First of all, it’s worth remembering that your body went through a hell of a lot during your pregnancy and delivery - this needs to be considered and respected
You may feel strong on the outside and you may not have lost too much fitness but please remember your insides are probably screaming at you to slow down - take time to recover and heal naturally for the first 4-6 weeks after delivery
Don’t get pulled in by images of new mums ‘bouncing back’ created by the media - returning to your pre baby exercise schedule too early will do more harm than good
Remember your body has now changed a lot:
Your pelvic floor and deep core muscles have been stretched and weakened and your rib cage and pelvis have had to expand, all to accommodate your growing baby - this creates posture alterations and muscle imbalances which need to be addressed before you return to exercise
Your core muscles will be weaker than you imagine (These muscles used to provide your spine and pelvis with support and stability but now they’re not firing up as efficiently) - taking on too much in those early postpartum days can have long term impacts on your body as your other muscles will be having to work overtime to cut the slack of your lazy core
Your pelvic floor muscles and tummy muscles will be weaker and less capable of managing pressure changes created in your system as you move - over time this can lead to complications such as incontinence, prolapse or server diastasis recti
My advice - After 6 weeks of natural healing and recovery it’s time to rehabilitate - this is for everyone who’s gone through pregnancy.
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