Post Pregnancy Fitness – Part 1

First, what to expect: “Give your body a year.” Wise words from a friend. It took 10 months to get here, allow your body at least that much time to fully recover. I’m not saying 10 months to start activity, just overall recovery, like if you’re thinking about next baby or a triathlon.

Precautions: no inversion for 3 months after birth. (e.g., no bridging, yoga headstands, etc.) making sure to keep uterus below the heart.

Why: Prevent the risk of an embolism. During labor and delivery microscopic tears in the uterus may have happened as you were passing a watermelon through a Dixie cup. If we then invert the uterus above the heart, there is a small chance that air bubbles can get through those tiny tears and into the bloodstream and end up in the lungs. Not good. Avoidable.

When to start: general rule of thumb is to respect your body. If you are still bleeding or it makes you bleed, your body is not ready yet. No matter how mentally ready you are to exercise, clean house, travel, run errands, etc. Usual guidelines for resuming activity: after MD or midwife clears you 6 weeks after birth. C-sections: after 6-8 weeks. Episiotomies: depends, ask your OB or midwife.

Generally: Add more recovery time if you or your baby have been through any complications. I know, it can seem like forever. Trust me, the less you do now, the more completely you’ll heal and the more you’ll be able to do later. Questions or special cases? Feel free to contact me

More specifics next time: food, what kind of exercise, how much & how often.