New baby? Time for a new exercise regime….

Have you recently had a baby? Are you looking to get back to exercising again?

If you are that’s great news, but please read on as there are a few things to consider following the birth of your child.

Physically, as well as emotionally it is important to take it slowly and give your body time to heal; in the early days the most important things you can do are think about adopting good posture at all times, pelvic floor exercises , and walking (all of course whilst bonding with your new little bundle of joy). Once you’ve had your GP check (usually between 6-8 weeks) you can step things up to the next gear.

Perhaps you want to join a class, there are a lot of “new mum” classes out there, but how do you know that the instructor is suitably qualified? Here are some points to consider:

  • Do they have a specific pre/post-natal qualification?
  • Are you thoroughly screened before joining the group? You should expect to answer questions about your pregnancy and birth experience as well as any previous injuries or illnesses.
  • Does the instructor check for diastasis?
  • Are they insured, with additional insurance for exercising whilst the babies are in buggies?
  • Are the class numbers relatively small to allow the instructor to check form and posture?
  • Are there any high-impact activities during the class such as running and jumping?

High-impact activities should be avoided until at least 4-6 months (although this is highly individual and varies from person to person), the reason for this is due to the effects of Relaxin still flowing around your body. Relaxin is a hormone that is released in early pregnancy to loosen your joints in preparation for labour a  few months down the line, and it subsequently makes your joints quite unstable. If you begin running, aerobics, or trampolining too soon you put yourself at risk of injury, not to mention what it will do to your pelvic floor!! Listen to your body, if your knees, back, or pelvis are causing you pain or discomfort then it is probably wise to ease your exercise back a bit. There is plenty that you can do at a lower intensity, that gets a sweat on, but is safe, just ask and please be careful!!

Please share this with anyone you know who has recently had a baby!