After giving birth, the thought of returning to exercise postpartum can bring a combination of excitement and uncertainty – many new mothers are eager to feel stronger again, whist also feeling unsure of what their body is ready for and where to begin.
If this sounds anything like you, then you’re in the right place.
Having a baby brings a whole range of physical and emotional changes, as well as the potential adjustment to your sleep schedule, changed routines and the demands of caring for a newborn which may make exercise feel daunting.
The first thing to emphasise is that there is no single timeline for returning to exercise postpartum.
Many women get caught up on what they ‘should’ be doing at each stage, but it really is different for everybody, so don’t be tempted to compare yourself to other new mothers who gave birth at the same time as you.
Instead of rushing to regain your pre-pregnancy fitness, shift your focus to rebuilding your strength, confidence and connection with your body, as the right kind of movement can help to make this next chapter feel much more manageable.
Understanding your postpartum body
If you have recently had a baby, you won’t need to be told that there are a number of physical changes associated with pregnancy and birth.
As well as potential changes to your abdominal muscles and pelvic floor, it’s normal to feel the impact of pregnancy, birth and recovery on your mobility, posture and strength.
Taking care of a newborn also brings its own physical demands through feeding, lifting and carrying a baby, and energy levels are also impacted by the change to routine in your life.
Your body has been through a significant experience, and your approach to returning to exercise postpartum should reflect that; recovery is not primarily about returning to your previous exercise routine, but about allowing the body time to recover, and gradually rebuilding your capacity.
When is it safe to return to exercise?
This is a question we hear a lot at New Healthy Body, and the difficult thing is that the answer really is different for everyone.
It’s so important to allow proper time for healing after giving birth, and we would always recommend seeking guidance from your GP or midwife about returning to exercise postpartum if you’re unsure about what stage you’re at, particularly after complications or a caesarean birth.
Whether you’re ready to return to exercise depends on your birth experience, the symptoms you experience and your individual recovery, rather than a fixed date or the amount of time since your birth experience.
The best thing to do is to test how ready your body is by starting with gentle movement such as comfortable walking and breathing exercises, gradually testing your capacity and noticing the effects that this has on your body.
Higher-impact exercise and more strenuous training will be possible in the future, however this will require a more gradual return, after giving your body a chance to first ease back into gentle movement.
Why Pilates can be a great option postpartum
We meet lots of new mothers at the studio who are seeking a way to ease back into exercise gradually and have found Pilates to be a good option in enabling them to start returning to exercise postpartum.
There are a number of key reasons that Pilates is a great method for this:
1. Rebuilding strength gradually
Pilates exercises are inherently low-impact, avoiding too much focused stress on the body, and can be adapted to different ability levels depending on each person’s capacity.
2. Developing core awareness
Pilates focuses on breathing, co-ordination and body control; these can all support a gradual return to movement, particularly abdominal exercise, with appropriate modifications.
3. Supporting mobility and posture
Gentle, controlled movements can help to address stiffness which is associated with many of the demands of new motherhood such as feeding and carrying a baby and spending lots of time in one position.
4. Making time for yourself
A Pilates class can offer a dedicated opportunity to focus on your own wellbeing in a time period when your attention is often directed elsewhere, and self-care can take back seat.
Pilates isn’t a quick fix or a guaranteed solution for specific symptoms of postpartum life, but its value lies in its adaptability and focus on controlled movement.
Rather than pushing your body to simply do more, Pilates can help you to rediscover what feels comfortable, build strength progressively and move with greater confidence.
Interested in returning to exercise postpartum? Contact New Healthy Body!
Thank you so much for taking the time to read this blog; we know that if you’ve recently given birth, you have all sorts of demands on your time, and we hope that the information shared here has been helpful to you as you consider returning to exercise postpartum.
Remember, it’s not about rushing to get your ‘old body’ back, but instead about developing strength, confidence and a positive relationship with movement after birth.
If you listen to your body as you ease back into exercise, and prioritise consistency over intensity, you’ll be on the right track to a sustainable level of movement which will help you to progress over time.
We believe that Pilates is a great way to ease back into movement and build up your exercise routine again, and at New Healthy Body we offer a wide range of classes both online and in-person at our Sheffield studio.
All of our classes are suitable for beginners or those who haven’t done Pilates in a while, and our instructors are knowledgeable, highly qualified and able to adapt exercises to each individual according to their needs.
Our 21 Day Pilates Programme would be a great way to see how Pilates and taking the time out for yourself works for you. For more info head over to our 21 Day Pilates Programme Page
If you’re ready to explore returning to exercise postpartum, we’d love to hear from you – please get in contact if you have any questions or queries about anything to do with your journey.