin D from the sun and endorphins from some low impact cardio will leave you feeling so much better for it.

3.  You’ll be surprised by just how much you move in everyday life as a mum.  Movements such as picking things up, pushing the buggy, carrying a capsule, getting up and down off the floor or a seat; they all replicate functional exercises we do at the gym or in a class – so have a little fun with it!

I highly recommend having a full post natal check with a Woman’s Health Physio before starting any further exercise.  This will provide you with a better understanding of exactly what is happening with your body on the inside and where your body is at post pregnancy in order for you to make a more informed decision about how you can best return to exercise.

Remember to listen to your body and do what is right for you when starting back on your fitness journey post pregnancy.

Essential core breath work, daily walks and functional low impact exercises that replicate everyday Mum movements will give you a great foundation to rebuild your fitness moving forward.  This teamed with a certified post natal trainer who will look after you and your needs – it’s a winning combo that will leave you feeling fitter and stronger than ever before.