Your body changes throughout pregnancy and childbirth in many ways, but your abdominal and pelvic floor muscles are the most affected. Exercises after giving birth are a great approach to help these muscles regain strength. However, resuming high-intensity core exercises too soon might put undue strain on your pelvic and abdominal muscles, leading to pain or discomfort. It’s advisable to go easy in the first few weeks.
Generally, you can begin exercising whenever you feel ready if you go through a smooth pregnancy and delivery. That could be between a week and a month. In the first few weeks after giving birth, your workouts should not involve jumping, sprinting, weightlifting, or anything rigorous.
Postpartum exercises can help you build stronger core muscles, improve your mood, lessen stress, and prevent lower back issues. Simple exercises like walking and side plank leg lifts are some of the best exercises to do after giving birth. During the postpartum period, the main objective is moving your body and engaging in activities that boost your mood.
This article will share details on the best postpartum exercises and let you know the benefits of these exercises. Let’s get on with it.
Best Postpartum Workouts
Getting your core strength back after giving birth is crucial. These exercises should focus on the pelvic floor, abdomen, and diaphragm. The following exercises are the best.
Holds for a Swiss Ball Bird Dog
This exercise improves posture, stability, and lower back pain, a common side effect of childbirth. You’ll need an exercise or stability ball to perform this workout.
Lie on the ball, covering it with your torso. Your palms should be level on the floor, and your toes should touch the ground.
Lift your right foot and left arm at the same moment as you look down at the ground and hold for one to two seconds. Go back to the beginning and switch sides. Do 20 repetitions on each side.
Kegel Exercises
You understand how to perform a kegel if you heeded your doctor’s advice during pregnancy. You should continue with these exercises. It’s one of the best pelvic floor exercises to strengthen your muscles after birth.
To correctly perform kegel exercises, do the following;
Relax your thigh, bottom, and abdominal muscles. Try to block the pee flow by tightening the front channel muscles.
Pinch the muscles surrounding the vagina and suck your pelvis up. Try to block the wind by tightening the back passage muscles. Repeat these exercises throughout the day.
Diaphragmatic Breathing
You can start practicing diaphragmatic breathing a few days after giving birth. Deep breathing exercises strengthen your core, reduces stress, and help you to relax.
Lie flat on a yoga mat and focus on letting go of the tension throughout your body. Place one hand on your belly and the other on your chest. Inhale deeply through your nose. Your stomach will expand, but the chest should stay static.
Inhale for two to three seconds. Keep one hand on your stomach and the other on your chest as you gently exhale. Repeat continuously for two to three minutes.
Cat-Cow Stretch
The Cat-Cow stretch is a basic yoga posture that strengthens the core, supports back muscles, and encourages spine mobility. Incorporating this exercise into your postpartum routines can aid with circulation, relaxation, and back pain relief.
Get on all fours on the ground. Maintain a neutral spine, a flat back, and a downward-facing gaze. Your knees will be directly beneath your hips, and your wrists under your shoulders. Take a long, deep breath in. Raise your spine as you exhale. The distance between your head and buttocks will decrease. Hold for one to two seconds while in the cat position.
Then, to assume the cow position, inhale, arch your back, lift your head and tailbone toward the sky, and release your belly to the floor. Continue doing this for around 60 seconds.
Postpartum Planks
The basic plank is a fantastic all-around exercise that improves your upper body muscles, retrains your core, and lifts your glutes. As long as you had a normal vaginal birth, you can do a regular plank within a few weeks of giving birth.
While lying on your stomach, place your forearms on the ground with your elbows tucked under your shoulders. Your toes should be on the ground and your feet flexed. Only your toes and forearms should contact the ground as you raise your toes while engaging your glutes and core.
Raise your body several inches from the ground and bring your belly button to your spine. Tighten your upper body by contracting your deep abdominal muscles. Hold for 30 seconds, then exhale and repeat. You should lengthen the hold as you get stronger.
Swiss Ball Glute Bridges
Swiss ball glute bridge exercises are excellent for stabilizing the core and pelvic floor. It strengthens the hamstrings, glutes, quadriceps, and abdominal muscles. You need an exercise ball for this.
Put the exercise ball at your feet, back flat on the ground, and knees bent. Drive your heels in, and lift your hips high. Make use of your hamstring and gluteal muscles to help. Your body should remain straight, and your shoulders and upper back should remain in contact with the floor.
Hold the ball still for a few seconds, then return to the initial position. Do three to four sets of ten to twenty repetitions each.
Benefits of Postpartum Exercises
Exercising after giving birth has lots of benefits. Here are some of them.
- Helping your body become firmer and also toning it.
- Reduces your fatigue by increasing your energy level and enhancing your sense of wellness.
- Promoting weight loss.
- Boosts your cardiovascular health and muscle strength.
- Gets your abdominal muscles in shape.
- It boosts your disposition, reduces stress, and aids in preventing postpartum depression.
Final Thoughts
After giving birth, you should be kind to yourself as you get to exercise gently. Make it a habit to listen to your body each time you exercise and ask yourself, “how do I feel?” Take notes after every workout, at least at the beginning of the postnatal exercise. Doing so will enable you to note down areas you might need to discuss with your physician on your next visit.
