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 When can I start exercising?

It's a good idea to wait until after your six-week postnatal check before you start to exercise regularly again. If you exercised regularly before giving birth and you feel fit and well, you might be able to start earlier. Talk to your midwife or GP.
If you had a caesarean delivery, your recovery time will be longer, so talk to your midwife or health visitor before starting anything too strenuous.

What should I be aware of before exercising?

Your lower back and core abdominal muscles are weaker than they used to be. Your ligaments and joints are also more supple and pliable, so it's easier to injure yourself by stretching or twisting too much.
Don’t rely on your pre-pregnancy sports bra because your back and cup size are likely to have changed. Get measured for a new one.

Can I do any exercises immediately?

Yes. Exercise your pelvic floor muscles (the muscles you use to stop your flow of urine). Pregnancy and childbirth puts a lot of strain on these muscles, which can lead to stress incontinence (leaking urine when you sneeze, cough, laugh or exercise).
Pelvic floor exercises strengthen these muscles, which can help to stop incontinence, and make sex better too. You can do pelvic floor exercises anywhere: at home, at the bus stop, or in a queue at the supermarket.

What other exercise can I do?

Start off gently, and make sure you feel comfortable with what you’re doing. You could try the following:
Push the buggy briskly, keeping your back straight. Walking is great exercise, so get out as much as you can.
Go upstairs briskly. You probably go up and down plenty of times a day, so think of it as good exercise.
Squat down if you need to pick things up from the floor. If you squat rather than stoop, bending your knees and keeping your back straight, you’ll strengthen your thigh muscles and avoid damaging your back.
When your lochia (postnatal bleeding) has stopped, you can try swimming. If you take your child with you, try to have someone else there too so that you get a chance to swim.
After your postnatal check at six weeks, you could join a postnatal exercise class. If you join a class that isn't specially for postnatal women, tell the instructor that you've recently had a baby. You’ll need to take special care of your back, so don't do any exercises that could damage it.

How do I know if I’m overdoing it?

If you’re doing too much, you’ll experience extreme fatigue, feel run-down and take longer to recover from workout sessions.
If your lochia (the bleeding after birth) flows more heavily or changes colour (becomes pink or red) after activity, you could be overdoing it. Take it easy.

Can I take my baby along?

Getfit121’s Mum and Baby fit classes allow you to bring your baby along to the exercise class. For more information click on Mum and Baby Fit.