Why do I need postpartum exercise?
Postpartum exercise can help you heal, sleep better, increase your milk supply, and prevent postpartum blues. Although exercise may feel like the last thing you want to do, it comes with lots of benefits. Of course, you should wait until you’re cleared by your doc before beginning any postpartum exercise routine.
Let’s talk about the two basic exercises that are beneficial to new moms. Gentle lower tummy exercises and pelvic floor exercises are perfect for new moms. It’s really all new moms should be doing until their muscles are more fully healed. Gentle is the key, don’t overdo it or you may actually delay healing.
Why postpartum exercise, haven’t I already done enough?
- Keep your mood and spirits up by raising the levels of feel-good chemicals (endorphins) in your brain.
- Help increase your milk supply
- Help you to lose baby weight you gained during pregnancy along with eating healthy foods.
- Protect you from muscle pain.
- Improve your energy levels.
- Help you sleep better and more deeply
It’s all about the pelvic floor
Pelvic floor exercises also known as kegels are your first and most important exercises. Start doing them as soon as you feel that you are healed enough to and if you’re not sure, check with your doctor. The pelvic floor consists of the muscles of your bladder, vagina, and bowels.
You’ll often hear new mothers who are really annoyed about peeing on themselves all the time. Sneezing with a weak pelvic floor, forget it! You want t get your pelvic floor toned after birth. I know plenty of moms that still have accidents 10 years postpartum because their pelvic floor muscles never healed correctly. The pelvic floor has gone through a lot and stretched to great lengths. The muscles of the pelvic floor need some straightening, toning, and attention.
Pelvic floor exercises are about as exciting as it sounds. So work your pelvic floor exercises into your daily routine. One great thing about pelvic floor exercises are that you can do them anywhere and no one will know. They can be done while nursing or laying on the floor and focusing. If you’re not sure how to do them, there are some great tutorials. As a reminder, put a sticker of some kind on a wall in your bathroom or living room. When you see this sticker, it’ll be your little reminder to do your kegels.
These important exercises will help your perineum and vagina heal quicker. That’s because the exercises improve circulation to the area, helping to reduce inflammation and injury. Be careful if you have vaginal stitches and only do what feels right, doesn’t hurt or increase bleeding. The key again is gentle.
Kegels are strange and amazing
This postpartum exercise often doesn’t feel like much in the beginning. But keep it up and your’ll soon begin to feel the results. These results will be so important to your healing process.
As soon as you feel up to it, go on out and explore with your baby. Some cultures encourage bed rest for the first two weeks, but just listen to your body, your muscles, and your physician. What do they tell you when you get up and go for a walk? You can try taking your baby for a walk in their stroller. Start with short walks of about 10 minutes. Don’t overdo it. You’re building up to be in shape again, but go slow. Postpartum exercise is gentle and builds up, more is not better here.
Sleep and postpartum exercise
As a new parent, sleep is important. Postpartumm exercise helps you get more and better quality sleep during the hours that your baby allows. Sleep is the secret ingredient to happy families. If sleep has been an issue due to your new baby keeping you up all night, there are some great Doula Services that will do overnights to help you get that much needed rest.
Lower tummy exercises
Every new mom wants to know when their tummy will get back to normal. Well, there may be a new mom normal, but with a little work, your tummy can get back into the shape you want.
Tummy rubs are a really easy way to begin with the most basic toning of your uterus and lower tummy muscles. Simply rub your lower tummy in a circular motion before standing every time for the first 2 weeks. This action prepares the uterine and lower tummy muscles to do their thing.
Getting down to business, it’s very important to only do lower tummy exercises. We’ve talked a lot about the pelvic floor and that ties into the lower tummy and will help the muscles knit back together. Slowly but surely gentle lower tummy exercise can help get your tummy back into shape. I really love how Mojo Health explains it all in plain English. Their video really helps, take a look.
If you’ve had a c-secion, ask your doctor about any abdominal exercises before attempting them. And trust your gut, if anything hurts or increases bleeding, stop and ask a doc.
Lastly, taking good care of yourself will help you take good care of your baby.
Alice Palmeri, LMT works in Southwest Portland, Oregon where she specializes in massage therapy for everyone. License # 23983
