If you’re anything like me, you were thinking about postpartum workouts before even giving birth. You had ambitions of being back to your pre-pregnancy fit self by 3 months in, and possibly pushed yourself too hard too soon. Here are a few things I wish I had known before delivery:
1. After delivery you have no core
This is an obvious exaggeration, but very true. Immediately after delivery I felt like a deflated balloon and it was a lot of work just to stand up upright. I felt like I had no core strength whatsoever, and it was a huge relief and help to put on my belly band immediately after delivery, just to have some sense of stability. Unfortunately it takes a lot of time for those stretched abdominals and pelvic floor to return to normal, and that means your core will continue to be weak for some time. This makes it doubly important to take things gradually to avoid overloading your back and pelvis.
2. Lifting techniques are important
After delivery you’re most likely just thinking about looking after your newborn, and not necessarily concerned about how it’s affecting your body. I learned this the hard way when I stopped focusing on how I was holding/lifting my little one and ended up with debilitating back pain. I knew exactly what I’d done.
No core + poor lifting techniques = overload and pain!
Carrying a baby (sometimes 24/7!) is a lot for a weak core to handle so it’s important to move in a way that loads the back and pelvis safely. You’ll find some key lifting techniques here which should help you avoid a mistake like mine.
3. When they say ‘Listen to your body’, Do it!
I was definitely guilty of pushing myself a bit too hard too soon. You always hear the mantra, ‘Listen to your body’, but it really is important. Your body will tell you if you’ve done too much. Some ways that our bodies let us know that we may have overdone it include: pain (like the back pain above), an increase in bleeding/discharge, or just a whole lot of fatigue! Avoid overdoing it by keeping your workouts short, at least initially, and attempting modified exercises before full versions e.g. kneeling push-ups before full push-ups.
Remember that it took 9-months to grow a baby and in that time your body underwent an immense amount of change. It may take that long, if not longer, to get back to some semblance of normal. So take things slowly, give yourself a break, and check out our postpartum recovery series if you’re in need of a bit of guidance as you work towards being fit and strong after delivery!
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