#32: How to start exercising after having a baby

Did you have a plan about how quickly you will get back to your pre pregnancy fitness routine and clothes? I did. I thought it will take me maximum 6 months. Three would be even better.

It took me way longer.

20 months after my c-section and I still cannot fit all of my pre pregnancy clothes.

20 months after giving birth I still cannot fit most of my clothes (or they are still very tight) and I still cannot train the same way as before.

The images of different stars and celebrities looking amazing only 12 weeks after giving birth are extremely encouraging but at the same time misleading. Look at Kate Middletown for example. She looked stunning 8 hours after giving birth to her third child and back to her pre pregnancy body just three months later. That leaves most mum with this unrealistic expectation that postnatal recovery is so fast. It makes us try dieting and extreme exercising too soon, leaving us stressed, fatigued and sometimes even fatter (as our body stores fat when we’re stressed).

I thought I was prepared for my 4th trimester and beyond.

First, I thought I will have a blissful hypnobirth, that will take no longer than two hours. Easy peasy.

I thought I won’t need any help afterwards.

I thought that my baby girl will sleep through the night.

I thought I will be ready to get back to teaching and exercising 8 weeks after giving birth.

Today it all makes me chuckle. Nothing went according to my plan.

Postnatal recovery is individual and unique to every woman.

How quickly and how we start exercising depends on many factors.

It depends on your birth experience, possible birth injuries, help you received after giving birth and how much sleep you’re getting at night.

If you look at Kate Middleton, she had easy (if you can call any birth easy), quick births. She is sporty and healthy which helped her get back to fitness after having a baby. She didn’t put much weight on in any of her pregnancies. She had an army of people helping her through the pregnancy and afterwards. I bet she was getting more recovery sleep than the average mum. She had cooks to prepare her meals, a personal trainer and an array of different body care treatments available that most women don’t have access to. If you don’t have as much care and support as she does, you have to expect that post pregnancy recovery will take you a bit longer.

Just relax and listen to your body.

This is a magical time despite being sleep deprived (I don’t really remember how hard those first weeks were, they were a bliss. But I am still very tired).

Lay down on the floor or bed and focus on squeezing your muscles as you exhale.

The first gentle deep abdominal muscle exercises can be performed 10-14 days after giving birth (always consult with your doctor or midwife as some birth injuries or trauma may need more healing).

These are gentle muscle contractions lead by your breathing. As you breathe out, gently pull your belly button towards your spine. Then with another exhalation squeeze your side abdominal muscles. Hold it for a few seconds, keep on breathing and let go when you had too much. My midwife recommended starting with 8 repetitions 10 days after my c-section, but I was too tired to do all of them. I started with 4 reps, in bed, right before sleeping, as I never remembered to do them earlier. I explain this exercise in more details in my next blog post.

I did a little, but I did them every evening.

Consistency and short, gentle exercises are the key to success in the first weeks and months after giving a birth. Exercising 5 minutes every day works better than 45-90 minutes once or twice a week. If you push too hard too soon you risk suffering from adrenal fatigue or thyroid issues postpartum. Taking care of your nutrient stores, energy, and hormones needs to be a priority during the first 12 weeks postpartum. Resting is more important than exercising. Rest, that helps you keep your cortisol levels balanced, will play a huge role in you bouncing back to your pre pregnancy self. If you can, ask for help with cooking and other house chores.

I didn’t even consider asking for help and I put the pressure on myself to start doing everything even thought Dave was at home with me for the first 8 months (due to Covid). It really backfired later.

A few weeks later (after your energy improves and you can find a few more minutes to exercise) start with very gentle moves. Gentle strengthening exercises and stretches will be extremely helpful. Focus on strengthening your core, legs and upper back. Remember that your postpartum stretches should help your bones and ligaments gel back together, lift everything back up and nourish your core. Not all prenatal yoga poses will be appropriate now. Avoid any hip openers during that time.

Even such a safe exercise as back extension can only be done 12-16 weeks after giving birth, only if you did the deep abdominal work first.

And always, always listen to your body.

Your energy will dictate how long your workout should be and what exercises you will choose. As women we are very competitive, determined and driven these days. We often try to do too much too soon. Postnatal time is the time to rest, heal and take care of yourself as much as possible.

As Freya didn’t sleep through the night for almost 19 months (until I stopped breastfeeding to prepare my body for the second pregnancy) and still wakes up most nights, I am very tired. I pushed myself to work out way too early and I suffered with adrenal burnout. It was very challenging to recover from that with a one-year-old and sleepless nights.

My recommendation is to keep your workouts short and gentle until you get your period back.

Focus on walking and pay attention to your posture. Keep your pelvis in neutral, shoulders back and down and head up when you move. Squat when you’re picking your baby or toys from the floor. If possible, every so often, get a massage.

When you start menstruating start working out in sync with your menstrual cycle, adjusting exercises and intensity to the phase of your cycle. After a bad night take it easy, no matter what menstrual phase you’re at. Stay hydrated, eat healthy and enough, and get as much sleep as you can.

When your baby starts sleeping through the night and your body feels ready for more, you can start slowly increasing the length and intensity of your workouts. Remember that your workout will be effective only if you get enough rest afterwards. Without a good night sleep after the workout your stress hormones will stay high. Instead of burning fat you may keep on storing it and you will be exhausted.

If you need help with your short workouts join our “5-min workouts for tired mums” Facebook group where I share a 5-min exercise video every day. We exercise in sync with menstrual cycle or moon phases for any mums whose menstrual cycle is back but is very irregular.

Here is a sample 5 min workout posted in our FB group last week.

Letting go of my own expectations and false beliefs about training too hard after having a baby, helped me restore my energy. It is way more fun to exercise every day when you know you won’t be exhausted for a few days after your workout and you’re free from pains or aches.

I love it. I am calmer and slowly recovering from adrenal burnout. My body is slimming down again (I actually think it is due to increase in my estrogen after I stopped breastfeeding) but the pressure is off. I’m eating healthy, moving, exercising to build strength and stay pain-free, staying hydrated, taking supplements and catching up on sleep whenever I can. It is fun, even though I haven’t lost my whole baby weight yet. I will and so will you.

With Love,

Karo