I often get asked about what to do first when it comes to postpartum recovery. I thought I would share with you some areas you can focus on which will help regain flexibility, and strengthen your core and pelvic muscles.
Whilst many women are told they can resume exercise after their 6-week postpartum check-up, (or 10-week check-up if they had a cesarean birth) this isn’t the case for everyone. It’s really important to be listening to your own body. Maybe you will feel ready for physical activity, or maybe you won’t.
You should never feel rushed or forced to start physical exercises before you feel ready to do so. Note, this post isn’t at all about “getting your body back”, it’s about feeling connected with your body, listening to your instincts and finding movements and stretches that make you feel good. Only you know when you are ready to start and remember to be kind to yourself.
Healing the body
The post-birth period is a time when the body is healing. A woman’s hips will have spread, the pelvic floor is weakened and for some women, the abdominal muscles may have separated. Whether you had a vaginal or cesarean birth, your pelvic floor was stressed through pregnancy from your baby adding additional weight to it. However, there are steps that can be taken to bring awareness to your pelvic floor which in turn can help to stimulate healing from vaginal tearing, and from a cesarean scar.
The power of movement
Movement can be so powerful, and a little bit of movement can help you feel so much better as you are recovering postpartum. I recommend getting outside (if you feel like you can) and walking. Strap that baby on, and get outside in nature! Whether that starts with just a walk around your block or a short trip to the local park, take it one step at a time and stay in tune with your body. Listen to how you feel. Do you want to walk more? Do you feel like you can? Then do it. The beauty of starting with a walk is that you can control exactly how much you want to do.
You may be moving slowly at first and that is more than OK – in fact, it is totally normal. Remember to not overdo it and listen to your body. Something as simple as walking helps you to focus on your pelvic floor and deep core, as long as you’re taking the time to pay attention. You can do this by bringing awareness to how you are walking, your posture, your breathing and how you’re holding the baby. By bringing awareness to these muscles, you can help restimulate the deep core.
The focus here should be on the deep core and pelvic muscles, the walk is the added bonus that helps to bring about attention to these muscles. It is really important to remember that if you push too hard during these first few weeks, and try to rush the process, it will likely push back your recovery time and could result in injury.
Breathing exercises
Another great way to bring awareness to your breath is to practice your breathing whilst you’re feeding your baby. Think about how you are sitting, and how your back is feeling. Are your feet flat on the floor? Incorporating breathwork into your new routine is a great way to connect to your deep core.
If you feel comfortable doing so, you could feed your baby whilst sitting on a secured birth ball. This will help to improve strength and stability whilst also working on your posture. It’s important to remember that when you’re starting out the process of reconnecting with your pelvic floor muscles, you may not really feel a lot. Don’t feel disheartened, this is very normal! Some people find it helpful to focus on visualising the muscles coming together and picture your deep core tightening with every squeeze of your abdominals.
