When Can I Exercise After Having my Baby?
The trials and tribulations of pregnancy are enough to make enough want a break once it’s all over. As a husband and father, I’ve seen it firsthand, and it is something to be deeply admired. But sometimes that break doesn’t come and life can pass you by leading unfortunately to postpartum weight gain. It has been shown in research that postpartum weight retention (PPWR) can continue for as long as 15 years as mothers have reported having low energy, lack of time, and higher stress levels (1,2)- duh!
So what can be done? The first step is realizing what phase of the postpartum period you are in. The first is simple, it is the hospital stay right after the birth of a child. The second stage comes when that mother is discharged, dubbed the immediate postpartum period. And lastly, is the later postpartum period which starts at 6 weeks postpartum until the end of breastfeeding. In the research this is where most people are told to start combatting the weight that accumulated during pregnancy (3). But is that 6 week mark realistic for everyone? For those who have had cesarean sections, that 6 week time frame is usually when wounds begin to heal and practitioners say to try and start- but that differs for everyone so it’s best to start slow and do what you can (4).
The next step in starting this journey is to know what you can and cannot do. It's suggested that postpartum women start with simple things that won’t bother their pelvic floor and cause any abdominal pain, such as walking, stationary cycling, dancing, resistance training, stretching, and aquatic exercise (5). After you choose your preferred method your next two steps are the hardest- find a professional that can help guide you and keep you safe while challenging you, and lastly setting the goal to aim for 150 minutes per week of this chosen exercise (6). Getting to 150 minutes per week is going to seem impossible. Your newborn doesn’t sleep much, you’re not sleeping, you may still be in pain, and you have to try to find the time. But once you do, I promise you’ll be thankful you started your weight loss journey!
-Coach Khalil Harrison
References
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